Sunday 19 January 2020 7–9.05pm Thursday 13 February 2020 7.30–9.35pm Barbican

LSO SEASON CONCERT CHRIST ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES

Berg Concerto Interval Beethoven Christ on the Mount of Olives

Sir conductor violin soprano Pavol Breslik tenor David Soar bass London Chorus chorus director

Part of Beethoven 250 at the Barbican

Thursday 13 February 2020 broadcast live on BBC Radio 3

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will be recorded for LSO Live, the DONATELLA FLICK LSO LUNAR NEW YEAR PREMIERES: is also joined by the full force of the London COMPETITION LSO DISCOVERY COMPOSERS Symphony Chorus, led by Chorus Director PAST AND PRESENT Simon Halsey. Applications are now open for the 16th Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition Following a sold-out debut in January 2019, Berg’s opens these concerts, in 2021, founded in 1990 by Donatella Flick artist collective Tangram return to LSO St for which we welcome soloist Lisa Batiashvili, and celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Luke’s on 25 January to interweave folk who first performed with the Orchestra on the melodies with brand-new compositions. Barbican stage in 2006, and has appeared • lso.co.uk/more/news We caught up with composers Raymond Yiu, regularly in recent years. We look forward to Jasmin Kent Rodgman and Alex Ho – all LSO Lisa Batiashvili joining us on tour for further Discovery composers of past and present warm welcome to these LSO performances of this concerto in Europe. – to find out more about the music we’ll concerts, conducted by Music WELCOME TO OUR GROUP BOOKERS hear on Lunar New Year. Director Sir Simon Rattle, where We extend thanks to our media partners we continue our year-long celebrations of BBC Radio 3, who will broadcast the second Academy Travel SPRING’S CLASSIC FM the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, performance live. RECOMMENDED CONCERTS as part of a wider series at the Barbican. Throughout January and February, Sir Simon I hope you enjoy these performances and Groups of ten or more receive exclusive At the LSO, we are proud to have been pairs the music of this great composer with that you are able to join us again soon. At discounts to LSO concerts, with 20% off Classic FM’s Orchestra in the City of London that of a 20th-century master, . the end of January, LSO Principal Guest tickets, or 30% off when booking two or for over 17 years. Each season, a selection of Conductor Gianandrea Noseda resumes his more concerts within the season at the our concerts come recommended by Classic In these concerts, Sir Simon conducts Shostakovich cycle with the Ninth Symphony, same time. Extra benefits are available FM. Don’t miss our round-up of spring’s Beethoven’s only oratorio, Christ on the recorded for LSO Live. Later in February, Elim to larger groups. suggested concerts and a look at where the Mount of Olives. These performances are the Chan conducts a programme featuring Ravel’s music – and more – sit in the LSO’s history. first in the Orchestra’s history, and an Daphnis and Chloe and Rachmaninov’s Piano Find out more at opportunity to hear a rarely performed work Concerto No 3, with Lukáš Vondráček. • • lso.co.uk/groups • lso.co.uk/more/blog in Beethoven’s anniversary year. It is a pleasure to welcome soloists Elsa Dreisig and David Soar, both making their LSO debut, Please ensure all phones are switched off. and Pavol Breslik, in his first performance Kathryn McDowell CBE DL Photography and audio/video recording with the Orchestra since 2006. For these Managing Director are not permitted during the performance. eagerly anticipated performances, which

2 Welcome 19 January & 13 February 2020 Tonight’s Concert In Brief / by Paul Griffiths Coming Up

oth works in this concert look back A sombre prelude sets the scene, on the Friday 24 & 31 January 1pm Saturday 15 February 7pm to great predecessors: Bach in the night Jesus is arrested. Jesus prays to God to LSO St Luke’s LSO St Luke’s Berg Violin Concerto, Handel in save him from the test, to which an Angel the oratorio by Beethoven. Berg inscribed responds by leading the chorus in praise of BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERT LSO DISCOVERY his concerto ‘To the Memory of an Angel’, him. The two solo voices come together, and BACH UP CLOSE SOUNDHUB SHOWCASE: PHASE II following the death at 18 of Gropius, the soldiers arrive, to the disciples’ alarm. daughter of Alma Mahler and her second Peter draws his sword, but Jesus has him Discover the idiosyncrasies of Bach’s Composers on Phase II of LSO Discovery’s husband, the architect Walter Gropius. The hold back. There is another duet for Jesus with intimate performances Soundhub scheme showcase new music, first of the two movements is appropriately and the Angel before the final chorus. • from soloists and ensembles. joined by LSO musicians. diaphanous as it starts, suspended between the ladder of fifths to which the violin is Recorded for future broadcast by BBC Radio 3 LSO Soundhub is generously supported by tuned and a twelve-note row. It then turns PROGRAMME CONTRIBUTORS Susie Thomson into a country dance. Paul Griffiths has been a critic for nearly Thursday 27 February 7.30pm The second movement goes the other way, 40 years, including for The Times and The Thursday 30 January 7.30pm Barbican from fast to slow, and more extremely. New Yorker, and is an authority on 20th Barbican It begins with the catastrophe of death, and 21st-century music. Among his books DAPHNIS AND CHLOE out of which the solo instrument leads are studies of Boulez, Ligeti and Stravinsky. SHOSTAKOVICH NINTH SYMPHONY the way with a chorale tune, ‘Es ist genug’ He also writes novels and librettos. James Hoyle Thymiaterion (world premiere) * (‘It is enough’). This is then heard in a Prokofiev Symphony No 1, ‘Classical’ Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 3 harmonisation by Bach, on clarinets, and Andrew Stewart is a freelance music journalist Mozart Violin Concerto No 3 Elizabeth Ogonek All These Lighted Things remains to the end. Manon is taken to her and writer. He is the author of The LSO at 90, Mussorgsky Prelude to ‘Khovanshchina’ – three little dances for orchestra rest, but Berg is also telling other stories and contributes to a wide variety of specialist Shostakovich Symphony No 9 Ravel Daphnis and Chloe – Suite No 2 here, of his own teenage years, when he publications. made a kitchen maid pregnant, and of his Gianandrea Noseda conductor Elim Chan conductor current love affair, doomed because both Lindsay Kemp is a senior producer for Christian Tetzlaff violin Lukáš Vondráček piano those involved were already married. BBC Radio 3, including programming lunchtime concerts at Wigmore Hall and 6pm Barbican *Commissioned through the Panufnik Composers Beethoven wrote his only oratorio, Christ on LSO St Luke’s. He is also Artistic Advisor to LSO Platforms: Guildhall Artists Scheme, generously supported by Lady Hamlyn the Mount of Olives, in 1803 for the concert York Early Music Festival, Artistic Director of Free pre-concert recital and The Helen Hamlyn Trust at which he also presented his Second Baroque at the Edge Festival and a regular Symphony and Third Piano Concerto. contributor to Gramophone magazine.

