OSL and BAC Co-present Das Lied at 100: Mahler by Schoenberg

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the premiere of Gustav Mahler's monumental song-symphony Das Lied von der Erde, Orchestra of St. Luke's (OSL) and Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) will co-present Das Lied at 100: Mahler by Schoenberg-a performance of Schoenberg and Riehn's masterful chamber music arrangement of the work. The concert is OSL and BAC's first artistic collaboration since OSL moved into its new home, The DiMenna Center for Classical Music, which shares the same building as BAC. Esteemed conductor George Manahan will lead St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble with soloists mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano and tenor Paul Groves.

Mahler's deeply profound farewell to life received its premiere after the composer's death in 1911. Based on a collection of Tang Dynasty poems entitled The Chinese Flute, Das Lied von der Erde features the use of ‘Chinese' motifs that were unique in Mahler's output. The work ranges from exuberant, drunken joy to noble acceptance of life's passing.

The chamber arrangement of Das Lied von der Erde demonstrates Mahler's great compositional architecture on a reduced scale. As a strong advocate of Mahler's music, Arnold Schoenberg began work on a chamber arrangement of Das Lied von der Erde after World War I for his Society for Private Musical Performances; however, with little funding, the project was never finished. German musicologist Rainer Riehn ultimately completed the arrangement in 1983.

A conductor of wide renown in both operatic and orchestral settings, George Manahan served as Music Director of New York City Opera for 14 years and currently serves as Music Director of the American Composers Orchestra, as well as Director of Orchestral Studies at the Manhattan School of Music. This is Manahan's first performance of the chamber arrangement of Das Lied von der Erde.

Paul Groves' recent operatic performances include principal roles at the Gran Teatre de Liceu, Real Madrid, the Metropolitan Opera and Santa Fe Opera. Groves' interpretation of Das Lied von der Erde has been commended in past performances with the Pablo Casals Festival, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Mostly Mozart Festival.

Jennifer Johnson Cano's lustrous voice and stage presence have earned her praise in performances with the Metropolitan Opera, the Marlboro Festival, Chicago Opera Theater, the New York Philharmonic, Young Concert Artists and more.

Thursday, September 8 and Friday, September, 9 2011 at 8PM
Das Lied at 100: Mahler by Schoenberg
St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble; George Manahan, conductor; Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano; Paul Groves, tenor
Jerome Robbins Theater

MAHLER (ARR. SCHOENBERG and RIEHN) Das Lied von der Erde

Tickets ($25) available by calling (866) 811-4111 or visiting bacnyc.org.