MUSIC SALES CLASSICAL SEASON HIGHLIGHTS 2018–2019 COMPOSERS COMPOSERS MISSY MAZZOLI MAJA S K RATKJE Maestro Riccardo Muti has named Missy Edition Wilhelm Hansen signed the Norwegian Mazzoli as the new Mead Composer-in-Resi- composer Maja S K Ratkje in spring 2018. dence with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Ratkje works across a broad spectrum, NICO MUHLY for the next two seasons. The residency from concert music to performance, instal- The opera Marnie by Nico Muhly receives includes performances of her existing work, lation and noise music. Her music has been its Metropolitan Opera premiere October new commissions, curatorial work for their performed worldwide by Ensemble Intercon- 19–November 10, along with a cinecast MusicNOW series, and a role as advocate temporain, Klangforum Wien, BBC Scottish on November 10 with all performances for the orchestra. Her opera Proving Up Symphony Orchestra, Cikada and many more. conducted by Robert Spano. Yannick Nézet- opens the 30th-anniversary season of New Ratkje has received a number of awards Séguin conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra York City’s Miller Theatre September 26-28 including the Arne Nordheim prize in 2001. in the premiere of the Marnie Suite in in James Darrah’s production. The European She is also active as a singer and performer, September, with a further performance premiere of Breaking the Waves is featured with visual art and text material often being at Carnegie Hall. In November Ballett am at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival in a new part of her work. Rhein present choreography by Robert Binet production from Opera Ventures and Scot- with new arrangements of Four Studies and tish Opera, directed by Tom Morris. Dark JOAN TOWER Honest Music, and a new bassoon concerto with Excessive Bright, Mazzoli’s concerto Joan Tower begins her 80th birthday season commissioned by University of South for double bass and strings is given its with a portrait concert on September 9 at Carolina School of Music also premieres. European premiere in London on April 5 New York City’s DiMenna Center for Classical On December 1 two new choral pieces with Aurora Orchestra. Music, to be repeated at Bard College. The are performed by The Tallis Scholars and All-Star Orchestra also includes her music in VocalEssence. Stephen Petronio Company ANNA THORVALDSDOTTIR its September broadcasts across the US. returns to The Joyce Theater with the second Following its premiere in New York, At the end of September, 50 saxophonists run of Hardness 10 in January 2019. In META COSMOS, the latest orchestral work by will concurrently premiere her solo work, addition Muhly will compose a new work for Anna Thorvaldsdottir receives its Euro- Second Flight, around the world. Portrait soprano, chorus and orchestra commissioned pean premiere by the Berlin Philharmonic concerts continue into 2019, as do by National Children’s Chorus and American and Alan Gilbert on January 24-26. This is performances by the American Composers Youth Orchestra; music for a production of followed by performances by the Iceland Orchestra and the Grand Rapids Symphony, Britten’s Death in Venice at The Royal Theatre Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daníel Buffalo Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Carré in Amsterdam, plus works for Omega Bjarnason on January 31 and Helsinki Arkansas Symphony, Detroit Symphony Ensemble and Gondwana Choir. Philharmonic Orchestra with Peter Rundel Orchestra, and the Chamber Music Society of at the Musica Nova festival on February 1. Lincoln Center. JOCELYN POOK AERIALITY has received over 30 performanc- As part of 14-18 NOW, the Barbican and es since its premiere in 2011 and will have OLIVER DAVIS Brink Productions present the UK premiere its 11th country premiere October 17-20 The chamber and orchestral works by of Memorial by Jocelyn Pook, a theatrical given by the Belgian National Orchestra and British composer Oliver Davis are attracting adaptation of an Alice Oswald poem that Hugh Wolff. Her music features at ZeitGe- attention in the dance world following two reimagines Homer’s Iliad. Helen Morse is nuss in Karlsruhe, Germany, when 15 of recent collaborations. Choreographed by joined on stage by a 215-strong community her works will be performed by members Peter Walker, dance odyssey premiered in Feb- chorus and a vocal and music ensemble. of International Contemporary Ensemble ruary 2018 as part of New York City Ballet’s Conceived and directed by Chris Drummond and local ensembles from October 18 to New Combinations series. For San Francisco and Yaron Lifschitz, Memorial is at Barbican 21. On March 30 the Bavarian Radio Choir Ballet’s ambitious Unbound Festival, Davis Theatre from September 27-30. Battersea and Munich Chamber Orchestra present a was the only composer commissioned to Arts Centre stages the London premiere of portrait concert of her vocal and