Acclaimed Chopin Interpreter Evgeni Bozhanov Makes Houston Symphony Debut

Slovak conductor Juraj Valcuha returns to Houston to lead the Houston Symphony and pianist Evgeni Bozhanov in Chopin's poetic Piano Concerto No. 2 April 26 and 28 at 8 p.m. and April 29 at 2:30 p.m. at Jones Hall.

The evening's program begins with Otto Nicolai's Overture to The Merry Wives of Windsor, a German opera based on Shakespeare's play in which the knight Falstaff unsuccessfully attempts to pursue two married women at once. Acclaimed pianist Evgeni Bozhanov joins the orchestra to perform the second piece of the program, Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2, which features some of the composer's most tender melodies.

The program concludes with Richard Strauss' Also sprach Zarathustra, which became famous and well-known after its use in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The film's unforgettable opening sunrise has become an icon in popular culture.

The concert will take place at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, 615 Louisiana Street, in Houston's Theater District. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Houston Symphony Patron Services Center at Jones Hall (Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). All programs and artists are subject to change.

About the Houston Symphony

During the 2017-18 season, the Houston Symphony celebrates its fourth season with Music Director Andrés Orozco- Estrada and continues its second century as one of America's leading orchestras with a full complement of concert, community, education, touring and recording activities. The Houston Symphony, one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas, held its inaugural performance at The Majestic Theater in downtown Houston June 21, 1913. Today, with an annual operating budget of $33.9 million, the full-time ensemble of 88 professional musicians presents nearly 170 concerts annually, making it the largest performing arts organization in Houston. Additionally, musicians of the orchestra and the Symphony's four Community-Embedded Musicians offer over 900 community-based performances each year, reaching thousands of people in Greater Houston.

The Grammy Award-winning Houston Symphony has recorded under various prestigious labels, including Naxos, Koch International Classics, Telarc, RCA Red Seal, Virgin Classics and, most recently, Dutch recording label Pentatone. In 2017, the Houston Symphony was awarded an ECHO Klassik award for the live recording of Alban Berg's Wozzeck under the direction of former Music Director Hans Graf. The orchestra earned its first Grammy nomination and Grammy Award at the 60th annual ceremony for the same recording in the Best Opera Recording category.

For tickets and more information, please visit www.houstonsymphony.org or call 713-224-7575.