Renée Fleming and More to Perform at The New York Philharmonic's PROJECT 19

Music Director Jaap van Zweden will conduct the World Premiere of 2019 Pulitzer Prize winner Ellen Reid's When the World as You've Known It Doesn't Exist - featuring sopranos Eliza Bagg (Philharmonic subscription debut), Martha Cluver (debut), and Estelí Gomez - commissioned by the Philharmonic as part of Project 19, marking the centennial of the 19th Amendment through commissions by 19 women composers; soprano Renée Fleming in Björk's Virus and All Is Full of Love as well as Dark Harbor xxV and Dark Harbor XI from Anders Hillborg's The Strand Settings; and Bruckner's Symphony No. 4. The program will take place Thursday, February 20, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, February 21 at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, February 22 at 8:00 p.m.

The New York Philharmonic nominated Ellen Reid for the 2020 class of Lincoln Center Emerging Artists. Of her work commissioned by the Philharmonic for Project 19, Ellen Reid said: "It is such an honor to be included in Project 19 alongside so many artists whose music I've loved for a long time. My piece is not directly about the 19th Amendment, but it is about unabashedly presenting my artistic voice. This, at times, feels like my most political action. When the World as You've Known It Doesn't Exist begins in a musical landscape of exhausted and disembodied questioning. The piece then moves through waves of blazing anger and strength towards something close to acceptance."

Renée Fleming and the New York Philharmonic premiered Anders Hillborg's The Strand Settings, based on poems by Pulitzer Prize winner Mark Strand, at Carnegie Hall in 2013; the Philharmonic and Carnegie Hall co-commissioned the work, dedicated to Ms. Fleming. Her 2017 Decca album Distant Light features The Strand Settings alongside Björk songs, including the songs she performs on this program. Both Ms. Fleming and Björk are recipients of Sweden's Polar Music Prize.

As part of Project 19, the League of Women Voters of the City of New York will host voter registration and provide information on civic engagement at these performances. In addition, the New York Philharmonic Archives will present The Case of the New York Philharmonic's First Woman: Steffy Goldner's Untold Story, February 5-22, 2020, a multimedia installation by artist Nives Widauer examining the challenges women faced during the universal suffrage movement, focusing on harpist Stephanie "Steffy" Goldner (1896-1962) - the first woman to become a member of the Philharmonic - and other pioneering women of the Philharmonic. Still and moving images of letters, recordings, home movies, and family memorabilia will be projected onto the inside of the harp case she used for touring.

The New York Philharmonic will offer an allotment of free tickets to young people ages 13-26 for the concert on February 21 as part of Philharmonic Free Fridays.

More information on Project 19 available at nyphil.org/project19.

Tickets

Single tickets start at $35. A limited number of $18 tickets may be available to students within 10 days of the performance at nyphil.org/rush, or in person the day of (valid identification required). The New York Philharmonic is offering an allotment of free tickets to young people ages 13-26 for the concert on February 21 as part of Philharmonic Free Fridays (nyphil.org/freefridays). (Ticket prices subject to change.)

Tickets to New York Philharmonic performances may be purchased online at nyphil.org or by calling (212) 875-5656, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday; 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 5:00 p.m. Sunday. Tickets may also be purchased at the David Geffen Hall Box Office. The Box Office opens at 10:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and at noon on Sunday. On performance evenings, the Box Office closes one-half hour after performance time; other evenings it closes at 6:00 p.m.

Event Listing

New York Philharmonic

David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center

Thursday, February 20, 2020, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 21, 2020, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 22, 2020, 8:00 p.m.

Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Renée Fleming, soprano (Hillborg, Björk)

Eliza Bagg**, Martha Cluver*, Estelí Gomez, soprano (Reid)

Ellen REID When the World as You've Known It Doesn't Exist19 (World Premiere-New York Philharmonic Commission)
Anders HILLBORG Dark Harbor xxV and Dark Harbor XI, from The Strand Settings
BJÖRK / Orch. H. Ek Virus and All Is Full of Love
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4

Photo Credit: Andrew Eccles

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