instrumen- write a new work. In his collaboration with Adam from September 18-24. This production tal works. A new 40-minute work premieres BalletMet’s choreographer and director, features a digital choir of trans individuals with Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Edwaard Liang, Davis wrote a violin concerto, from across the globe. From September 20- Santtu-Matias Rouvali on May 26 in concert Infinite Ocean, which has been selected by 29, Sadler’s Wells revives the English National with dance choreographed by Erna Ómars- San Francisco Ballet for their tour repertoire Ballet’s triptych Lest We Forget, featuring dóttir. A recording of Thorvaldsdottir’s music for the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Akram Khan’s Dust. September also brings is released on the Sono Luminus label in October 23-28. Davis will work on his fifth the UK release of The Wife by Picturehouse early 2019. album for Signum Classics in 2019. with an original score by Pook. OPERA OPERA IAIN BELL Premieres of two new operas as well as a song cycle and a new concerto are in store this season for British composer Iain DAVID LANG Bell. His fourth opera, Jack the Ripper: The LA Opera will present the West Coast Women of Whitechapel, is a co-commission premiere of the one-man opera the loser by and co-production by ENO and Opera North. David Lang at the ACE Hotel February 22-23. Directed by Daniel Kramer, conducted by BO HOLTEN Lang’s meditation on perfectionism features Martyn Brabbins and with a libretto by Emma Schlagt sie tot! (Slay them!), by Bo Holten baritone Rodney Gilfry and the pianist Conrad Jenkins, the cast includes Dame Josephine with a libretto by Eva Sommestad Holten, Tao. On June 6-8, the New York Philharmonic Barstow, Susan Bullock, Lesley Garrett will premiere at Malmö Opera on May 11, will premiere prisoner of the state, a and Alan Opie. It runs at London Coliseum directed by Peter Oskarsson and conducted by contemporary look at Beethoven’s Fidelio. It from March 30–April 12. Bell’s fifth opera, Patrik Ringborg. The title of the opera refers will then travel to De Doelen, the Barbican, Stonewall, commissioned by New York City to Luther’s reaction to the great peasant Barcelona’s l’Auditori, Bochum Symphony Opera, will premiere in June. Aurora, a rebellion. The music is based on Luther’s hymn Orchestra, and Bruges’ Concertgebouw. new concerto for coloratura soprano and tunes, deeply immersed in his own soul, On New York City’s Highline, 1000 singers orchestra, was written for Diana Damrau, and here symphonically expanded. will gather for the premiere of the mile long who will perform the work with the Royal opera October 3-7. true pearl, a site-specific Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted POUL RUDERS opera for the vocal group Roomful of Teeth, by Vasily Petrenko at the BBC Proms on On July 27 Santa Fe Opera will give the will premiere at Boston’s Isabella Stewart August 29, then at Liverpool Philharmonic premiere of the fairy-tale opera The Gardner Museum on October 4. Theatre of Hall on September 23. On March 31, Thirteenth Child. Built on a story by the Voices will premiere the full version of Lang’s Damrau will sing The Hidden Place with the Brothers Grimm and with a libretto by Becky the writings at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall on London Symphony Orchestra conducted by and David Starobin the production is directed March 20, and the whisper opera, featuring Gianandrea Noseda. by Darko Tresnjak and conducted by Paul the International Contemporary Ensemble, Daniel. Boston Lyric Opera premieres a new travels to Festival Ars Musica Brussels on DESSNER & MAPPLETHORPE production of The Handmaid’s Tale, directed November 26-28. A new work integrating the work of by Anne Bogart on May 5. David Angus photographer Robert Mapplethorpe will conducts at Lavietes Pavilion at Harvard TARIK O’REGAN premiere in March 2019. An admirer of Athletics Complex. The opera also receives Mozart’s librettist Lorenzo da Ponte is the Mapplethorpe’s work, Bryce Dessner is its Australian premiere at the Yarra Valley subject of a new, full-length opera by Tarik working with director Daniel Fish and Korde Opera Festival in October 2018, performed O’Regan to be premiered by Houston Grand A Tuttle to create a piece that captures the by Gertrude Opera. The Danish National Opera on April 26 and 28 and May 4, 7 and examinations of classification found in the Symphony Orchestra commissioned SOUND 10. The Phoenix tells the story of da Ponte’s photography, through music, large-scale and SIMPLICITY – Seven Pillars of Music for rise to the upper echelons of European projection and lighting. Roomful of Teeth and Accordion and Orchestra which will receive its society and his ensuing crash, bankruptcy Brad Wells will perform a concert version on premiere on April 4 with Bjarke Mogensen as causing him to flee to New York, where he March 5 at Walt Disney Concert Hall, and soloist.