FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [February 27, 2020] Contacts: St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Eric Dundon
[email protected], 314-286-4134 National/International: Nikki Scandalios
[email protected], 704-340-4094 RENOWNED COMPOSER JOHN ADAMS CONDUCTS THE ST. LOUIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IN ITS FIRST PERFORMANCE OF HIS NEW PIANO CONCERTO, MARCH 27- 28 Pianist Jeremy Denk brings the third-ever performance of Adams’ Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? to St. Louis; Adams also conducts Beethoven’s Fidelio Overture and Sibelius’ passionate Symphony No. 1 (February 27, 2020, St. Louis, MO) – The first St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performance of John Adams’ new piano concerto will be conducted by Adams himself, played by MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” winner Jeremy Denk in an epic program, March 27-28. In addition to Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?, the SLSO will play Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1—the first LP Adams ever bought—and a triumphant overture to Beethoven’s lone opera, Fidelio. The concerts are Friday, March 27, at 10:30am, and Saturday, March 28, at 8:00pm. Tickets start at $15 and may be purchased at slso.org or by calling the Box Office at 314-534-1700. The performance of Adams’ Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?, which the composer describes as “funky” and “gritty,” notably demands a bass guitar in the orchestra. Fidelio and Sibelius’ First Symphony both revolve around the fight for political freedom. The opera Fidelio concerns a wife rescuing her husband from politically motivated incarceration, and Sibelius composed his First Symphony while Finland fought for independence from Russia.