20/21 SEASON The Time Is Now TheThe TimeTime IsIs NowNow Music has the power to inspire, to change lives, to illuminate perspective, 20/21 SEASON and to shift our vantage point. featuring FESTIVAL Your seats are waiting. Voices of Hope: Artists in Times of Oppression An exploration of humankind’s capacity for hope, courage, and resistance in the face of the unimaginable PERSPECTIVES Rhiannon Giddens “… an electrifying artist …” —Smithsonian PERSPECTIVES Yannick Nézet-Séguin “… the greatest generator of energy on the international podium …” —Financial Times PERSPECTIVES Jordi Savall “… a performer of genius but also a conductor, a scholar, a teacher, a concert impresario …” —The New Yorker DEBS COMPOSER’S CHAIR Andrew Norman “… the leading American composer of his generation ...” —Los Angeles Times Left: Youssou NDOUR On the cover: Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla carnegiehall.org/subscribe | 212-247-7800 Photos: NDOUR by Jack Vartoogian, Gražinytė-Tyla by Benjamin Ealovega. Box Office at 57th and Seventh Rafael Pulido Some of the most truly inspiring music CONTENTS you’ll hear this season—or any other season—at Carnegie Hall was written in response to oppressive forces that have 3 ORCHESTRAS ORCHESTRAS darkened the human experience throughout history. Perspectives: Voices of Hope: Artists in Times of Oppression takes audiences Yannick Nézet-Séguin on a journey unique among our festivals for the breadth of music 12 these courageous artists employed—from symphonies to jazz to Debs Composer’s popular songs and more. This music raises the question of why, 13 Chair: Andrew Norman no matter how horrific the circumstances, artists are nonetheless compelled to create art; and how, despite those circumstances, 28 Zankel Hall Center Stage the art they create can be so elevating. It’s also a season of change, invention, 29 RECITALS and fascinating new directions at Carnegie Hall. Voices of Hope: The makes a welcome return to our Berliner Philharmoniker Artists in Times stage with its new chief conductor, Kirill Petrenko. One of 43 of Oppression the orchestra’s programs includes a piece by Andrew Norman, this year’s Debs Composer’s Chair, who writes some of the most 49 EARLY MUSIC engaging, intriguing, and thoroughly enjoyable music of our time. We are also excited to add the unique experience of concerts in Perspectives: the round with Zankel Hall Center Stage. This concert format 52 Jordi Savall lets you and the artists share performances of immediacy and intimacy unlike any other. 53 POP, JAZZ, WORLD Witness the creativity of 2020–2021 Perspectives artists Perspectives: Rhiannon Giddens, Yannick Nézet-Séguin (in the second season of 62 Rhiannon Giddens his Perspectives), and Jordi Savall. We also welcome back the Los Angeles Philharmonic after a 30-year hiatus, led by 63 CHAMBER Gustavo Dudamel; as well as the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Christine Goerke; Janine Jansen; Daniil Trifonov; Youssou NDOUR; NEW AND Third Coast Percussion with Movement Art Is feat. Jon Boogz & 69 UNEXPECTED Lil Buck; the Evgeny Kissin, Joshua Bell, and Steven Isserlis trio; Gustavo Dudamel and so many more stellar artists. They come here because of this Additional Performances amazing hall and our most loyal audience—subscribers like you. 74 Music changes lives—all of us here wholeheartedly 76 Special Benefit Events believe that. Please join us for a new season of inspiring music and performers. We are thrilled to be able to share their great 78 20/21 Season at a Glance artistry with you. Concert Extras / Warmest regards, 82 Ongoing Partnerships 83 Weill Music Institute 84 Membership Clive Gillinson Executive and Artistic Director 85 SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS Orchestras ORCHESTRAS 3 Photos: Gergiev by Alberto Venzago, Petrenko Hösl. by W. Photos: Gergiev by Alberto Venzago, Petrenko Hösl. by W. Have you heard? Andrew Norman’s Unstuck Writer’s block provided the impetus for Unstuck. Norman International found inspiration in a line from Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Slaughterhouse-Five about becoming “unstuck in time.” Norman embraced his own seemingly disconnected ideas and created a work where fragments of the beginning, middle, and end appear in wrong places—like the novel’s Festival of flashes back and forward. The result is a sumptuously orchestrated 10-minute joyride where motifs twist, turn, and rebound off each other with gleeful abandon. Orchestras I Hear it November 18. Kirill Petrenko Friday, October 23 at 8 PM Wednesday, February 10 at 8 PM Four concerts in Stern Auditorium / City of Birmingham Mariinsky Orchestra Perelman Stage. Balcony $224/$271, Symphony Orchestra Valery Gergiev, Music Director Dress Circle $224/$357/$489, and Conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Music Director Second Tier $357/$489, Parquet $489/$700, Blavatnik Family First Tier $768 and Conductor SCHUBERT Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished” Gidon Kremer, Violin BRUCKNER Symphony No. 8 For renewing subscribers only (through March 13, 2020): Have you heard? RAVEL La valse Sponsored by Ernst & Young LLP WEINBERG Violin Concerto Balcony $212/$259, The Mariinsky Orchestra Residency with Dress Circle $212/$345/$477, Schubert’s Symphony No. 8, THOMAS ADÈS Angel