Tonight’s Concert 3 Beethoven 250 at the Barbican / by Dr Joanne Cormac COMING UP AT THE BARBICAN ELSA DREISIG

Saturday 1 to Sunday 2 February ON ERATO This season the Barbican, London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Academy of BEETHOVEN WEEKENDER Ancient Music and Guildhall School of Music & Drama celebrate 250 years since the birth of . But what is his relevance today? Nine . Five . One extraordinary weekend celebrating Beethoven is the ultimate creative genius. social change. It is a powerful symbol of the original musical trailblazer. He epitomises the popular, romanticised hope, revisited in times of political struggle, image of the great composer. Beethoven a celebration of freedom and brotherhood. Sponsored by DHL suffered. He was taciturn, isolated, and lacking in social graces. He endured the The popular image can be problematic. Thursday 6 February 7.30pm worst affliction imaginable for a musician: Beethoven’s vocal and choral music, or deafness. In spite of all this (many, including simply the works that do not contain PLAYS BEETHOVEN Wagner, would argue because of all this), journeys of struggle to redemption, are he managed to compose some of the most rarely performed because they do not comply Beethoven No 8 Op 13 breathtaking, transcendental, sublime with our perception of the heroic, suffering 15 Variations and a Fugue Op 35 music of the Western canon. At first, the artist. The Barbican’s innovative, inclusive Piano Sonata No 17 Op 31 composer's deafness was understood as a and occasionally irreverent programme, Piano Sonata No 21 Op 53 barrier to his compositional prowess: the in contrast, will question the myths. The reason for the bizarre, jarring sounds of the Beethoven we hear will be refreshingly Thursday 27 February 7.30pm late string quartets. Later, it was seen as the unfamiliar at times. Milton Court Concert Hall Soprano Elsa Dreisig follows her debut album Miroir(s) with a recital of songs in collaboration with Jonathan Ware. key to his greatness, enabling Beethoven to Taking its title, Morgen, from one of ’s best-loved lieder, it interweaves his music (notably the Four Last Songs) access profound, inward truths. Beethoven’s music endures. Its universal THE LAST THREE PIANO SONATAS themes mean that it remains relevant to with thematically linked works by Sergey Rachmaninov and Henri Duparc. Living through turbulent revolutionary times, almost any time and place. It has been heard Beethoven Piano Sonata No 30 in Beethoven was an advocate for political in prisons, concentration camps, at the fall of E major Op 109 reform. He saw a power shift away from the Wall, in films, and in venues across Piano Sonata No 31 in A-flat major Op 110 the aristocracy. His political beliefs were the globe. Now, 250 years after his birth, Piano Sonata No 32 in C minor Op 111 more ambivalent and changeable than his Beethoven belongs to everyone. And that is mythology allows, but Beethoven’s music something to celebrate. • Ronan O'Hora piano has come to represent resistance against tyranny and oppression, and the defence Explore the whole series online Promoted by Guildhall School of Music & Drama of individual freedom, equality and radical • barbican.org.uk/beethoven250

4 Beethoven 250 at the Barbican 19 January & 13 February 2020

Elsa Dreisig v2.indd 1 18/11/2019 15:35 ELSA DREISIG ON ERATO

Soprano Elsa Dreisig follows her debut album Miroir(s) with a recital of songs in collaboration with pianist Jonathan Ware. Taking its title, Morgen, from one of Richard Strauss’s best-loved lieder, it interweaves his music (notably the Four Last Songs) with thematically linked works by Sergey Rachmaninov and Henri Duparc.

Elsa Dreisig v2.indd 1 18/11/2019 15:35 Alban Berg Violin Concerto 1936 / note by Paul Griffiths

