The National Symphony continues the initiative begun in the 2023–2024 season of producing an opera in concert led by Gianandrea Noseda. The Jan. 30-Feb. 1 offering is Samuel Barber’s Vanessa, with a cast including Sondra Radvanovsky (NSO debut), mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, tenor Matthew Polenzani, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, and baritone Thomas Hampson. https://www.kennedy-center.org/nso/home/2024-2025/noseda-barber/
The world premiere of Billy Childs’ Concerto for Orchestra will take place Jan. 31-Feb. 1 with the San Diego Symphony under Rafael Payare. Alexander Malofeev will play Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3, and the program ends with Beethoven’s Third Symphony, Eroica. https://www.sandiegosymphony.org/performances/orchestral-evolution-childs-premiere-and-beethovens-eroica/
North Carolina Opera’s company premiere of Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas marks the first time NCO has presented a Spanish-language opera. Featuring Vanessa Vasquez and Richard Ollarsaba. Joseph Mechavich conducts this production by John Hoomes. (Jan. 31-Feb. 2) https://ncopera.org/2024-2025-season/
On Feb. 1-2, the Baltimore Symphony will celebrate Maurice Ravel’s 150th birthday in a program conducted by Robert Treviño. The Ravel selections include Alborada del gracioso, Rapsodie espagnole, Pavane pour une infante défunte and La Valse, which the composer described as a “choreographic poem for orchestra.” Karen Gomyo will be the soloist for Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto […]