Saint-Saëns' 'Egyptian' and Schubert's 'The Great' Launch South Florida Symphony Orchestra's 2023/24 Season

Saint-Saëns and Schubert Masterworks will launch South Florida Symphony Orchestra's (SFSO) 26th season of artistic excellence at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 8, at The Parker in Fort Lauderdale (707 NE 8th Street) and at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 12, at New World Center in Miami Beach (500 17th Street). Led by Music Director Sebrina María Alfonso, SFSO will premiere its stirring, exotic performance of Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 5, Op. 103, “Egyptian” featuring guest artist Tao Lin on piano and Schubert's majestic Symphony No. 9, C Major, D. 944, "The Great."

“As South Florida Symphony Orchestra journeys into its 26th season, we are exploring new musical horizons while celebrating timeless classics,” says Maestra Alfonso. “Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 5 known as the “Egyptian,” will undoubtedly excite the senses as well as the musicians as we introduce this exhilarating work to our audiences for the first time. And there's a reason they call Schubert's No. 9, “The Great.” The title sums it up beautifully. It's grand, majestic, and an absolute thrill to perform.”

Known as the “Egyptian,” Camille Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 5 is an aural voyage down the Nile, ripe with the exotic sounds of the Middle East. Written in 1896, 20 years after his prior piano concerto, and subsequently his last, this concerto was nicknamed "The Egyptian" for two reasons. The piece was composed in the temple town of Luxor while on one of his frequent winter vacations to Egypt, and it is among his most fascinating, displaying influences from Javanese and Spanish as well as Middle eastern music. Saint-Saëns said that the piece represented a sea voyage.

Performing Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 5, Op. 103, “Egyptian” is Chinese American concert pianist and Steinway Artist Tao Lin. As a soloist, he has performed with South Florida Symphony, as well as other orchestras including Moscow Chamber, Winnipeg Symphony, Atlantic Classical, and Knoxville Civic. As a recitalist, he has appeared at Kennedy Center, National Gallery of Art, Rockefeller University, Chautauqua Institute, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Minnesota Orchestra Hall, Izumi Hall (Osaka, Japan), and Edvard Grieg Museum in Norway. He has also appeared in concerts with Aspen Trio, Miami, Bergonzi, Alcon, Ying, Shanghai, and Rosalyra String Quartets, as well as distinguished musicians. A frequent pianist and lecturer at the Music Festival of the Hamptons, Mainly Mozart Festival, Music Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Arts Rolla Festival, Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival, and Festival Miami, Lin is currently a visiting professor at Shanghai Normal University and a piano faculty at Bowdoin International Music Festival.

Franz Schubert's final symphony was originally called “The Great C” to distinguish it from his Symphony No. 6. Today it's referred to simply as “The Great” because of its awesome grandeur. Often cited as the first of the big Romantic symphonies, 9th Symphony is an extended essay which is confident, outgoing, discursive and expansive in nature - rather more public than personal. Sadly, Schubert never heard his "Great" symphony. Its first public professional performance did not take place until a decade after his death. Listen carefully and you'll find that in Schubert's finale, he quotes Beethoven's Ninth Symphony's "Ode to Joy" theme to both acknowledge his debt to Beethoven and daringly compete with his reputation. The unexpected, subtle placement of the quotation within the middle of the movement adds a dream-like quality to the composition.

Following its highly acclaimed 25th anniversary season, including sold-out shows and a celebrated performance accompanying award-winning alt-rock indie vocalist Natalie Merchant, South Florida's largest symphonic orchestra is continuing its musical journey of excellence inspiring audiences of all ages.

Upcoming concerts include Handel's glorious holiday masterpiece Messiah and masterworks from Brahms, Bernstein, Schubert, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky and more, plus Symphony premieres by trailblazing female composers Florence Price, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich and Jessie Montgomery. SFSO will also host a 200th anniversary celebration of Beethoven's magnificent Symphony No. 9 on March 3 at Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Additional popular music performances including Maestra Alfonso conducting SFSO in a live performance of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone In Concert on April 5 and Classical Mystery Tour: A Symphonic Tribute to The Beatles on May 11, both at Broward Center for the Performing Arts (separately ticketed events).

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