Music Director Carl St.Clair and Pacific Symphony announce the 2017-18 Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom Family Foundation Classical Series and special events. It’s a particularly significant “season of firsts,” beginning with the 39-year-old orchestra’s very exciting and much anticipated debut at Carnegie Hall—one of the most prestigious venues in the world—to perform a concert featuring one of today’s pre-eminent composers, Philip Glass.
The Symphony’s President John Forsyte commented, “This landmark achievement sets the precedent for this exceptional season spotlighting a number of extraordinary musicians making their debut with Pacific Symphony, while the orchestra tackles a number of important works for the very first time. It’s a rewarding time of momentum and accomplishment for the Symphony.”
Preparing the way for a season like no other is the Grand Opening concert offering monumental works by monumental masters: Beethoven’s almighty Fifth Symphony, selections from Wagner’s extraordinary “Die Walküre” from “The Ring,” and the late-Romantic tone poem “Don Juan” by Richard Strauss. Following on the heels of the opening will be a one-night-only spectacular, “An Evening with Joshua Bell,” when the superstar violinist performs Sibelius’ Violin Concerto.
The Symphony’s entire season is filled with the brightest luminaries performing giants of the repertoire that have stirred the souls of listeners for centuries. And, as rich and inventive as ever, the Symphony’s highly popular opera and vocal initiative that began in 2011-12—“Symphonic Voices”—continues with Mozart’s beloved “The Magic Flute.” Additionally, the season offers a spiritual side, when it brings back the Norbertine Fathers for another breathtaking “Cathedrals of Sound.” As with every season, 2017-18 has been carefully handcrafted by Maestro St.Clair to be steeped in music that is both meaningful and sublime, embracing and celebrating all that great music can mean to humankind.
With its first appearance at Carnegie, a move to its new summer home at the OC Fair in 2017 (previously announced), and a season highlighted by first-time performances by the most exciting classical music stars of today, as well as outstanding treasures of the repertoire both old and new, the Symphony gives truth to a statement by the Los Angeles Times: “Pacific Symphony moves into a new era…”
“The Maestro’s Series,” featuring all 12 classical concerts, is $300-$1,160 ($1,960, Box Circle). Four-concert Sunday Casual Connections subscriptions are $88-$299 ($339, Box Circle). Special events are priced separately. For more information or to purchase tickets call (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.
BIG MOMENT: CARNEGIE HALL, HERE WE COME!
It’s a major step in the life of Pacific Symphony when, through a highly prized invitation from Carnegie Hall, the orchestra, with Maestro St.Clair conducting, makes its Carnegie Hall debut on April 21, 2018, as the finale to Carnegie’s yearlong celebration of Philip Glass’ 80th birthday. The program’s major work will be the New York premiere of Glass’ “The Passion of Ramakrishna,” commissioned and premiered by Pacific Symphony for the opening of the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in 2006, and later recorded in 2011.
“Appearing on the stage of Carnegie Hall is every orchestra’s dream,” says Maestro St.Clair. “Our orchestra has achieved dramatic artistic growth since our move into the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. We have earned this opportunity to join the rare environment of world-renowned ensembles, which have become part of Carnegie Hall’s storied history. I am also delighted that Pacific Chorale, with whom we have had so many wonderful collaborations, will be part of this pinnacle of accomplishment for Pacific Symphony and Orange County. It’s the cultural ‘Super Bowl,’ and I know we are going to make Orange County very proud while we celebrate one of America’s most celebrated composers.”
Glass’ famous collaborations with the Indian sitar master Ravi Shankar will be honored during this historic program that also features “Meetings Along the Edge” from “Passages,” a piece Glass recorded with Shankar, and Concerto No. 3 for Sitar and Orchestra by Shankar, which was written on commission from the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and premiered in 2009 by his daughter, Anoushka Shankar. She performs with the Symphony for the very first time during this South Asian odyssey.
Pacific Symphony fans have the opportunity to hear the orchestra perform this concert locally on April 12-14, 2018, as part of the classical season, and they are also welcome to join the Symphony for a special patron trip to New York. (For more details, sign up for the mailing list at: www.pacificsymphony.org/carnegiehall. Information will be sent later this spring.)
