Season 2016-2017
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23 Season 2016-2017 Thursday, January 19, at 8:00 The Philadelphia Orchestra Friday, January 20, at 2:00 Saturday, January 21, City of Light and Music: at 8:00 The Paris Festival, Week 2 Yannick Nézet-Séguin Conductor Louis Lortie Piano Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 I. Allegro maestoso II. Romanze: Larghetto III. Rondo: Vivace Intermission Stravinsky Petrushka (1947 version) I. The Shrovetide Fair (First Tableau): The Magic Trick—Russian Dance II. Petrushka’s Room (Second Tableau) III. The Moor’s Room (Third Tableau): Dance of the Ballerina—Waltz IV. The Shrovetide Fair, Toward Evening (Fourth Tableau): Dance of the Nursemaids—Dance of the Coachmen and the Stable Boys—The Mummers This program runs approximately 1 hour, 50 minutes. Stravinsky’s Petrushka is being recorded live for future release by Deutsche Grammophon. We ask for your cooperation in making this project a success. Please make every effort to minimize noise during the concert. The January 21 concert is sponsored by Medcomp. The January 21 concert is also sponsored by Ms. Alexandra Edsall and Mr. Robert Victor. Philadelphia Orchestra concerts are broadcast on WRTI 90.1 FM on Sunday afternoons at 1 PM. Visit WRTI.org to listen live or for more details. 24 Steven Spielberg’s filmE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has always held a special place in my heart, and I personally think it’s his masterpiece. In looking at it today, it’s as fresh and new as when it was made in 1982. Cars may change, along with hairstyles and clothes … but the performances, particularly by the children and by E.T. himself, are so honest, timeless, and true, that the film absolutely qualifies to be ranked as a classic. What’s particularly special about today’s concert is that we’ll hear one of our great symphony orchestras, The Philadelphia Orchestra, performing the entire score live, along with the complete picture, sound effects, and dialogue. I know I speak for everyone connected with the making of E.T. in saying that we’re greatly honored by this event … and I hope that today’s audience will find great joy in experiencing this magical film. 25 25 The Philadelphia Orchestra Jessica Griffin The Philadelphia Orchestra Philadelphia is home and impact through Research. is one of the preeminent the Orchestra continues The Orchestra’s award- orchestras in the world, to discover new and winning Collaborative renowned for its distinctive inventive ways to nurture Learning programs engage sound, desired for its its relationship with its over 50,000 students, keen ability to capture the loyal patrons at its home families, and community hearts and imaginations of in the Kimmel Center, members through programs audiences, and admired for and also with those who such as PlayINs, side-by- a legacy of imagination and enjoy the Orchestra’s area sides, PopUP concerts, innovation on and off the performances at the Mann free Neighborhood concert stage. The Orchestra Center, Penn’s Landing, Concerts, School Concerts, is inspiring the future and and other cultural, civic, and residency work in transforming its rich tradition and learning venues. The Philadelphia and abroad. of achievement, sustaining Orchestra maintains a strong Through concerts, tours, the highest level of artistic commitment to collaborations residencies, presentations, quality, but also challenging— with cultural and community and recordings, The and exceeding—that level, organizations on a regional Philadelphia Orchestra is by creating powerful musical and national level, all of which a global ambassador for experiences for audiences at create greater access and Philadelphia and for the home and around the world. engagement with classical US. Having been the first Music Director Yannick music as an art form. American orchestra to Nézet-Séguin’s connection The Philadelphia Orchestra perform in China, in 1973 to the Orchestra’s musicians serves as a catalyst for at the request of President has been praised by cultural activity across Nixon, the ensemble today both concertgoers and Philadelphia’s many boasts a new partnership with critics since his inaugural communities, building an Beijing’s National Centre for season in 2012. Under his offstage presence as strong the Performing Arts and the leadership the Orchestra as its onstage one. With Shanghai Oriental Art Centre, returned to recording, with Nézet-Séguin, a dedicated and in 2017 will be the first- two celebrated CDs on body of musicians, and one ever Western orchestra to the prestigious Deutsche of the nation’s richest arts appear in Mongolia. The Grammophon label, ecosystems, the Orchestra Orchestra annually performs continuing its history of has launched its HEAR at Carnegie Hall while also recording success. The initiative, a portfolio of enjoying summer residencies Orchestra also reaches integrated initiatives that in Saratoga Springs, NY, and thousands of listeners on the promotes Health, champions Vail, CO. For more information radio with weekly Sunday music Education, eliminates on The Philadelphia afternoon broadcasts on barriers