Berlioz's 'Roman Carnival Overture, Op. 9', Barber's 'Violin Concerto, Op. 14', Berstein's 'West Side Story, Symphonic Dances', Stravinsky's 'Suite from the Firebird' (1919) was a part of the stunning repertoire presented by the Sarasota Orchestra under the magnificent direction of celebrated Guest Conductor Larry Rachleff.
Following spectacular fall programming like the triple-header of Mozart's Requiem this weekend and a very special Jazz @ The Jacobs series kickoff on Nov. 25, The First Lady of Song: An Ella Fitzgerald Tribute, the San Diego Symphony is set to deliver a particularly memorable holiday season with special festive concerts throughout December and into the new year. There's no doubt that music plays a big part in making it feel like the holidays, and these concerts will make a trip to the Symphony one of your favorite holiday traditions if it isn't one already:
On October 7, 2017, Los Angeles Opera presented Georges Bizet's THE PEARL FISHERS starring sweet-voiced Mexican star tenor Javier Camarena as Nadir. Steel-voiced Mexican baritone Alfredo Daza, was Zurga, his rival for the hand of Leila, a beautiful priestess who had taken a vow of chastity.
In January 2018, the San Diego Symphony will hold its third annual festival and will explore the world of rhythm, sound and place through percussion in a month-long celebration entitled "It's About Time," which is curated by percussionist, conductor, author and University of California San Diego professor Steven Schick. Working with several of San Diego's performing arts organizations, the festival is about the myriad of ways percussion music connects us to the world and to nature. Planning is underway for the festival to move beyond the concert hall including an outdoor performance at the US/Mexico border of John Luther Adams's Inuksuit.
SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE - the singularly inspired creation by the designer, director and performer, master puppeteer Basil Twist, set to the revolutionary 1830 score by composer Hector Berlioz - will return to New York City on the occasion of the ground-breaking work's 20th anniversary starting March 29, 2018 prior to opening night on April 3 at HERE (145 Sixth Ave.), it is announced by HERE's Artistic and Producing Directors Kristin Marting and Kim Whitener, and Barbara Busackino, HERE's Co-Founder and Executive Director of Tandem Otter Productions, Mr. Twist's production company. HERE's Dream Music Puppetry Program proudly presents SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE's return to HERE, its original home, on the occasion of HERE's 25th Anniversary Season.
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra's (HK Phil) Principal Guest Conductor Yu Long sets off an awesome display of musical fireworks for the National Day Celebration Concerts with Berlioz's action-packed Symphonie fantastique and Guo Wenjing's Chou Kong Shan, a rare concerto for dizi and orchestra featuring renowned dizi virtuoso, Tang Junqiao.
Brooklyn Art Song Society presents five concerts exploring all things French, from masterpieces by Hector Berlioz to American premieres by Jean Barraque.
Courtney Lewis, former Assistant Conductor, will make his New York Philharmonic subscription debut leading Jonathan Biss as soloist in Timo Andres's Piano Concerto No. 3, The Blind Banister, and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2; the program also includes selections from Berlioz's Romeo and Juliet and Elgar's In the South (Alassio).
Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct the New York Philharmonic in the New York Premiere of The Marie-Josee Kravis Composer-in-Residence Esa-Pekka Salonen's Cello Concerto - a New York Philharmonic co-commission with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Barbican Centre, and Elbphilharmonie Hamburg - with Yo-Yo Ma as soloist.
The Vancouver Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra (VAMSO) will embark on a thrilling musical journey with Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, February 19, 2017, 2pm at the Orpheum Theatre.
Opera is for everyone-and so is Seattle Opera's 2017/18 season! There's a new bilingual performance for elementary-school students, new performance venues such as Georgetown Steam Plant, a new mainstage collaboration with ACT Theatre and Seattle Symphony leaders, and even an outdoor performance offered free of charge. Regardless of background or socioeconomic status, this season offers ways for a broad audience to be able to experience opera; it's an open invitation for the Pacific Northwest.
Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the much-anticipated company premiere of Les Troyens, a rarely performed masterpiece by French composer Hector Berlioz, as the third opera of the 2016/2017 season. The new production Les Troyens opens Sunday, November 13, with only five performances through December 3 at Lyric's Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago.
The Michigan Philharmonic performed its annual Phright Night concert last Saturday at the PARC in Plymouth; as always, it was a huge success. The symphony harvested some scary tunes at its beloved Halloween POPS concert. Maestro Nan Washburn entered the building on her motorized scooter, drawing thunderous applause from patrons. She opened the concert using a large wooden spoon as her conductor's baton, then quickly switched it out with a professional one. The selections were wonderful, and very much a treat for the ears.
In a new production, Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the much-anticipated Midwest premiere of Les Troyens by French Romantic composer Hector Berlioz (1803-1869). Les Troyens opens Sunday, November 13, with only five performances throughDecember 3 at Lyric's Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. Tickets are available at lyricopera.org/Troyens or at 312-827-5600.
Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct the New York Philharmonic in Berlioz's Les Nuits d'ete, with mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožena in her Philharmonic debut, and Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, Today, September 29, 2016, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, September 30 at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, October 1 at 8:00 p.m.
The long collaboration between the South African composer Philip Miller and artist William Kentridge is celebrated in a new song-and-film cycle at the Print Room next month, featuring Kentridge's charcoal and ink drawings and animated films, and live musical performances. Miller explains the project's genesis.
Superstar violinist Midori joins the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (ASO) for the first concerts of the 2016-2017 season,September 30 and October 1. Entitled "Lovers and Dreamers," Music Director Jose-Luis Novo will lead the orchestra's first performance of the season at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts.
Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct the New York Philharmonic in Berlioz's Les Nuits d'ete, with mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožena in her Philharmonic debut, and Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, Thursday, September 29, 2016, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, September 30 at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, October 1 at 8:00 p.m.