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SEASON SPONSOR ANNA ROLANDI Dear Music Lover,
Throughout history, music has been used Susan B. Anthony, with the Rochester premiere to communicate that which cannot be of an opera by Virgil Thomson, The Mother said. You’ve heard the phrase, “the pen is of Us All, which examines the life and work of mightier than the sword?” Well, I’d argue Susan B. Anthony. the baton is mightier than both. You and I have now spent four years communicating Music is a wordless language. As musicians THE through music, and I’m delighted to and music lovers, we communicate through take up a new conversation in the RPO’s swells and staccatos—adagios and allegros. 98th season. With our centennial fast Now more than ever, we must lean into the approaching, it’s time to take our brilliant powerful emotion of this art form. I look orchestra to the next phase of artistic forward to seeing you in the concert hall this expression. That means delivering a season season to have a meaningful conversation stocked with new and innovative pieces— through music! amongst some favorite classical “hits,” of course.
The RPO has always been a trailblazing institution, and the 2019-20 season ups the Ward Stare ante. This year, we’ll explore contemporary Music Director classical music—from historical icons like Bartók and Debussy to emerging living composers. For the first time, the RPO will take part in the KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival with a program of radical exploratory works. Perhaps most important, we’ll celebrate the centennial of the 19th Amemdment and the 200th Philharmonicsseason Anniversary of Rochester’s is here! 4-11 12 WARD 13 STARE INSIDE: 14-15 MUSIC DIRECTOR 19/20 PHILHARMONICS SERIES PROGRAMMING...... HOLIDAYS WITH...... THE RPO...... BENEFITS PACKAGING & TICKETING INFORMATION...... ANNA ROLANDI THE KODAK HALL AT EASTMAN THEATRE DVOŘÁK 8 THURSDAYS AT 7:30 PM OCTOBER 3 & 4 SATURDAYS AT 8 PM PLEASE NOTE: THIS CONCERT WILL BE PRESENTED ON THURSDAY AT 7:30 PM & FRIDAY AT 8 PM David Danzmayr, conductor | Orli Shaham, piano
HAYDN Symphony No. 34 MOZART Piano Concerto No. 17, K. 453 Philharmonics DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 8 Guest conductor David Danzmayr makes his RPO debut in a program featuring Dvořák’s decidedly genial and upbeat Eighth Symphony. But TCHAIKOVSKY 4 season first, Orli Shaham performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17—a delightful OCTOBER 17 & 19 piece with an immediately memorable melody. Christopher Seaman, conductor laureate u SERIES: A C E Simone Porter, violin
HINDEMITH Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes I THOUGHT THAT I COULD SCHEHERAZADE .2 by Carl Maria von Weber “ SEPTEMBER 19 & 21 BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1 CREATE A PIECE THAT IS WHIMSICAL AND Ward Stare, conductor | Leila Josefowicz, violin TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4 IMAGINATIVE AND EXOTIC AND EVOCATIVE Conductor Laureate Christopher Seaman brings AND VIRTUOSIC, MASON BATES Mothership Tchaikovsky’s incredible Symphony No. 4 to life. The BUT ALSO HAD CINDY MCTEE Einstein’s Dream Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1, described by Classic FM STEVE REICH Three Movements for Orchestra as “one of the best works of the Romantic period,” will SOMETHING SERIOUS TO JOHN ADAMS Scheherazade.2 feature violinist Simone Porter. Hindemith’s Symphony Your RPO takes part in the KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber SAY ABOUT A WOMAN’S in this adventurous and exciting program featuring four living begins the program. composers: Bates, McTee, Reich, and Adams. The program –JOHN ADAMS, COMPOSER u SERIES: A B F POWER.” opens with Mason Bates’ Mothership, an energetic piece "The impetus for the piece was an exhibition in Paris detailing the that imagines the orchestra as a mothership that is ‘docked’ history of the “Arabian Nights” and of Scheherazade and how this by visiting soloists, who offer brief but virtuosic riffs on the ORLI story has evolved over the centuries. The casual brutality toward work’s thematic material over action-packed electro-acoustic SHAHAM women that lies at the base of many of these tales prodded me to think orchestral figuration. Einstein’s Dream by Cindy McTee reads like a diary, each entry recording the dreams of Albert about the many images of women oppressed or abused or violated that Einstein as he worked on his theory of relativity. Reich’s we see today in the news on a daily basis. In the old tale Scheherazade Three Movements for Orchestra will engage audiences with is the lucky one who, through her endless inventiveness, is able to save its unexpected orchestra layout and three movements—fast, her life. But there is not much to celebrate here when one thinks that slow, fast!—that move from one into another without pause. she is spared simply because of her cleverness and ability to keep on The program concludes with world-renowned violinist Leila entertaining her warped, murderous husband. Josefowicz as soloist in John Adams’ Scheherazade .2. ENGAGING The modern images that come to mind certainly aren’t exclusive to u SERIES: A B D the Middle East—we see examples, if not quite so graphic nonetheless SIMONE profoundly disturbing, from everywhere in the world including in our own PORTER country. So I was suddenly struck by the idea of a “dramatic symphony” in which the principal character role is taken by the solo violin— LEILA and she would be Scheherazade." JOSEFOWICZ Excerpt from John Adams’ Composer Notes, Boosey & Hawkes 2015
