27 Season 2013-2014 Tuesday, December 31, at 7:30 The Philadelphia Orchestra Bramwell Tovey Conductor Tracy Dahl Soprano Travis and Jaimee Tuft Dancers Joanna Meller and Slawek Roszak Dancers Malachi Osai and Annabella Waszkiewicz Dancers J. Strauss, Jr. Overture to Die Fledermaus J. Strauss, Jr. “Mein Herr Marquis,” from Die Fledermaus Waldteufel “The Skaters’ Waltz,” Op. 183 J. Strauss, Jr. “”Egyptian” March, Op. 335 J. Strauss, Jr. “Voices of Spring” Waltz, Op. 410 J. Strauss, Jr. “Thunder and Lightning” Waltz, Op. 324 Intermission Lehár “Gold and Silver” Waltz J. Strauss, Jr. Perpetuum mobile, Op. 257 J. Strauss, Jr., & Josef Strauss “Pizzicato” Polka J. Strauss, Jr. “Champagne” Polka, Op. 211 Lehár “Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiss,” from Giuditta J. Strauss, Jr. “On the Beautiful Blue Danube” Waltz, Op. 314 This program runs approximately 1 hour, 45 minutes. The dancers on tonight’s program appear under the auspices of Dance Affiliates, Randy Swarz, artistic director. Philadelphia Orchestra concerts are broadcast on WRTI 90.1 FM on Sunday afternoons at 1 PM. Visit www.wrti.org to listen live or for more details. PO Book 16.indd 1 12/19/13 4:05 PM 228 Story Title The Philadelphia Orchestra Jessica Griffin The Philadelphia Orchestra community itself. His concerts to perform in China, in 1973 is one of the preeminent of diverse repertoire attract at the request of President orchestras in the world, sold-out houses, and he has Nixon, today The Philadelphia renowned for its distinctive established a regular forum Orchestra boasts a new sound, desired for its for connecting with concert- partnership with the National keen ability to capture the goers through Post-Concert Centre for the Performing hearts and imaginations of Conversations. Arts in Beijing. The Orchestra audiences, and admired for annually performs at Under Yannick’s leadership a legacy of innovation in Carnegie Hall while also the Orchestra returns to music-making. The Orchestra enjoying annual residencies in recording with a newly- is inspiring the future and Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and at released CD on the Deutsche transforming its rich tradition the Bravo! Vail festival. Grammophon label of of achievement, sustaining Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring Musician-led initiatives, the highest level of artistic and Leopold Stokowski including highly-successful quality, but also challenging transcriptions. In Yannick’s Cello and Violin Play-Ins, and exceeding that level, by inaugural season the shine a spotlight on the creating powerful musical Orchestra has also returned Orchestra’s musicians, as experiences for audiences at to the radio airwaves, with they spread out from the home and around the world. weekly Sunday afternoon stage into the community. Music Director Yannick broadcasts on WRTI-FM. The Orchestra’s commitment Nézet-Séguin triumphantly to its education and Philadelphia is home and opened his inaugural community partnership the Orchestra nurtures an season as the eighth artistic initiatives manifests itself important relationship not leader of the Orchestra in numerous other ways, only with patrons who support in fall 2012. His highly including concerts for families the main season at the collaborative style, deeply- and students, and eZseatU, Kimmel Center but also those rooted musical curiosity, a program that allows full- who enjoy the Orchestra’s and boundless enthusiasm, time college students to other area performances paired with a fresh approach attend an unlimited number at the Mann Center, Penn’s to orchestral programming, of Orchestra concerts for Landing, and other venues. have been heralded by a $25 annual membership The Orchestra is also a global critics and audiences alike. fee. For more information on ambassador for Philadelphia Yannick has been embraced The Philadelphia Orchestra, and for the U.S. Having been by the musicians of the please visit www.philorch.org. the first American orchestra Orchestra, audiences, and the PO Book 16.indd 2 12/19/13 4:05 PM 8 Music Director Nigel Parry/CPi Yannick Nézet-Séguin triumphantly opened his inaugural season as the eighth music director of The Philadelphia Orchestra in the fall of 2012. His highly collaborative style, deeply-rooted musical curiosity, and boundless enthusiasm, paired with a fresh approach to orchestral programming, have been heralded by critics and audiences alike. The New York Times has called Yannick “phenomenal,” adding that under his baton “the ensemble … has never sounded better.” In his first season he took the Orchestra to new musical heights. His second builds on that momentum with highlights that include a Philadelphia Commissions Micro-Festival, for which three leading composers have been commissioned to write solo works for three of the Orchestra’s principal players; the next installment in his multi-season focus on requiems with Fauré’s Requiem; and a unique, theatrically-staged presentation of Strauss’s revolutionary opera Salome, a first-ever co-production with Opera Philadelphia. Yannick has established himself as a musical leader of the highest caliber and one of the most exciting talents of his generation. Since 2008 he has been music director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic and principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic, and since 2000 artistic director and principal conductor of Montreal’s Orchestre Métropolitain. In addition he becomes the first ever mentor conductor of the Curtis Institute of Music’s conducting fellows program in the fall of 2013. 