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December 15, 2011 Schubert and Hindemith in Torino with RAI Location: Auditorium Toscanini,Torino Program: works by Schubert, Hindemith and Beethoven
Each season I have the great fortune to make music with my friends at the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI in Torino. This fall we explore three great masterworks; Schubert's Great final Symphony, Beethoven's 3rd Leonore Overture and Hindemith's Viola Concerto, Der Schwanendreher, with their maestro of viola, Luca Ranieri as soloist. This program is a musician's program, full of compositional clarity and strokes of genius. Having a soloist like Luca make this an extra special event to look forward to. Truffles, Barolo and RAI make for a perfect pre-Christmas event. This concert will be repeated in Ravenna on January 22, 2012! More info (external link)
December 31, 2011-January 1, 2012 Nordique Swing with Blue Citron Location: Centre de Congrés, Nantes/Angers Program: Grieg Piano Concerto, Peer Gynt, Ellington Peer Gynt
After the success of the Tchaikovsky/Ellington Caisse Noisette, we continue the Ellington cycle of his orchestral band band suites. Grieg's most popular work, Peer Gynt, is this time put in juxtaposition with Ellington's Peer Gynt Suite, featuring the return of Bleu Citron Big Band. Vahan Mardirossian plays the Grieg Piano concerto. Another ONPL night guaranteed to swing in the new year. More info (external link)
January 27-28, 2012 Ole! Again! Location: Seville, Spain with the Seville Symphony Orchestra Program: works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Lalo and Ravel
The last time I was in Seville was for the Feria in 1994. This time I make my conducting debut in the land of flamenco, bullfights and sangria. And what a program! With the great pianist Tzimon Barto, this will certainly another unforgettable experience. Ravel, Brahms and Zarathrustra to raise the sun after a long fiesta! More info (external link)
February 1-9, 2012 The Ballets of Tchaikovsky Location: Pays de la Loire and Folle Journée, with ONPL and Daniel Hope Program: Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev
Last season’s success with Tchaikovsky's Caisse Noisette revealed an ONPL well suited to enjoy the details and drama of the ballets. We continue that pleasure and complete the cycle with the Suites to Lac des Cygnes and Belle au Bois Dormant. We set the theatrical stage with Prokofiev's comic Symphonie Classique, and Daniel Hope, my good friend, shares more Russian soul with the Prokofiev 2nd violin Concerto. And this time, the ONPL has center stage as resident orchestra of the Folle Journée in the Pays de la Loire. More info (external link)
February 15-19, 2012 Mozart Requiem Location: Auditorium di Milano, with LaVerdi and Radovan Vladkovic Program: works by Mozart and Battistelli
My first concert as Principal Conductor of the great Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano "Giuseppe Verdi," or simply la Verdi, is a program that will forever resonate in my heart and soul, not only because I begin my tenure with the Requiem, but it was during the Amadeus program in October 2010 when my mother passed away. Rehearsing the Requiem on the day she died gave me the feeling my mother would always be with me in spirit, especially when I hear or perform this masterpiece. So it is with profound gratitude that I continue this special relationship with this special work and with such a special orchestra. Grazie di cuore. More info (external link)
February 23-26 Musical Fantasy Location: Auditorium di Milano with La Verdi, Rachel Kolly d'Alba Program: Debussy, Szymanowski, Tchaikovsky
Once upon a time, LaVerdi and I fell in love (during the Tchaikovsky 5, not hard to do with this work). Now I am grateful to be their Principal Conductor. Like the Faun of Debussy (celebrating the Debussy 150th anniversary), and the ballets of Tchaikovsky, we continue our fascinating journey into the realm of fantasy and myth. Szymanowski's impressionistic violin concerto with the equally impressive Rachel Kolly d'Alba will set the mood for magic. With LaVerdi, Rachel and I continue our recording collaboration with Warner Classics. Watch for the release of the Szymanowski with, of course, Tchaikovsky's violin concerto, another reason to fall in love again. More info (external link)
March 2-5, 2012 Stories in Music Location: Parma, Cremona Italy with Filarmonica Toscanini Program: Strauss, Ravel, Rimsky-Korsakov
The Filarmonica Toscanini di Parma is one of the great orchestras of Italy, with a rich history with Lorin Maazel, Vladimir Jurowski and many other great conductors, not to mention being named after one. We reprised our Mahler 5 last season and this time get to make a program that celebrates the virtuosic musicianship of its soloists, from Don Quixote to Scheherazade. This is a program perfect for the senses, which are always satisfied in the land of prosciutto and parmesan. More info (external link)