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“ A GOOD COMPOSER DOES NOT IMITATE, HE STEALS.” - IGOR STRAVINKSY TRAIL BLAZERS, The 2019–20 Philharmonics Season explores a significant time in our musical history—the explosion of new approaches to music RULE BREAKERS, that flourished during the early years of the 20th Century. At a time IMAGINATIVE when Susan B. Anthony’s life work finally came to fruition with the RADICALS + passing of the 19th Amendment, composers like Debussy, Boulanger, Stravinsky, and Schoenberg were changing the face of classical INNOVATORS music forever. REBECCA You’ll hear music from these musical innovators JOANN GILBERT throughout the season, but with a particular FALLETTA focus during the fourth and fifth Philharmonics programs. Ward Stare and your RPO will take you on a journey of exploration of tone and style, conservatism to minimalism, orchestra color JOANN FALLETTA + and sound. SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE NOVEMBER 21 & 23 JoAnn Falletta, conductor Rebecca Gilbert, flute The Charlotte Whitney Allen Chair INSPIRE FABIEN TAILLEFERRE Ouverture pour orchestre GABEL CHRISTOPHER ROUSE Flute Concerto BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique There was perhaps no more imaginative orchestrator than Hector Berlioz, ANDREIANDREI and his Symphonie fantastique is a quintessential example of his visionary IONIŢĂIONIŢĂ genius. Guest conductor JoAnn Falletta brings this piece alive at Kodak Hall, along with Rouse’s Celtic-influenced Flute Concerto with Principal GABEL CONDUCTS Flute Rebecca Gilbert as soloist. The program also includes Tailleferre’s THE FIREBIRD Ouverture pour orchestre. BEETHOVEN JANUARY 16 & 18 OCTOBER 31 & NOVEMBER 2 u SERIES: A C F Fabien Gabel, conductor Ward Stare, conductor | Andrei Ioniţă, cello Juho Pohjonen, piano DEBUSSY Printemps BACH TO BARTÓK BEETHOVEN Egmont Overture ELGAR Cello Concerto BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1 BOULANGER D’un soir triste NOVEMBER 7 & 9 POULENC Suite from Les Animaux modèles BOULANGER D’un matin de printemps PROKOFIEV Symphonic Suite from War and Peace STRAVINSKY The Firebird Suite (1945) Ward Stare, conductor | Tessa Lark, violin Guest conductor Fabien Gabel returns to As difficult as it may be to believe, The Firebird was Igor Stravinsky’s BACH/WEBERN Ricercar No. 2 from Musical Offering lead your RPO in Prokofiev’s Symphony first large-scale work for orchestra. The ballet was such a tremendous SCHOENBERG Five Pieces for Orchestra Suite from War and Peace. Poulenc’s Suite success that the composer instantly became an international sensation. from Les Animaux modèles, a piece of major The program also features two works by Lili Boulanger. This gifted TESSA BERG Violin Concerto LARK BARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra resistance from the first half of the 20th composer’s career skyrocketed when she became the first woman to century, is also on the program. Pianist win the Prix de Rome at the age of 19, but was cut tragically short when The program opens with the Webern arrangement of Bach’s Ricercar No. 2 Juho Pohjonen makes his RPO debut with she died five years later from a chronic illness. Elgar’s Cello Concerto, from Musical Offering. Then, violinist Tessa Lark makes her RPO debut Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.1. The his last major work, speaks of the anguish and disillusionment the as soloist in Berg’s Violin Concerto; although dedicated to “the memory of program opens with the powerfully beautiful composer felt about the Great War and what it had done to the world. an angel,” the piece may very well be a requiem for the composer himself. Egmont Overture. The concert opens with Debussy’s Printemps (Springtime), Schoenberg’s Five Pieces for Orchestra mirror the expressionist movement a misty blend of winds, strings, and brass. MOVEMENT of the times, particularly its preoccupation with the subconscious. u SERIES: A C u SERIES: A C E u SERIES: A B D
6 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! RPO.ORG | 454-2100 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! RPO.ORG | 454-2100 7 “ IT WAS WE, THE PEOPLE; NOT WE, THE WHITE MALE CITIZENS; NOR YET WE, THE MALE CITIZENS; BUT WE, THE WHOLE PEOPLE, WHO FORMED THE UNION. AND WE FORMED IT, NOT TO GIVE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY, BUT TO SECURE THEM; NOT TO THE HALF OF OURSELVES AND THE HALF OF OUR POSTERITY, BUT TO THE WHOLE PEOPLE— WOMEN AS WELL AS MEN.” –SUSAN B. ANTHONY Rochesterians know the story of Susan B. Anthony. On November 5, 1872 Susan B. Anthony cast her vote in the presidential election between Republican incumbent Ulysses S. Grant and Democratic candidate Horace Greeley. One small problem: women weren’t allowed to vote. Susan B. was later arrested and fined for voting illegally— a fine she never paid.