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 Orchestra returns to recording with a newly-released CD on that label of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and Leopold Stokowski transcriptions. Yannick continues a fruitful recording relationship with the Rotterdam Philharmonic for DG, BIS, and EMI/Virgin; the London Philharmonic for the LPO label; and the Orchestre Métropolitain for ATMA Classique. A native of Montreal, Yannick Nézet-Séguin studied at that city’s Conservatory of Music and continued lessons with renowned conductor Carlo Maria Giulini and with Joseph Flummerfelt at Westminster Choir College. Among Yannick’s honors are an appointment as Companion of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honors; a Royal Philharmonic Society Award; Canada’s National Arts Centre Award; the Prix Denise- Pelletier, the highest distinction for the arts in Quebec, awarded by the Quebec government; and an honorary doctorate by the University of Quebec in Montreal. To read Yannick’s full bio, please visit www.philorch.org/conductor. 29 Conductor Tyler Boye Tyler Pianist, composer, and Grammy Award-winning conductor Bramwell Tovey is in his 14th season as music director of the Vancouver Symphony (VSO). As a guest conductor he works with some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras, including the London Philharmonic, the London Symphony, and the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra. In North America he has made guest appearances with the orchestras of Baltimore, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Montreal, and Toronto. Mr. Tovey made his Philadelphia Orchestra debut in 2008 and most recently performed with the ensemble at Saratoga in 2013 and for the Glorious Sound of Christmas concerts in 2012. He also continues his association with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl and as founding host and conductor of the New York Philharmonic’s Summertime Classics series at Avery Fisher Hall. In 2008 both orchestras co-commissioned him to write a new work, Urban Runway, subsequently programmed by a number of orchestras in the U.S. and Canada, including The Philadelphia Orchestra. Mr. Tovey is an award-winning composer. His Requiem for a Charred Skull won the 2003 JUNO award for Best Classical Composition. His opera The Inventor, written with playwright John Murrell, was commissioned by Calgary Opera and recorded with the original cast, the Vancouver Symphony, and the University of British Columbia Opera. Mr. Tovey wrote the score, conducted the VSO, and performed as solo pianist in Richard Bell’s 2005 movie Eighteen starring Ian McKellen. In 2008, with violinist James Ehnes, Mr. Tovey and the VSO won Grammy and JUNO awards for their recording of the Barber, Korngold, and Walton concertos. Touring is an important aspect of Mr. Tovey’s artistic leadership with the VSO and in 2013 they embarked on a west coast U.S. tour. Other recent engagements included visits to the Nashville Symphony and the Montreal Symphony, as well as a return to Australia where he has already worked with the symphonies in Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne. Also in 2013 he received an honorary appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada for his outstanding achievements as a conductor and composer, and for his commitment to promoting new Canadian music. PO Book 16.indd 3 12/19/13 4:05 PM 30 Soloist Canadian coloratura soprano Tracy Dahl last performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra for the New Year’s Eve gala in 1995, which was also her debut. During the 2013- 14 season she returns to the Canadian Opera Company as Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Calgary Opera as Mabel in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, and the Vancouver Symphony for Orff’s Carmina burana. She debuted at La Scala in 2006 as Zerbinetta in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos and has also performed with the Metropolitan, San Francisco, Houston Grand, and Santa Fe operas, as well as at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Ms. Dahl’s recent operatic engagements include Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto with the Edmonton and Manitoba operas; her title role debut in Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda with Pacific Opera Victoria; the world premieres of Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland and Peter Ash’s The Golden Ticket with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; and Madame Mao in John Adams’s Nixon in China with Opera Colorado, Portland Opera, and Vancouver Opera.