1 Andante – Allegretto More than one angel, however, sings the second part of this first movement, a • LÄNDLER 2 Allegro – Adagio wordlessly in Berg’s music. Telling the story Ländler •, or country waltz, which turns to a of Alma’s daughter, Berg remembered his Carinthian folk song. After a hectic period of Popular in Austria and Bavaria at the end of Lisa Batiashvili violin own child, born of his teenage liaison with a looking back on itself, the movement arrives the 18th century, the Ländler is a folk dance kitchen maid at his family’s summer place at a point of rest. in 3/4 time featuring hopping and stamping. n February 1935, Berg was visited in in Carinthia. At the same time, the concerto With the growing popularity of dance halls Vienna by a man with a mission: draws electricity from his passionate Any peace is immediately broken by the in 19th-century Europe, the Ländler became Louis Krasner, a violinist born in involvement with the sister of Alma Mahler’s start of the second movement – in two both quicker and more elegant. Berg not only Ukraine and raised in the US, was determined husband, the writer Franz Werfel: Hanna parts like the first, but with their difference quotes a Ländler in his Violin Concerto, but to get a concerto out of the composer. Berg, Fuchs-Robettin as she then was, married in speed reversed and exaggerated. The also in the second act of his Wozzeck. at a time when his music’s prospects in to a businessman and living in Prague. Her first part, fast, is marked ‘free, like a Germany looked dubious, might well have initials and the composer’s are musically cadenza’, and its outer sections are violent, warmed to this invitation from across the woven into the score, as are numbers Berg post-catastrophic, held with increasing Atlantic. In any event, he put his opera associated with each of them. The calamity firmness to a menacing rhythmic gesture. on hold and turned to Krasner’s concerto. that overtakes the concerto is partly that of the death of an angelic adolescent, partly Once the storm has passed, the violin is Quite soon, in April 1935, there was a sad that of an impossible love. discovered leading the way into the finale loss within Berg’s circle, that of Manon with a chorale tune: ‘Es ist genug’ (‘It is Gropius, the 18-year-old daughter of For paradoxes of grief and adoration, Berg enough’). This is where we meet Bach Mahler’s widow, Alma, and her second found a perfect language in Schoenberg’s again, for the melody is repeated in a husband, Walter Gropius, architect and twelve-note technique, wielded so that harmonisation of his, played by clarinets, founder of the Bauhaus school. Elias Canetti it could embrace the most basic musical as if by a small organ, and remains recalled how Manon ‘radiated timidity even situations – even the tuning, in fifths, of omnipresent, spreading its benediction as more than beauty, an angelic gazelle’, and the four strings of the solo instrument. the work moves to a close. Berg decided to memorialise her in his Prompted by harp and clarinets, this is how concerto. This luminous being would be at the violin enters. Soon the soloist plays Less than four months after Manon’s death, Interval – 20 minutes once described and enacted by the violin, in the twelve-note row, rising and falling; the concerto was finished. By the end of the There are bars on all levels. a work to be subtitled: ‘To the memory of similar ascents and descents recur through year, Berg himself was no more. • Visit the Barbican Shop to see our an angel’. the work. As the tuning idea returns, the range of gifts and accessories. music prepares a smooth transition into

6 Programme Notes 19 January & 13 February 2020 Alban Berg In Profile 1885–1935 / profile by Andrew Stewart

Arnold Schoenberg. He studied for six years with Schoenberg, who remained his close friend and mentor. During this time BARTÓK Schoenberg evolved a new approach to WITH FRANÇOIS-XAVIER ROTH composing, gradually moving away from the & SIR SIMON RATTLE norms of tonal harmony.

In 1910, Berg completed his String Quartet Wednesday 18 March 6.30pm Wednesday 22 April 6.30pm Op 3, in which he revealed an independent Barbican Barbican creative flair. Berg’s self-confidence grew with the composition of several miniature HALF SIX FIX HALF SIX FIX works and, in 1914, the large-scale Three THE WOODEN PRINCE CONCERTO FOR ORCHESTRA Pieces for Orchestra. Service with the Austrian Imperial Army during World War I François-Xavier Roth Sir Simon Rattle conductor & presenter did not completely halt Berg’s output; indeed, conductor & presenter he began his first opera,Wozzeck , in the Recommended by Classic FM summer of 1917. The work was premiered Recommended by Classic FM at the Staatsoper Berlin in December 1925 Thursday 23 April 7.30pm lthough piano lessons formed and, despite hostile early criticism, has since Thursday 19 March 7.30pm Barbican part of Berg’s general education, entered the international repertoire. As Barbican the boy showed few signs of an innovative composer, Berg successfully DUKE BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE exceptional talent for music. He struggled married atonality – and, later, a harmonic THE WOODEN PRINCE to pass his final exams at the Vienna and melodic language based on the use of all Bartók Concerto for Orchestra Gymnasium, preferring to learn directly twelve tones of the chromatic scale – with Bartók Bartók Duke Bluebeard’s Castle about new trends in art, literature, music forms from the past. Traces of popular music Stravinsky Violin Concerto in D major and architecture from friends such as Oskar also surface in his works, notably so in his Bartók The Wooden Prince Sir Simon Rattle conductor Kokoschka, Gustav Klimt and Adolf Loos. opera Lulu (1929–35), a powerful tale of Rinat Shaham mezzo-soprano immorality, completed from the composer’s François-Xavier Roth conductor Gábor Bretz bass On graduating from school, Berg accepted sketches only after the death of his widow Isabelle Faust violin a post as a local government official, but in in 1976. Berg himself died of septicaemia, October 1904 was inspired by a newspaper almost certainly caused by complications 6pm Barbican: Free pre-concert recital advertisement to study composition with following an insect bite. • LSO Platforms: Guildhall Artists lso.co.uk/201920

Composer Profile 7 Ludwig van Beethoven Christ on the Mount of Olives 1803 / note by Lindsay Kemp