On August 26, 1920, 48 years after Anthony was arrested for voting illegally, the 19th Amendment was passed, giving women full and equal voting rights to their white male counterparts. The 2019–20 Season marks the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage and what better place than the home of Susan B. Anthony to celebrate this milestone! WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE: While female guest artists and composers are highlighted throughout PAST + PRESENT the 2019–20 season, the RPO has two Philharmonic weekends in late January and JANUARY 30 & FEBRUARY 1 early February that pay tribute to Susan B. Anthony, th th th Ward Stare, conductor the 100 anniversary of the 19 Amendment, the 200 Mark Mobley, playwright anniversary of Anthony’s birthday, and the movements that have shaped our future. The Philharmonics concerts Join Music Director Ward Stare for the world premiere THE MOTHER OF US ALL include the world premiere of a new work by an of a new work by an emerging female composer. Plus, FEBRUARY 6 & 8 emerging female composer; a new theatrical playwright Mark Mobley is creating a new theatrical work by playwright Mark Mobley setting work setting the stories of strong Rochester women, Ward Stare, conductor the stories of strong Rochester women, past and present, to music. past and present, to music; and u SERIES: A B THOMSON The Mother of Us All concert performances of the opera The Mother of Us All, an opera by Virgil Thomson to a The Mother of Us All by Virgil libretto by Gertrude Stein, examines the life and work Thomson and Gertrude Stein. of Susan B. Anthony. In fanciful style, it brings together During this two week period, characters, fictional and non-fictional, from different we are partnering with periods of American history. other arts groups in and around Rochester RPO ANNUAL OPERA CONCERT to celebrate and u SERIES: A B D commemorate this important anniversary.
8 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! RPO.ORG | 454-2100 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! RPO.ORG | 454-2100 9 THE YEAR 1905 APRIL 30 & MAY 2 ISABEL TCHAIKOVSKY LEONARD Ward Stare, conductor | Isabel Leonard, mezzo soprano + ATHAYDE USTVOLSKAYA Symphonic Poem No. 2 BERLIOZ Les Nuits d’été FEBRUARY 27 & 29 BRAHMS 4 SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 11, “The Year 1905” Marcelo Lehninger, conductor Written in 1957, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11, “The Year 1905” was written in the wake of the MARCH 19 & 21 Hungarian Uprising. A popular piece, the symphony was an instant success and won Shostakovich Juliana Athayde, violin The Caroline W. Gannett & Clayla Ward Chair the Lenin Prize in 1958. Galina Ustvolskaya's Symphonic Poem No. 2 comes from the same period Ward Stare, conductor TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto as her teacher, Shostakovich wrote his Symphony No. 11. In a note to Ustvolskaya, Shostakovich Andreas Haefliger, piano wrote, “It is not you who are influenced by me; rather, it is I who am influenced by you.” Berlioz’s RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 2 Les Nuits d’été completes the program. Isabel Leonard returns to Rochester for these concerts. Concertmaster Juliana Athayde performs WEBERN Passacaglia one of the most well-known violin concertos BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 u SERIES: A C D ever written—Tchaikovsky’s. Plus, guest BRAHMS Symphony No. 4 conductor Marcelo Lehninger leads the ADVENTUROUS orchestra in Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2. Ward Stare and your RPO celebrate the Romantic genius of Johannes Brahms THE “TITAN” SYMPHONY u SERIES: A C E with the great and noble Fourth Symphony. “ORGAN” SYMPHONY Internationally-acclaimed pianist Andreas MAY 28 & 30 Haefliger returns as the evening’s guest artist. MAY 7 & 9 Ward Stare, conductor | Inon Barnatan, piano u SERIES: A B F Christoph König, conductor | Alexandra Soumm, violin ADÈS Dances from Powder Her Face LISZT Les Préludes SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Concerto No. 1 MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto MAHLER Symphony No. 1 SAINT-SAËNS Symphony No. 3, “Organ” Ward Stare continues the exploration of Mahler’s Christoph König returns to conduct Mendelssohn’s symphonies with the “Titan,” the composer’s First Violin Concerto with violinist Alexandra Soumm making Symphony. This grandiose and booming symphony her RPO debut. The program begins with Liszt’s Les incorporates themes and compositions from earlier Préludes. Taken from one of the composer’s earlier choral works. There’s no greater way to end the 2019–20 works, this piece is one of the earliest symphonic poems. Season than with this overpowering piece! The program concludes with Saint-Saëns’ energetic and powerful “Organ” Symphony. u SERIES: A C F JULIANA WARD u SERIES: A B E ATHAYDE STARE EXCITING CHRISTOPH KÖNIG
INON BARNATAN
10 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! RPO.ORG | 454-2100 GORMAN SUZY TIMELESSSUBSCRIBE TODAY! RPO.ORG | 454-2100 11 ADD A LITTLE MERRY TO YOUR SERIES! Holidays with the RPO Subscriber REWARDS WED, NOV 27 | 7 PM FRI, NOV 29 | 2 & 7 PM SAT, NOV 30 | 2 & 7 PM SUN, DEC 1 | 2 PM KODAK HALL AT EASTMAN THEATRE THE NUTCRACKER Experience the Buy quality, more, variety, save and more, value and that enjoy only anmore RPO perks! subscription can provide. single ticket prices when you renew to a package, plus: Rochester City Ballet, David Palmer, artistic director Bach Children’s Chorus, Karla Krogstad, director FULL SERIES 27% A OFF Save up to The Nutcracker’s timeless tale of wonder and imagination plus: has captivated audiences for over a century. Be whisked away BEST • Save 15% on added concerts outside your ticket package to a magical land of sparkling snow and delectable sweets • All of the benefits below
as enchanting dance from Rochester City Ballet pairs with RODRIGUEZ T.R. VALUE! Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score, performed in all its glory by the RPO. This beloved story of a young girl’s Christmas Eve dream never fails to touch the heart, and is the perfect start to the holiday season. ALL SUBSCRIBERS
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ERICH CAMPING ERICH • Preferred seats to all concerts—ahead of the general public! • Free and easy exchanges from one concert to another • Presale access to newly announced concerts—before the general public • 10% discount on added concerts outside your ticket package FRI, DEC 20 | 8 PM • Exclusive dining discounts at local restaurants SAT, DEC 21 | 2 & 8 PM SUN, DEC 22 | 2 PM KODAK HALL AT EASTMAN THEATRE GALA HOLIDAY POPS Jeff Tyzik, conductor The Festival High School Chorale,
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ERICH CAMPING ERICH Gather your family and call in Rudolph to light your way! It’s everyone’s favorite holiday tradition—Gala Holiday Pops with your RPO! Festive carols, joyful melodies, and a SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12 200-member choir help put the ho-ho-ho in your holidays.