March 9-10, 2012 First Rate Ravel and Gershwin Location: Kampnagel, Hamburg with NDR Sinfonieorchester and Jean Yves Thibaudet Program: Works by Ravel and Gershwin
I always treasure being able to return and make music my long time friends at the NDR Sinfonieorchester Hamburg. We continue their unique, interactive series at Kampnagel with a Gershwin/Ravel program. It is always fun to retell the story from 1928 when Gershwin came to study with Ravel. Ravel answered, "Why be a second-rate Ravel, when you are a first-rate Gershwin?" Hear both these first rate composers with an equally first rate pianist, Jean Yves Thibaudet. This is as close to a classical jazz club you'll ever get. More info (external link)
March 15-16, 2012 Slavonic Spirit Location: Auditorium della RAI, Torino, with Sinfonica della RAI and Benedetto Lupo Program: Works by Dvorak, Tchaikovsky
Con miei amici di Sinfonia Nazionale della RAI, we explore the Slavonic spirit with Dvorak's great concerto, with the wonderful Italian pianist Benedetto Lupo, and Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony, one of my favorites. The RAI orchestra are one of the best, and we always enjoy performing the core repertoire with the highest musical standards. Tchaikovsky, in the tradition of Pushkin, keeps our hearts pounding and the music flowing. More info (external link)
March 31-April 5, 2012 Noblesse Oblige Location: Centre de Congrés, Nantes/Angers Program: Brahms, Schumann, Berlioz
The Brahms cycle for the ONPL is an important reference point in our musical development. Family traditions are learned, but also discovered. This season, Brahms' lyrical 2nd Symphony reinforces our commitment to understanding his style and character. Schumann's piano concerto, with my friend Sebastian Knauer making his ONPL debut, passes on the family torch, from teacher to student, from student to master, from composer to orchestra. More info (external link)
April 25-28, 2012 Concerto for Family and Orchestra Location: Centre de Congres, Nantes/Angers + France 3 Program: works by L. Mozart, W.A. Mozart, J. Axelrod
The focal point of our 40th anniversary season, emphasized by the title La Musique en Famille, is the realization of an idea I first had when I was elected Music Director. Bernstein had been a profound influence on my ideals as a conductor, composer and educator,and now I get to compose and say thank you to Lenny. All in the family style. Together, we reinforce the idea of making music at home with an original, unique project: Concerto for Family and Orchestra. This national reality TV contest features families who apply to perform with the ONPL. The premiere will be featured with works by another family, the Mozarts: Leopold, the father, and, of course, Amadeus More info (external link)
April 30-May 4, 2012 Fate and the Creative Spirit Location: Auditorium della Rai, Torino with Sinfonica della RAI and Daniel Hope Program: works by Bruch, Shostakovich
Daniel Hope joins me at the RAI for a wonderful concert featuring the beautiful Bruch concerto. While it has not much to do with Shostakovich, they both deal with fate. Bruch dying penniless, without a royalty from his work, and Shostakovich suffering from Stalin's system. The Concerto outlived the composer, and the Symphony gave back to Shostakovich his life. This program is dedicated to the survival and creativity of the human spirit. More info (external link)
May 15, 2012 ICMA AWARDS Location: Centre de Congrés, Nantes/Angers Program: works TBD
The ONPL performs for the International Classical Music Awards, featuring artists chosen by the industry critics as the best of the year. It is a great honor for us to welcome these journalists to Nantes and to participate in such an event, certain to elevate the reputation of the ONPL as an international orchestra. More info (external link)
May 24-27, 2012 The other 3 B's in Concerto Location: Auditorium di Milano, with la Verdi and David Garrett Program: Bacewicz, Bruch, Bartok This is a program of all concerti, for strings, violin and orchestra. A 3 B's program, but Baczewic, Bruch and Bartok? Grazina Baczewic is one of Poland's greatest female composers. She was herself a great violinist and therefore the Bruch pays tribute to her past. Bartok's great Concerto for Orchestra is one of the best displays of orchestral virtuosity in the repertoire and the perfect showcase for great instrument that is laVerdi. More info (external link)
May 30, 2012 Polish Treasure Location: Salzburg with Sinfonia Varsovia Program: Penderecki, Wienawski, Beethoven I continue finding my musical roots in Poland, delighted to return to Sinfonia Varsovia, and to tour to that great musical city, Salzburg, with a noble program about freedom and fate. Penderecki, and his wife Elzbieta, my Polish patrons and surrogate family, introduced me to the Sinfonietta via Sinfonietta Cracovia, the chamber orchestra with whom I had a long and fruitful relationship. Penderecki, like Shostakovich, expressed the longing for freedom in his music. Beethoven did the same in his Leonore Overture and his 5th Symphony, Freedom, like music, knows no limits.