1 Introduction his only choral compositions of significance the scene was dominated by Haydn’s The unsent letter to his brothers in which he 2 Recitative: Jehova, O my Father had been two cantatas written in 1790 to Creation (1798) and The Seasons (1801). revealed his growing sense of isolation and 3 Aria: My soul within me trembles mark the death of Emperor Joseph II on the Beethoven was fully aware of the greatness despair. It is not hard to see how Christ’s 4 Recitative: Now tremble, Nature one hand, and the succession of Leopold II on of both these composers, and it may indeed spiritual suffering, human terror of death 5 Aria: Praise the Redeemer’s goodness the other. They showed promise, but neither have been to avoid comparison with them and eventual resolve to embrace his fate 6 Chorus: O praise him, great Redeemer is known to have received a performance. that for his own first effort he turned to a could have stirred Beethoven’s imagination. 7 Recitative: Seraph, can you declare more intimately focused subject – Christ’s the mercy His return to choral music 13 years later came soul-searching in the Garden of Gethsemane Listening to the opening scene of Christ on 8 Duet: On me then falls this heavy burden perhaps as much out of circumstance as just before his arrest. In so doing, he was also the Mount of Olives, in which Christ’s dread 9 Recitative: Then welcome, death compulsion. Early in 1803, Beethoven moved tapping into a strong German 18th-century is most crushingly expressed, it is easy to be 10 Chorus: We surely here will find him into lodgings in the Theater an der Wien, the canon of concert oratorios on religious reminded of Florestan’s great monologue 11 Recitative: Those sent to catch me now largest theatre in Vienna, at the invitation of subjects, with texts by Enlightenment- from the depths of his prison cell at the start are close the management. The plan was for him to inspired poets such as Klopstock, Ramler of Act 2 of Fidelio, the opera that three years 12 Chorus: Here he is compose an opera, but progress was slow, and and Herder; the libretto of Christ on the later would eventually emerge as the great 13 Recitative: We cannot stand aside in any case, access to an orchestra and chorus Mount of Olives was by the busy Viennese result of Beethoven’s theatrical residency. 14 Trio: My beating heart is angry had offered a separate opportunity waiting to librettist, and kindred spirit, Franz Xaver Indeed it seems that while in Christ on the 15 Chorus: Hallelujah unto God’s be acted upon. On 5 April, Beethoven mounted Huber. What Beethoven was not doing was Mount of Olives, Beethoven was testing Almighty son a concert that included the long-awaited following the Lutheran tradition of church out his skills as a choral writer (the fugal 16 Chorus: Praise the Lord, you bright premieres of his Second Symphony and Passions narrated through gospel texts – like writing at the end of the Seraph’s first aria is angelic Third Piano Concerto. Also on the bill was an most people at the time, he would not have a dutiful nod to convention, if nonetheless oratorio, Christus am Ölberge (Christ on the even known its two greatest examples, Bach’s a skilful one), he was more importantly Elsa Dreisig soprano Mount of Olives), composed especially for St John Passion and St Matthew Passion. also finding the musical dramatist in Pavol Breslik tenor the occasion in the space of only a few weeks. him fighting to get out. The powerful, David Soar bass Beethoven may also have been touched on a orchestrally driven accompanied recitatives; London Symphony Chorus To enter the field of the oratorio cannot have personal level by Christ’s contemplation of the characterisation of the Seraph Simon Halsey chorus director been a casual decision, however. It was a his forthcoming crucifixion. The previous with soaring, ‘superhuman’ coloratura, serious genre considered worthy to express summer, he had spent time in the Viennese theatrically-striking moments, such as the n 1803, Beethoven had written very the most profound and elevated sentiments, suburb of Heiligenstadt recovering from a sacerdotal that accompany the little choral music. Though he had and in Vienna its importance was as strong mental crisis brought on by the realisation of Seraph’s pronouncement of Jehovah’s words; produced two symphonies, three as anywhere. Handel’s oratorios had been the implications of his oncoming deafness. the chorus of soldiers apparently careless piano concertos, his first six string quartets performed there since the 1770s, and by There he wrote the heartrending document of the momentousness of the events they and some of his best-known piano sonatas, the time of Christ on the Mount of Olives known as the Heiligenstadt Testament, an are enacting; Christ’s final shudder of terror

8 Programme Notes 19 January & 13 February 2020 Ludwig van Beethoven In Profile 1770–1827 • MORE BEETHOVEN THIS SEASON just before his discovery by them; and the Haydn. The younger composer fell out Thursday 28 May 7.30pm clearly contrasted reactions of the soldiers with his renowned mentor when the latter Barbican and disciples to the arrest all show a sure discovered he was secretly taking lessons touch for operatic incident and colour. And from several other teachers. Although BEETHOVEN & STRAUSS if the trio in which Christ emerges from his Maximilian Franz withdrew payments passivity to deter Peter from taking violent for Beethoven’s Viennese education, the Beethoven Violin Concerto revenge seems more a functional episode talented musician had already attracted Strauss than a convincingly dramatic one, the way it support from some of the city’s wealthiest links the previous active events to the final arts patrons. His public performances in Manfred Honeck conductor Handelian chorus of celebrating angels helps 1795 were well received, and he shrewdly Anne-Sophie Mutter violin to create an overall trajectory for the work negotiated a contract with Artaria & Co, the – from private introspection to public largest music publisher in Vienna. He was 6pm Barbican rejoicing – that indeed foretells that of soon able to devote his time to composition LSO Platforms: Guildhall Artists Fidelio’s decisive second act. or the performance of his own works. Free pre-concert recital