Symphony Valery Gergiev at Carnegie Hall is made possible by a leadership gift from Mrs. Veronica Atkins. Second Tier $345/$477, Parquet $477/$688, (NY Premiere, co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall) “Unfinished” Blavatnik Family First Tier $756 DEBUSSY La mer The passion and power of Schubert’s Sunday, February 28 at 2 PM Symphony No. 8 make it one of his most Wednesday, November 18 at 8 PM Valery Gergiev enduring pieces. While some theorized Vienna Philharmonic that he never finished the work because it Berliner Orchestra was perfect in its two-movement format, Philharmoniker Gustavo Dudamel, Conductor the composer did begin to sketch a third- HAYDN Symphony No. 59, “Fire” movement scherzo that was never realized. Kirill Petrenko, Chief Conductor Nina Stemme, Soprano PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 1, “Classical”; The turbulence of the symphony’s opening Symphony No. 5 is tempered by one of Schubert’s most ANDREW NORMAN Unstuck Major support for this concert is provided by the beautiful melodies, while the Andante’s WAGNER Brünnhilde’s Immolation Scene Audrey Love Charitable Founation. wistful lyricism becomes tempestuous from Götterdämmerung The Vienna Philharmonic Residency at Carnegie Hall R. STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben is made possible by a leadership gift from the before settling into serenity. Mercedes T. Bass Charitable Corporation. The Berliner Philharmoniker Residency at Carnegie Hall Hear it February 10. is made possible by a leadership gift from Marina Kellen French and the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation. Andrew Norman is holder of the 2020–2021 Richard and Barbara Debs Composer’s Chair at Carnegie Hall. 4 ORCHESTRAS 5 Photos: Pappano by Musacchio & Ianniello / EMI Classics, Kanneh-Mason by Christian Meuwly. Photos: Pappano by Musacchio & Ianniello / EMI Classics, Kanneh-Mason by Christian Meuwly. Have you heard? Elgar’s Cello Concerto International From the opening notes of Elgar’s Cello Concerto, the cello is the protagonist in a bittersweet tale that’s passionate and—in its intense slow movement—tragic. The piece Festival of was composed in 1919, after the carnage of World War I had erased the bravado of Elgar’s earlier works. The finale—the longest of the four movements—offers hints of that earlier style, before sadness gives way to Orchestras II quiet acquiescence to fate. Hear it October 24. Saturday, October 24 at 8 PM Saturday, February 27 at 8 PM City of Birmingham Vienna Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Orchestra Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Music Director Gustavo Dudamel, Conductor and Conductor RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade Talise Trevigne, Soprano Jörg Widmann TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5 Sir Antonio Pappano Felicity Palmer, Mezzo-Soprano Major support for this concert is provided by the Joshua Stewart, Tenor Audrey Love Charitable Founation. Matthew Brook, Bass-Baritone The Vienna Philharmonic Residency at Carnegie Hall is made possible by a leadership gift from the Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Cello Mercedes T. Bass Charitable Corporation. City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus Simon Halsey, Chorus Director Monday, April 12 at 8 PM ELGAR Cello Concerto Orchestra TIPPETT A Child of Our Time dell’Accademia This concert is made possible, in part, by an endowment fund Have you heard? for choral music established by S. Donald Sussman in memory Nazionale di Tchaikovsky’s Suite No. 3 of Judith Arron and Robert Shaw. Santa Cecilia in G Major Thursday, November 19 at 8 PM Sir Antonio Pappano, Music Director and Conductor Tchaikovsky pondered a new Maxim Vengerov, Violin orchestral work in 1884 with sketches Berliner Philharmoniker for a piano concerto. He eventually Kirill Petrenko, Chief Conductor PONCHIELLI Elegia for Orchestra SHOSTAKOVICH Violin Concerto No. 1 moved on, deciding on a suite. He WEBERN Passacaglia, Op. 1 TCHAIKOVSKY Suite No. 3 in G Major wrote that he preferred the suite’s MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 1 freedom from “conventional methods BRAHMS Symphony No. 4 and rules.” An elegant and tender Four concerts in Stern Auditorium / The Berliner Philharmoniker Residency at Carnegie Hall Perelman Stage. four-movement work with beautiful is made possible by a leadership gift from Marina Kellen French and the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation. melodies and deft orchestration, it Balcony $218/$263, Sheku Kanneh-Mason Dress Circle $218/$347/$476, has a stunning set of variations as its Second Tier $347/$476, Parquet $476/$682, finale. That finale is especially well Blavatnik Family First Tier $748 known to ballet fans, immortalized by For renewing subscribers only choreographer George Balanchine in (through March 13, 2020): his classic Theme and Variations. Balcony $206/$251, Dress Circle $206/$335/$464, Hear it April 12. Second Tier $335/$464, Parquet $464/$670, Blavatnik Family First Tier $736 6 ORCHESTRAS ORCHESTRAS 7 Have you heard? Stravinsky’s The Firebird Suite International Ballet impresario Sergei Diaghilev wanted new and different music for his 1910 season, so he commissioned the young Stravinsky to write The Firebird.