June 10-16, 2012 Beyond the Horizon Location: Centre du Congres, Nantes/Angers Program: Dutilleux, Tchaikovsky Pathetique Beyond the horizons is a picturesque way of describing the music in both Dutilleux and Tchaikovsky. As part of our 40th anniversary honor of Henri Dutilleux's 95th anniversary in 2011, the ONPL presents the cello concerto, coloring the horizon in luminous effects. Tchaikovsky also colors the human spirit in the face of seeing his own doom. Like Mahler, both composers reached to extremes to portray the infinite. One interior, one the external world around us. More info (external link)
June 26-29, 2012 Ameriques! Location: Centre du Congres, Nantes/Angers Program: Gershwin, Bernstein, Varese, Poulenc, Ravel At last, the final gala concert summarizes the familial esprit of the season, the trans-atlantic family, Franco-Americain, celebrating the relationship between me, as Music Director, and the ONPL. Keeping it in the family, we present the Labèque sisters, Marielle et Katia, playing Poulenc. Marisol Montalvo also appears in a fireworks and fantasy concert featuring la Valse by Ravel, American in Paris by Gershwin, Ameriques by Varése, Bernstein's Candide Overture and Aria, and so much more. Happy Birthday ONPL ! More info (external link)
July 9-14, 2012 L'Eventail de Jeanne Location: Centre du Congres, Nantes Program: l'Eventail de Jeanne, various composers At last the ONPL and I prepare our recording of a nearly neglected masterpiece of French repertoire. Imagine, in 1927, 10 of France's best composers offered little morsels of genius for the benefit of a children's ballet. From Ravel to Poulenc to Milhaud to Auric and many others, this suite was basically forgotten. Until now. The ONPL and I will turn the recording into a book featuring the chateaux of the Loire and 10 original stories. But the history of this work is so charming, I have to quote from Wikipedia for everyone to enjoy:
"Jeanne" refers to a Parisian hostess and patroness of the arts, Jeanne Dubost, who ran a children’s ballet school. In the spring of 1927 she presented ten of her composer friends with leaves from her fan, asking each of them to write a little dance for her pupils. The children were dressed in fairytale costumes and the décor was enlivened by a set designed with mirrors.
It was produced in private at Jeanne Dubost’s Paris salon on 16 June 1927, with Maurice Ravel playing a piano transcription of the music. It had its public premiere at the Paris Opéra on 4 March 1929, with the ten-year-old Tamara Toumanova dancing the lead role. This was the first performance of any of Darius Milhaud's music at the Opéra, and he was so annoyed that he should debut with a trifling little Polka rather than one of his serious stage works that he boycotted the performance.
I don't think you will be annoyed by his Polka or any of the other charming pieces. Come hear the performance next season! More info (external link)
June 21-24, 2012 A la Francaise Location: Tokyo Suntory Hall, other cities, with NHK Symphony and Rachel Kolly d'Alba Program: Chausson, Ravel, Saint Saens Rachel and I bring the Chausson and Ravel we recorded for Warner Classics on her French Impressions CD to Tokyo, with the glorious Saint Saens Organ Symphony. After the Berlioz last season, just after the nuclear accident and tsunami, I was humbled by the perseverance and honor of the orchestra. Music was a salvation. I came without hesitation. This totally French program is the compensation, and the NHK is one of the few that has the elegance and refinement necessary to play this music. The NHK is one of the best orchestras in the world, and it is always my deepest pleasure to make music with them. More info (external link)
July 31, 2012 The Planets Location: Ravinia Festival, with Chicago Symphony and Gabriela Montero Program: Grieg and Holst And now for something different: My 6th return to the Ravinia Festival and with the Chicago Symphony, for a unique program syncing the Planets from Holst with the video of space from Adler Planetarium. This open air concert under the stars, also featuring the incredible Gabriela Montero playing the Grieg Concerto, will be out of this world....literally! More info (external link) |