Christ on the Mount of Olives was a moderate In 1800, Beethoven began to complain bitterly Part of Beethoven 250 at the Barbican success at its premiere, and received further eethoven showed early musical of deafness, but despite suffering the distress performances during its composer’s lifetime. promise, yet reacted against his and pain of tinnitus, liver problems, chronic • ON LSO LIVE Since then, it has passed out of the repertory, father’s attempts to train him as stomach ailments and an embittered legal replaced in the Beethovenian choral pantheon a child prodigy. The boy pianist attracted case for the guardianship of his nephew, by later masterpieces. These two rare the endorsement of the Prince-Archbishop, Beethoven created a series of remarkable performances are a welcome opportunity who supported his studies with leading new works, including the Missa Solemnis to discover Beethoven developing not only musicians at the Bonn court. By the early and his late symphonies and piano sonatas. the skills that informed and enabled the 1780s, Beethoven had completed his first It is thought that around 10,000 people greatness of Fidelio, the Missa Solemnis compositions, all of which were for keyboard. followed his funeral procession on 29 March and the Ninth Symphony, but the idea With the decline of his alcoholic father, 1827. Certainly, his posthumous reputation of artistic self-identification that would Ludwig became the family breadwinner as developed to influence successive generations present itself in his next major work, the a musician at court. of composers and other artists inspired by ‘Eroica’ Symphony. • the heroic aspects of Beethoven’s character Encouraged by his employer, the Prince- and the profound humanity of his music. • Archbishop Maximilian Franz, Beethoven travelled to Vienna to study with Joseph Profile by Andrew Stewart conductor

Composer Profile 9 Sir Simon Rattle conductor

Sir Simon has made over 70 recordings for productions of Beethoven’s Fidelio, Mozart’s Rundfunks, and Vienna the record label EMI (now Warner Classics) Così fan tutte, Britten’s , Philharmonic, with which he has recorded and has received numerous prestigious Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande, Strauss’ the complete Beethoven symphonies international awards for his recordings on Salome and Bizet’s , all with the and piano concertos with Alfred Brendel. various labels. Releases on EMI include . He also conducted Sir Simon is also a Principal Artist of the Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms (which Wagner’s complete Ring cycle with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment received a Grammy Award for Best Choral Berlin Philharmonic for the Festival d’Aix- and Founding Patron of Birmingham Performance), Berlioz’s Symphonie en-Provence and Salzburg Osterfestspiele, Contemporary Music Group. fantastique, Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges, and most recently at the Deutsche Oper Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, Mahler’s Berlin and the Wiener Staatsoper. Other The 2019/20 season sees Sir Simon embark Symphony No 2, Stravinsky’s The Rite of recent opera productions include Tristan upon tours to Hong Kong, China and Vietnam, Spring and Rachmaninov’s The Bells and and Isolde at the Metropolitan Opera in New as well as the US and Europe with the LSO. Symphonic Dances, all recorded with the York; Pelléas et Mélisande and Poulenc’s Les He returns to the Symphonieorchester des Berlin Philharmonic. Sir Simon’s most recent Dialogues des Carmélites at the Royal Opera Bayerischen Rundfunks with a programme recordings include Berlioz’s The Damnation House, Covent Garden; Rameau’s Hippolyte of Strauss, Schumann and Rameau, the of Faust, Helen Grime’s Woven Space, et Aricie, Janáček’s Aus einem Totenhaus and Berlin Philharmonic for Beethoven’s Christ Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande and Mark- Káťa Kabanová and The Damnation of Faust on the Mount of Olives and will tour Europe Anthony Turnage’s Remembering, which for the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin; and and the US in a chamber music project with ir Simon Rattle was born in were all released by LSO Live. Puccini’s Manon Lescaut at the Deutsche mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená. This Liverpool and studied at the Oper Berlin. season’s operatic highlights include Der Royal Academy of Music. Between 2013 and 2018, Sir Simon and the Rosenkavalier at the Metropolitan Opera, Berlin Philharmonic took up residency at As well as fulfilling a taxing concert schedule Berg’s Wozzeck at the Festival d’Aix-en- From 1980 to 1998, Sir Simon was Principal Baden-Baden Osterfestspiele, performing a in London, Sir Simon regularly tours within Provence and Mozart’s Idomeneo at the Conductor and Artistic Adviser of the City variety of operatic and symphonic repertoire. Europe, North America and Asia, and has Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin. of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Past seasons included Puccini’s Manon strong longstanding relationships with the was appointed Music Director in 1990. In Lescaut and Peter Sellars’ ritualisation world’s leading orchestras. Initially working Sir Simon Rattle was knighted in 1994. In the 2002, he took up the position of Artistic of Bach’s St John Passion, Strauss’ Der closely with the New Year’s Honours of 2014 he received the Director and Chief Conductor of the Berlin Rosenkavalier, Berlioz’s The Damnation of and Boston Symphony Orchestras, Order of Merit from Her Majesty the Queen. • Philharmonic where he remained until the Faust, Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde and, most Simon has also recently worked with the end of the 2017/18 season. Sir Simon took up recently, Parsifal (2018). In the years prior, Orchestra and the Metropolitan the position of Music Director of the London Sir Simon collaborated with the Salzburg Opera in New York. He regularly conducts Symphony Orchestra in September 2017. Osterfestspiele, where he conducted staged the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen

