Week of Events
‘Celestial Waters’ Flow Through Detroit
As part of its Fanfare for Uncommon Women series, the Detroit Symphony will present Camille Pépin’s Les Eaux célestes, a work inspired by an ancient legend and summoning cosmic sounds. Two Russian masterpieces complete the Jan. 16-18 program conducted by Daniele Rustioni: Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto (with Francesca Dego) and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. https://www.dso.org/events-and-tickets/events/24-25-winter/the-rite-of-spring
Ortiz Work Headlines ‘Focus on Mexico’ in D.C.
As part of its Focus on Mexico series, the National Symphony will perform the D.C. premiere of Gabriela Ortiz’s Téenek – Invenciones de Territorio. Mexican conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto takes the podium for this Jan. 16-18 program, and Mexican pianist Jorge Federico Osorio plays Beethoven’s Third Concerto. The Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances complete the program. https://www.kennedy-center.org/nso/home/2024-2025/prieto-osorio/
His and Hers Mahler Works in Montreal
Gustav was not the only one in the Mahler household who composed beautiful music. On Jan 16-17, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, conducted by Rafael Payare, will present Five Lieder by Alma Mahler, sung by mezzo-soprano Beth Taylor. After the intermission, it’s Gustav’s turn, with his Symphony No. 6, Tragic. https://www.osm.ca/en/concert/mahlers-sixth-symphony-with-payare
William Grant Still wrote his Symphony No. 2, Song of a New Race, for the Philadelphia Orchestra to premiere in 1937, conducted by Leopold Stokowski. On Jan. 16-18, that same orchestra will play it again, this time under the direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who will also conduct Margaret Bonds’ The Montgomery Variations and Tchaikovsky’s Piano […]
San Francisco Premieres Adams Concerto
John Adams’ new piano concerto, After the Fall, receives its world premiere by pianist Víkingur Ólafsson with conductor David Robertson and the San Francisco Symphony on Jan. 16-19. The program will also include Orff’s Carmina burana. https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2024-25/carmina-burana
‘In a Grove’ Comes to Prototype Festival
With music by Christopher Cerrone and libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann, In a Grove is a haunting meditation on the impossibility of truth and the subjectivity of memory and perception. It is based on Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s classic story. The Prototype Festival will present the New York premiere of this chamber opera Jan. 16-19. https://prototypefestival.org/shows/in-a-grove/
NYC: New Opera Faces ‘Impossibility of Truth’
With music by Christopher Cerrone and libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann, In a Grove is a haunting meditation on the impossibility of truth and the subjectivity of memory and perception. It is based on Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s classic story. The Prototype Festival will present the New York premiere of this chamber opera Jan. 16-19. https://prototypefestival.org/shows/in-a-grove/
Märkl Initiates Directorship in Indy
Jun Märkl will make his first official appearance as the music director of the Indianapolis Symphony on Jan. 17-18. The program includes two crowd-pleasers: Johann Strauss II’s Emperor Waltz and Beethoven’s Symphony Nov. 7. https://www.indianapolissymphony.org/event/beethovens-7th/
Saskatoon: Menotti’s ‘The Medium’
On Jan. 17, the Saskatoon Symphony offers a rare opportunity to see a staged version of Gian Carlo Menotti’s haunting opera The Medium. Anastasia Winterhalt stars. https://saskatoonsymphony.org/event/the-medium/
Vancouver Debut of a Conductor-Pianist Includes Premiere
Vanessa Benelli Mosell, conductor and pianist, makes her Vancouver Symphony debut on Jan. 17. The program includes the North American premiere of Philppe Schoeller’s Sereno Sola for Piano and Strings, as well as Bartók’s playful Divertimento for Strings and Schubert’s exuberant Third Symphony. https://www.vancouversymphony.ca/event/ca-schuberts-third-symphony/
A.I. vs Human Beethoven in Spokane
It’s controversial but perhaps inevitable. Artificial has been used to complete Beethoven’s Symphony No. 10. The Spokane Symphony will play that version (premiered in Germany in 2021) on Jan. 18-19, under James Low. The rest of the program is 100% human Beethoven: The Creatures of Prometheum Overture, Barry Cooper’s completion of the 10th (for direct […]
Three New One-Acts at Washington National Opera
Washington National Opera will present its American Opera Initiative showcase on Jan. 18, featuring the world premiere of three one-act operas. This year’s creative artists include librettist Clare Fuyuko Bierman, composer Kyle Brenn, librettist Lex Brown, composer JL Marlor, librettist Christine Evans, and composer Omar Najmi. https://www.kennedy-center.org/wno/home/2024-2025/american-oera-initiative/