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12 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! RPO.ORG | 454-2100 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! RPO.ORG | 454-2100 13 THE HOW TO SUBSCRIBE 1. Complete Your Order Form Fill out the enclosed order form with your desired package, day, price level, and number of seats. Please include your complete contact information. Don’t forget to add on performances! SERIES PACKAGING & 2. Place Your Order PHONE 585-454-2100 SPECIALS & SINGLE TICKET Please have your credit card and order form ready. PRICING INFORMATION ADD-ON PRICING Monday-Saturday 10 AM-5 PM ENJOY MORE OF THE SEASON BY ADDING ON ADDITIONAL MAIL Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Philharmonics 108 East Avenue with a full series subscription! PERFORMANCES BEFORE THEY GO ON SALE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC Rochester, NY 14604 Save 27% season All subscribers save 10% FAX 585-454-7885 & full series subscribers save 15%! IN PERSON RPO Patron Services Center PHILHARMONICS Located in the RPO Administrative SERIES 10% OFF 15% OFF Offices at 108 East Avenue SEATING CHART Rochester, NY 14604 PERFORMANCE DATE ABCDEF ADDITIONAL BOX $ 98 $ 93 Monday-Saturday 10 AM-5 PM PHILHARMONICS ZONE 1 76 72 SCHEHERAZADE .2 SEPT 19 & 21 ORCHESTRA TICKETS •• • ZONE 2 55 52 DVOŘÁK 8 OCT 3 & 4 WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? • • • A NIGHT IN VIENNA ZONE 3 41 39 After you complete your subscription order, we will send TCHAIKOVSKY 4 OCT 17 & 19 CONCERT ZONE 4 22 20 you a confirmation via email. Please be sure to include or •• • update your email address on your order form. THE FIREBIRD OCT 31 & NOV 2 • • • If you are requesting a change to your subscription, we BACH TO BARTÓK NOV 7 & 9 will process the change once our renewal period is finished. •• • If we are able to fulfill your request for a series or seating JOANN FALLETTA + SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE NOV 21 & 23 • • • change, we will make the necessary adjustments and you GABEL CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN JAN 16 & 18 BOXES BOXES will be notified by e-mail. Upon receiving the e-mail, you may • • ADD ON HOLIDAY PERFORMANCES! call in to discuss other seating options if you so prefer. We WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE: PAST + PRESENT JAN 30 & FEB 1 will make every effort to accommodate you. Requests for •• changes are honored according to the date in which orders are THE MOTHER OF US ALL FEB 6 & 8 THE NUTCRACKER received and paid, with full series Philharmonics A and Pops X •• • LEFT CENTER CENTER RIGHT CENTER subscribers receiving priority. You will receive an email in May TCHAIKOVSKY + ATHAYDE FEB 27 & 29 10% OFF 15% OFF confirming the changes that were made on your account. • • • ADULT CHILD ADULT CHILD BRAHMS 4 MARCH 19 & 21 If you are adding on tickets to your package, we will seat them •• • POPS SEATING CHART BOX $ 98 $ 25 $ 92 $ 25 THE YEAR 1905 APR 30 & MAY 2 MEZZANINE in mid-June after all subscriber packages have been seated. • •• ORCHESTRA ZONE 1 74 20 70 20 "ORGAN" SYMPHONY MAY 7 & 9 Subscribers may request exchanges upon subscribing. Those •• • ZONE 2 48 15 46 15 requests will then be processed by our Patron Services team THE “TITAN” SYMPHONY MAY 28 & 30 ZONE 3 34 15 32 15 starting June of 2019. • • • LOGE ZONE 4 22 15 20 15 In early August, you will receive your season and add-on FULL SERIES A HALF SERIES MINI SERIES BOXES BOXES tickets. BEST VALUE, B & C D, E & F GRAND BALCONY SAVE 20% SAVE 15% Satisfaction guaranteed! Ticket refunds, less handling SAVE 27% LEFT CENTER CENTER RIGHT CENTER GALA HOLIDAY POPS fees, are available up to the first performance date in 14 CONCERTS 7 CONCERTS 4 CONCERTS your ticket package. THU OR SAT THU OR SAT THU OR SAT MEZZANINE 10% OFF 15% OFF BOX $ 1,128 $ 624 $ 383 BOX $ 104 $ 98 LOGE QUESTIONS? ZONE 1 869 484 278 ZONE 1 80 76 ? We’re happy to help! ZONE 2 638 358 218 All programs, dates, times, venues, prices, and performers are subject GRAND BALCONY ZONE 2 57 54 to change. Pricing only guaranteed until March 16, 2019. Call the RPO Patron Services Center ZONE 3 470 267 166 ZONE 3 41 39 at 585-454-2100. All applicable fees are bundled into published prices, including $15 per ZONE 4 260 148 NOT AVAILABLE package handling fee and Kodak Hall facility fee ($2 per ticket over $25). ZONE 4 22 20
14 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! RPO.ORG | 454-2100 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! RPO.ORG | 454-2100 15 THE WARD STARE, MUSIC DIRECTOR JEFF TYZIK, PRINCIPAL POPS CONDUCTOR CHRISTOPHER SEAMAN, CONDUCTOR LAUREATE
Philharmonics season is here! ERICH CAMPING
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