10 Artist Biographies 19 January & 13 February 2020 Lisa Batiashvili violin

isa Batiashvili, the Georgian-born Recording exclusively for Deutsche named Musical America’s Instrumentalist German violinist, is praised by Grammophon, Lisa’s latest album, Visions of the Year in 2015, was nominated as audiences and fellow musicians for of Prokofiev (Chamber Orchestra of Europe/ Gramophone’s Artist of the Year in 2017, her virtuosity. An award-winning artist, she Yannick Nézet-Séguin), won an Opus Klassik and in 2018 was awarded an Honorary has developed long-standing relationships Award and was shortlisted for the 2018 Doctorate from the Sibelius Academy with the world’s leading orchestras, Gramophone Awards. Earlier recordings (University of Arts, Helsinki). conductors and musicians. include the concertos of Tchaikovsky and Sibelius (Staatskapelle Berlin/Daniel Lisa lives in and plays a Joseph Batiashvili is also the Artistic Director of Barenboim), Brahms (Staatskapelle Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ from 1739, generously Audi Sommerkonzerte, Ingolstadt. For the Dresden/), and loaned by a private collector. • 2019 festival – Fantastique – Batiashvili Shostakovich Violin Concerto No 1 curated a diverse programme featuring (Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen artists such as with the Rundfunks/Esa-Pekka Salonen). Bayerische Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Gautier Capuçon, Les Batiashvili has had DVD releases of live Vents Français and Kammerphilharmonie performances with the Berlin Philharmonic/ Bremen. For the 2020 festival, Batiashvili Yannick Nézet-Séguin (Bartók’s Violin will design a programme to celebrate Audi’s Concerto No 1) and with Gautier Capuçon, anniversary year. Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden and Christian Thielemann (Brahms’ Concerto In the 2019/20 season, Batiashvili performs for Violin and ). with, among others, the /Yannick Nézet-Séguin, She has won a number of awards: the Staatskapelle Berlin/, MIDEM Classical Award, the Choc de Orchestre de /Lahav Shani, l’année, the Accademia Musicale Chigiana Gewandhausorchester Leipzig/Andris International Prize, the Schleswig-Holstein Nelsons, and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich/ Music Festival’s Award Paavo Järvi. and the Beethoven-Ring. Batiashvili was

Artist Biographies 11 Elsa Dreisig soprano Pavol Breslik tenor

Mozart), Euridice (, Gluck), career in 2006, and has since been a regular Diane (, Rameau), Gretchen guest at major European and overseas opera (Szenen aus Goethes Faust, Schumann houses. for the reopening of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel, He appeared in the major tenor roles at Humperdinck), Musetta (La bohème, Puccini), ; Paris Opera; Bayerische Violetta (La traviata, Verdi), and Natascha Staatsoper; Royal Opera, Covent Garden; (Violetter Schnee, world premiere by Beat Metropolitan Opera; Semperoper Dresden; Furrer). She made her debut at the Paris Staatsoper Berlin; and Deutsche Oper. Opera as Pamina and returned as Lauretta (, Puccini) and Zerlina (new He has performed in Japan, Korea and production of , Mozart). At the Australia as well as at the opening of the Zurich Opera, she performed Musetta before Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and at the Vienna lsa Dreisig was awarded First Prize making her role debut as the title role in avol Breslik became famous as Opera Ball 2018. Recent successes include in the renowned vocal competition Massenet’s Manon in a new production in a Mozart tenor, performing as new productions at the Staatsoper Berlin of Operalia in 2016. The same year, 2019. At the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Idamante (Idomeneo) at the Nicolai’s The Merry Wives of Windsor and she was named Vocal Discovery of Victoires she was Micaëla in a new production of reopening of the Munich Cuvilliés Theatre, Smetana’s The Bartered Bride at Bayerische de la Musique Classique, and Young Artist of Bizet’s Carmen. Ferrando (Così fan tutte) at the Metropolitan Staatsoper and Semperoper Dresden. the Year in esteemed magazine Opernwelt. Opera and in London, and Belmonte In 2017, she was awarded Young Opera Artist Elsa Dreisig graduated from the Conservatoire (Entführung) in Munich. At the age of 21, His discography includes, among others, of the Year in Denmark’s Copenhagen Opera National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse he made his professional debut as Don Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis; Mozart’s Festival. Before this, in 2015, she had been in Paris. She is under exclusive contract with Ottavio (Don Giovanni) in Prague, later The Magic , Idomeneo and arias; awarded both Second Prize of the Queen Warner Music (Erato). Her first solo album, also appearing in the role in Salzburg and Schubert’s Schöne Müllerin and most Sonja Competition in Oslo, as well as First released in autumn 2018, has been awarded Munich. Breslik has appeared repeatedly recently his Winterreise. Prize and Audience’s Prize in the New Voices several prizes (Diamant, Opéra Magazine; as Tamino () in Munich Competition of the Bertelsmann Foundation Diapason d’or de l’année, Diapason; and – where he made his house debut with the In the near future, Breslik will appear in in Gütersloh. Choc de l’année, Classica, among others). role in 2006 – Barcelona, Baden-Baden and concerts with the Gewandhaus Leipzig, with the Metropolitan Opera, New York. recitals in Munich and at Schubertiade A member of the In 2019, Elsa Dreisig was awarded the very music festival, and opera performances in opera-studio from 2015 until 2017, she then prestigious Danish Crown Prince Couple’s After being a member of the ensemble of Zürich, Munich, Dresden, Leipzig, Barcelona joined the Berlin State Opera ensemble, Culture Prize. • the Berlin State Opera Unter den Linden and Paris. • appearing as Pamina (The Magic Flute, for three seasons, he started his freelance

