New York Philharmonic Announces Updates to 175th Anniversary Season

The New York Philharmonic has announced updates to its 175th anniversary season in 2016-17. Highlights include...

Newly added concerts:

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - the New York Premiere screening of the complete film with John Williams's score performed live to picture, conducted by David Newman, May 12-13, 2017.

Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil (Vespers), presented by the Philharmonic as part of Beloved Friend - Tchaikovsky and His World: A Philharmonic Festival, performed by Westminster Symphonic Choir, directed by Joe Miller, at St. Paul the Apostle Church, February 6, 2017.

The New York Philharmonic Brass and Percussion, with former Principal Trumpet Philip Smith as conductor, host, and trumpet, will perform in the annual Holiday Brass concert, December 18, 2016.

Additional updates:

Principal Trumpet Christopher Martin, who begins his tenure in September 2016, will make his Philharmonic solo debut in the previously announced Ligeti's Mysteries of the Macabre, for Trumpet and Orchestra, conducted by Music Director Alan Gilbert,October 5-8, 2016. He will also appear as soloist in the previously announced Copland's Quiet City, December 28-30, 2016, and January 3, 2017, also conducted by Mr. Gilbert. (English horn soloist to be announced at a later date.)

Details have been announced for New York Philharmonic Ensembles at Merkin Concert Hall. See chronological listing here for artists and repertoire.

Repertoire for the Annual Free Memorial Day Concert, May 29, 2017, at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine will be Mahler's Symphony No. 4, conducted by Music Director Alan Gilbert. (Soprano to be announced at a later date.)

Opening works and artists for the Saturday Matinee Concerts have been announced. The chamber works were selected because of the composers' ties to New York and the New York Philharmonic, on the occasion of the Philharmonic's 175th anniversary season. See chronological listing here for artists and repertoire.

John Adams's The Chairman Dances(Foxtrot for Orchestra) will replace Short Ride in a Fast Machine in performances led by Music Director Alan Gilbert, March 15-18, 2017; the Young People's Concert The Ages of Music: "Modern," March 11, 2017; and on the EUROPE / SPRING 2017 tour, March 23-April 7, 2017.

Artists and repertoire have been announced for the Chinese New Year Concert and Gala, January 31, 2017, conducted by Long Yu. The program will include the World Premiere-New York Philharmonic Co-Commission of Xu Shuya's The Light of Summer; selections from Puccini'sTurandot; the U.S. Premiere of Andy Akiho's Ricochet, Concerto for Ping Pong, Violin, Percussion, and Orchestra, with Philharmonic violinist Elizabeth Zeltser and guest percussionist David Cossin as soloists, both in their Philharmonic debuts; and Li Huanzhi's Spring Festival Overture.

The repertoire for the previously announced presentation of the China Philharmonic, December 11, 2016, conducted by Long Yu, has changed. The revised program will include Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2, with Julian Rachlin as soloist, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 (replacing the previously announced Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra, and Chen Qigang's Enchantements oubliés ).

Additional vocalists have been announced for three programs, all led by Music Director Alan Gilbert. Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke will join the vocalists in Handel's Messiah, December 13-17, 2016 (replacing countertenor Tim Mead, who has withdrawn due to a scheduling conflict). Mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack and tenor Joseph Kaiser will both make their Philharmonic debuts in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, May 3-6 and 9, 2017. Bass Stephen Milling will appear as Fafner and tenor Peter Bronder will appear as Mime in Wagner's Das Rheingold, both in their Philharmonic debuts, June 1, 3, and 6, 2017.

Pianist Yefim Bronfman will perform selections from Tchaikovsky's The Seasons in the previously announced January 29, 2017, chamber music program co-presented by 92nd Street Y as part of Beloved Friend - Tchaikovsky and His World: A Philharmonic Festival.

Busoni's Berceuse élégiaque will replace Sibelius's Pohjola's Daughter in the October 20-22 and 25, 2016, program featuring The Mary and James G. Wallach Artist-in-Residence Leonidas Kavakos as conductor and soloist.

Previously announced updates to the 2016-17 season include a newly added concert featuring Itzhak Perlman conducting and performing works by Beethoven and Brahms, November 15, 2016, and jazz pianist Aaron Diehl performing Gershwin's Concerto in F in his New York Philharmonic debut on the Opening Gala Concert, led by Music Director Alan Gilbert, September 21, 2016.

An updated chronological listing for the entire 2016-17 season, incorporating all of the above updates and more, is available here (updates are bold).

Photo Credit: Chris Lee