to Accessing the Orchestra, please visit WRTI-FM. orchestra, and maximizes www.philorch.org. 26 4 Music Director Chris Lee Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin is now confirmed to lead The Philadelphia Orchestra through the 2025-26 season, an extraordinary and significant long-term commitment. Additionally, he becomes music director of the Metropolitan Opera beginning with the 2021-22 season. Yannick, who holds the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Chair, is an inspired leader of the Orchestra. His intensely collaborative style, deeply rooted musical curiosity, and boundless enthusiasm have been heralded by critics and audiences alike. The New York Times has called him “phenomenal,” adding that under his baton, “the ensemble, famous for its glowing strings and homogenous richness, has never sounded better.” Highlights of his fifth season include an exploration of American Sounds, with works by Leonard Bernstein, Christopher Rouse, Mason Bates, and Christopher Theofanidis; a Music of Paris Festival; and the continuation of a focus on opera and sacred vocal works, with Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle and Mozart’s C-minor Mass. Yannick has established himself as a musical leader of the highest caliber and one of the most thrilling talents of his generation. He has been music director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic since 2008 and artistic director and principal conductor of Montreal’s Orchestre Métropolitain since 2000. He was also principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic from 2008 to 2014. He has made wildly successful appearances with the world’s most revered ensembles and has conducted critically acclaimed performances at many of the leading opera houses. Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Deutsche Grammophon (DG) enjoy a long-term collaboration. Under his leadership The Philadelphia Orchestra returned to recording with two CDs on that label. He continues fruitful recording relationships with the Rotterdam Philharmonic on DG, EMI Classics, and BIS Records; the London Philharmonic for the LPO label; and the Orchestre Métropolitain for ATMA Classique. In Yannick’s inaugural season The Philadelphia Orchestra returned to the radio airwaves, with weekly Sunday afternoon broadcasts on WRTI-FM. A native of Montreal, Yannick studied piano, conducting, composition, and chamber music at Montreal’s Conservatory of Music and continued his studies with renowned conductor Carlo Maria Giulini; he also studied choral conducting with Joseph Flummerfelt at Westminster Choir College. Among Yannick’s honors are an appointment as Companion of the Order of Canada, Musical America’s 2016 Artist of the Year, Canada’s National Arts Centre Award, the Prix Denise-Pelletier, and honorary doctorates from the University of Quebec in Montreal, the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, and Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, NJ. To read Yannick’s full bio, please visit www.philorch.org/conductor. 27 Soloist Elias French-Canadian pianist Louis Lortie has attracted critical acclaim throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States. He has performed complete Beethoven sonata cycles at London’s Wigmore Hall and Berlin’s Philharmonie. As both pianist and conductor with the Montreal Symphony, he has performed all five Beethoven concertos and all of the Mozart concertos. He has won widespread acclaim for his interpretation of pieces by Ravel and Chopin, playing the complete works of Ravel in London and Montreal for the BBC and CBC. He is renowned all over the world for his performances of the complete Chopin Études. He has appeared with the world’s leading conductors, including Riccardo Chailly, Lorin Maazel, Jaap Van Zweden, Kurt Masur, Seiji Ozawa, Kurt Sanderling, Neeme Järvi, Andrew Davis, Mark Elder, Wolfgang Sawallisch, and Charles Dutoit. He made his Philadelphia Orchestra debut in 1988 at the Mann Center and his subscription debut in 1993, both with Mr. Dutoit. Mr. Lortie celebrated the bicentennial of Liszt’s birth in 2011 by performing the complete Années de pèlerinage at international music festivals and, later, at Carnegie Hall. His Chandos recording of this monumental work was named one of the 10 best of 2012 by the New Yorker. He has made more than 30 recordings for Chandos, covering repertoire from Mozart to Stravinsky and also including the complete Beethoven sonatas. Recent recordings include Lutosławski’s Piano Concerto and Paganini Variations with Edward Gardner and the BBC Symphony; a disc of Liszt transcriptions; the complete concertos of Poulenc with Mr. Gardner and the BBC Philharmonic; and, with Hélène Mercier, Rachmaninoff’s complete works for two pianos. Mr. Lortie made his debut with the Montreal Symphony at the age of 13; three years later his first appearance with the Toronto Symphony led to a historic tour of China and Japan. In 1992 he was named Officer of the Order of Canada and received both the Order of Quebec and an honorary doctorate from Université Laval. He has lived in Berlin since 1997 and also has homes in Canada and Italy.