12 Artist Biographies 19 January & 13 February 2020 David Soar bass Simon Halsey chorus director

and Quinault (Adriana Lecouvreur, Cilea) at la Música, Barcelona; Artistic Director of the the Royal Opera; Escamillo (Carmen), Masetto Berlin Philharmonic Youth Choral Programme; (Don Giovanni), Mr Flint and Collatinus (The Creative Director for Choral Music and Projects Rape of Lucretia, Britten) at Glyndebourne; of WDR Rundfunkchor; Director of the BBC Mr Flint and Raleigh (Gloriana, Britten) at Proms Youth , Artistic Advisor of the Madrid’s Teatro Réal; Le Duc (Roméo et Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival Choir; Juliette, Gounod) at the ; Conductor Laureate of the Rundfunkchor Basilio (, Rossini) at the Berlin; and Professor and Director of Choral Grange Festival; Animal Tamer and Athlete Activities at the University of Birmingham. (Lulu, Berg), Basilio (The Barber of Seville), He is also a highly respected teacher and Colline, Roy Disney (The Perfect American, academic, nurturing the next generation of Philip Glass) and Bernardino (Benvenuto choral conductors on his post-graduate course Cellini, Berlioz) at English National Opera; in Birmingham and through masterclasses avid Soar was born in and Leporello (Don Giovanni), Figaro (The imon Halsey occupies a singular at Princeton, Yale and elsewhere. Nottinghamshire and studied at Marriage of Figaro, Mozart), Escamillo and position in classical music. He the Royal Academy of Music and Sparafucile (, Verdi) at the Welsh is the trusted advisor on choral Halsey has worked on nearly 80 recording subsequently at the National Opera Studio. National Opera. Future seasons see him singing to the world’s greatest conductors, projects, many of which have won major return to the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal orchestras and choruses, and also an awards, including a Gramophone Award, Highlights in his 2019/20 season include Opera, and his debut at the Opernhaus Zurich. inspirational teacher and ambassador for Diapason d’Or, Echo Klassik, and three his role debut as Vodník in Dvořák’s choral singing to amateurs of every age, Grammy Awards with the Rundfunkchor Rusalka for English National Opera and the Concert highlights include Elgar’s The Dream ability and background. Making singing a Berlin. He was made Commander of the Grand Théâtre de la Ville de Luxembourg, of Gerontius and Frère Laurent in Roméo et central part of the world-class institutions British Empire in 2015, was awarded Lodovico in Verdi’s Otello at the Royal Opera Juliette (BBC Symphony Orchestra/Sir Andrew with which he is associated, he has been The Queen’s Medal for Music in 2014, and House, and Pizzaro in Mozart’s Fidelio for Davis and Orchestre National de Lyon/ instrumental in changing the level of received the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Garsington Opera. In concert, he will make Alain Altinoglu), Handel’s Messiah (The symphonic singing across Europe. Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic English Concert/Harry Bicket and The in 2011 in recognition of his outstanding Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle. Academy of Ancient Music/Richard Egarr), He holds positions across the UK and Europe contribution to choral music in Germany. Mendelssohn’s Elijah (Royal Flemish as Choral Director of the London Symphony Recent appearances have included Colline (La Philharmonic/Philippe Herreweghe), the Orchestra and Chorus, Chorus Director of the Born in London, Simon Halsey sang in the bohème, Puccini) and Masetto (Don Giovanni, title role in Handel’s Saul (BBC Singers) City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra choirs of New College, Oxford, and of King’s Mozart) at the Metropolitan Opera; Mr Flint and Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins (Hallé Chorus, Artistic Director of Orfeó Català College, Cambridge, and studied conducting (, Britten), Zuniga (Carmen, Bizet) Orchestra/Sir Mark Elder). • Choirs and Artistic Adviser of the Palau de at the Royal College of Music in London. •

Artist Biographies 13 London Symphony Chorus

President Associate Directors he London Symphony Chorus was The partnership between the LSC and LSO, The 2019/20 season includes performances Sir Simon Rattle Matthew Hamilton formed in 1966 to complement particularly under in the of Beethoven’s Christ on the Mount of Olives om cbe Nia Llewelyn Jones the work of the London Symphony 1980s and 1990s, and later with Sir Colin on tour in Europe with Sir Simon Rattle, Orchestra and is renowned internationally Davis, led to its large catalogue of recordings, James MacMillan’s St John Passion with Vice President Associate Conductors for its concerts and recordings with which have won numerous awards, including Gianandrea Noseda, and Tippett’s Child of Michael Tilson Lucy Hollins the Orchestra. Their partnership was five Grammys. Gramophone included the Our Time with Alan Gilbert. Thomas David Lawrence strengthened in 2012 with the appointment recordings of Berlioz’s The Damnation of of Simon Halsey as joint Chorus Director Faust and Romeo and Juliet on LSO Live with The Chorus is an independent charity run by Patrons Chorus Accompanists of the LSC and Choral Director for the LSO, Sir as two of the ‘Top 10’ Berlioz its members. It is committed to excellence, Simon Russell Benjamin Frost and the Chorus now plays a major role in recordings. Recent LSO Live recordings with to the development of its members, to Beale cbe furthering the vision of LSO Sing, which also the Chorus include Bernstein’s Wonderful diversity and engaging in the musical life of Howard Goodall cbe Chairman encompasses the LSO Community Choir, Town and Berlioz’s The Damnation of Faust, London, to commissioning and performing Owen Hanmer LSO Discovery Choirs for young people and both with Sir Simon Rattle. new works, and to supporting the musicians Chorus Director Singing Days at LSO St Luke’s. of tomorrow. For more information, please Simon Halsey cbe Concert Manager Highlights of the 2018/19 season included visit lsc.org.uk. • Robert Garbolinski The LSC has worked with many leading Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges with international conductors and other Sir Simon Rattle at the 2018 BBC Proms LSO Choral Projects major orchestras, including the Berlin and at the Lucerne Festival, Bernstein’s Manager Philharmonic, , Leipzig with Marin Alsop, Puccini’s Sumita Menon Gewandhaus, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Messa di Gloria with Sir , , the National Youth performances of Mahler’s Symphony No 8 Orchestra of Great Britain and the European at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam Union Youth Orchestra. It has also toured with the Netherlands Philharmonic and extensively in Europe and has visited the US, Marc Albrecht, David Lang’s the public , Australia and south-east Asia. domain with Simon Halsey, and Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast with Sir Simon Rattle.

14 London Symphony Chorus 19 January & 13 February 2020 London Symphony Chorus on stage

Sopranos Altos Tenors Basses Frankie Arnull+ Naomi Kroll^ Ayesha Akkari Jill Jones Jorge Aguilar Matthew Journee Simon Backhouse^* Nathan Homan* Elizabeth Ashling Louisa Martin June Brawner^ Vanessa Knapp^ Paul Allatt* Jude Lenier Ed Beesley Anthony Howick Anna Byrne-Smith Jane Morley Gina Broderick* Gilly Lawson* Matteo Anelli Kameron Locke Gavin Buchan Peter Kellett Carol Capper* Doris Nikolic^ Jo Buchan* Freja Leveritt+ Erik Azzopardi John Marks Andy Chan^ Alex Kidney Laura Catala-Ubassy Gill O’Neill Janik Dale Belinda Liao+ Joaquim Badia Alastair Mathews Matt Clarke Thomas Kohut Elisa Franzinetti+ Maggie Owen Maggie Donnelly Anne Loveluck Naveeth Basheer Matthew McCabe Giles Clayton Sam Loveless Joanna Gueritz Janina Pescinski^ Lynn Eaton Aoife McInerney Paul Beecham Davide Prezzi Damian Day^ George Marshall Maureen Hall+ Louisa Prentice Linda Evans Jane Muir^ Philipp Boeing Chris Riley Roc Fargas James Nageotte Isobel Hammond^ Liz Reeve Amanda Freshwater Caroline Mustill Peter Bridgwood Michael Scharff Thomas Fea William Nicholson Hidemi Hitada^ Jasmine Spencer Christina Gibbs^ Siu-Wai Ng Oliver Burrows Peter Sedgwick Ian Fletcher Alan Rochford+ Denise Hoilette Deborah Staunton Joanna Gill Helen Palmer Michael Delany Chris Straw Robert Garbolinski* Jesus Sanchez^ Emily Hoffnung+ Giulia Steidl Rachel Green Susannah Priede Ethem Demir Richard Street* Josue Garcia Rod Stevens Claire Hussey Jenna Swale Yoko Harada Lucy Reay+ Colin Dunn Malcolm Taylor Rupert Gill Richard Tannenbaum Alice Jones Jessica Villiers Kate Harrison Lis Smith John Farrington Simon Wales John Graham Daniel Thompson+ Debbie Jones Gabrielle Walton-Green Jane Hickey Erika Stasiulevuciute Matt Fernando James Warbis Owen Hanmer* Gordon Thomson Esther Kippax Lizzie Webb* Elisabeth Iles Linda Thomas Andrew Fuller* Brad Warburton^ Bryan Hammerslay+ Robin Thurston Jessica Kirby^ Olivia Wilkinson Ella Jackson+* Kathryn Wells Patrizio Giovannotti Robert Ward* J-C Higgins^ Jez Wareing+ Luca Kocsmarsky^ Rachel Wilson Kristi Jagodin Hannah Wisher Simon Goldman Paul Williams-Burton Elan Higueras Calvo Anthony Wilder+ Euchar Gravina

^19 January only Vocal Coaches +13 February only Norbert Meyn Anita Marrison *Denotes LSC Council Member Rebecca Outram Robert Rice

Assistant Chorus Master Nia Llewelyn Jones

London Symphony Chorus 15 London Symphony Orchestra on stage

Guest Leader Horns LSO String Experience Scheme Andrej Power Rebecca Jones Gareth Davies Timothy Jones Nigel Thomas Since 1992, the LSO String Experience Gillianne Haddow Sharon Williams Eirik Haaland Scheme has enabled young string players First German Clavijo Angela Barnes Percussion from the London music conservatoires at Carmine Lauri Stephen Doman Alexander Edmundson Neil Percy the start of their professional careers to gain Clare Duckworth Robert Turner Juliana Koch Jonathan Maloney David Jackson work experience by playing in rehearsals Ginette Decuyper Michelle Bruil Olivier Stankiewicz Sam Walton and concerts with the LSO. The musicians Laura Dixon Luca Casciato Rosie Jenkins are treated as professional ‘extra’ players Julian Gil Rodriguez Cynthia Perrin David Elton Harp (additional to LSO members) and receive fees Gerald Gregory Sofia Silva Sousa Gustav Melander Bryn Lewis for their work in line with LSO section players. Maxine Kwok Heather Wallington Christine Pendrill Toby Street William Melvin Celeste The Scheme is supported by: Laurent Quenelle Clarinets Trombones Catherine Edwards The Polonsky Foundation Harriet Rayfield Rebecca Gilliver Chris Richards Mark Templeton Derek Hill Foundation Colin Renwick Alastair Blayden Chi-Yu Mo James Maynard Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust Sylvain Vasseur Jennifer Brown Thistle Trust Rhys Watkins Eve-Marie Caravassilis Bass Idlewild Trust Daniel Gardner Duncan Gould Paul Milner Second Violins Hilary Jones David Alberman Laure Le Dantec Thomas Norris Amanda Truelove Simon Haram Ben Thomson Sarah Quinn David Ballesteros Double Basses Editorial Photography Matthew Gardner Colin Paris Rachel Gough Ranald Mackechnie, Chris Wahlberg, Naoko Keatley Patrick Laurence Daniel Jemison Harald Hoffmann, Marco Borggreve, Belinda McFarlane Matthew Gibson Joost Bosdijk Oliver Helbig, Chris Singer, Alix Lagasse Joe Melvin Simon Fowler, Lawrence Brownlee Iwona Muszynska José Moreira Contra Print Cantate 020 3651 1690 Csilla Pogany Jani Pensola Dominic Morgan Advertising Cabbells Ltd 020 3603 7937 Andrew Pollock Paul Robson Details in this publication were correct at time of going to press.

16 The Orchestra 19 January & 13 February 2020