OPULENT OPENING
Pacific Symphony’s 39th season kicks off like a heaven-bound rocket, beginning with an Opening Night to remember, led by Maestro St.Clair and featuring two epic and exhilarating pieces—Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 with the most famous four notes in music history and—for the first time since 1988, the orchestra plays selections from Wagner’s “Die Walküre,” from the epic mythological wonder, the “Ring Cycle,” including the exhilarating “Ride of the Valkyries.” Featured in his first-ever appearance with the Symphony is international opera star, Greer Grimsley. Considered today’s leading interpreter of the god Wotan, his stunning bass-baritone brings the role dramatically to life. Opera News wrote, “Grimsley projected iron power with a sumptuously beautiful voice, smooth as silk, precise of text.” And, at the center of the program is Richard Strauss’ “Don Juan,” a musical retelling of the Spanish legend.
SPECIAL EVENT: AN EVENING WITH JOSHUA BELL
Reigning virtuoso of the violin, Joshua Bell, who enjoys a superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician, joins Pacific Symphony led by St.Clair for an extraordinary, one-night-only event on Saturday, Sept. 23, at 8 p.m., in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, just after the start of the season. The concert exploits the heart-stopping beauty of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in the hands of this beloved master. Interview magazine once said Bell’s playing “does nothing less than tell human beings why they bother to live.”
Bell has collaborated with countless artists in and outside the classical arena and performed on television shows including the Grammy Awards, numerous “Live from Lincoln Center” specials, and on movie soundtracks including the Oscar-winning film, “The Red Violin.” Bell received his first violin at age 4 and at 14 performed with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra, followed by his Carnegie Hall debut at 17.
Like no other violinist of recent times, Bell has captured the imaginations of both critics and audiences alike, and is certain to be a major highlight of the Symphony’s stellar season. This exceptional concert is designed as a special opportunity for Symphony subscribers to have the highest priority for tickets to a concert that’s certain to sell out!
MARVELOUS, MEMORABLE MUSIC
This is a season committed to both the great masterworks and the new and the bold. Maestro St.Clair has designed a season that works as a whole, not just a series of single concerts, seeking to balance great traditions in orchestral music with new discoveries. In the realm of the tried and true is Rachmaninoff’s exhilarating and formidable Piano Concerto No. 2, one of the world’s best known, most popular and lyrical piano concertos, which takes on fresh dynamism in the capable hands of Boris Giltburg.
Beethoven gets ample attention this season and for good reason. In addition to his Fifth Symphony, the season features his beloved Fifth Concerto, the “Emperor,” a work prized for its serene and tender second movement. It stands as a testament to the composer’s emotional range. One of the world’s top pianists, André Watts, joins the orchestra to perform Beethoven’s last and, for many, his greatest piano concerto. Also taking its turn on center stage is Beethoven’s only Violin Concerto, which remains one of the most widely played and popular works for the instrument. Famous for its spirited final movement, the piece reveals the amazing melodic and technical range of the violin when played by Ray Chen. The season also includes a concerto by another famous German—Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 played by Pinchas Zukerman—which the great violinist Joseph Joachim described as “the richest, the most seductive” when compared to Beethoven, Brahms and Mendelssohn.
Another first for Symphony audiences is Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Originally destroyed in a fire during the Russian Revolution, the composer reconstructed his second concerto two years after finishing his third and declared it so completely rewritten that it might almost be considered [Concerto] No. 4. Today it has garnered a reputation for being one of the most technically formidable piano concertos in the repertoire, and played by Alexander Romanovsky, it is certain to shine. Another piano concerto not to be missed is Mozart’s Ninth, performed by Garrick Ohlsson, a work that legendary pianist Alfred Brendel has referenced as “one of the greatest wonders of the world.”
Among the mighty symphonies this season is Edward Elgar’s regal Symphony No. 1, a work that was performed over 100 times within a year of its premiere and was hailed by The Musical Times as an “immediate and phenomenal success.” This is the first opportunity for audiences to hear it played by Pacific Symphony.
The roster includes two works by Dvořák: Symphony No. 7 and his final and best-known symphony, No. 9, “From the New World,” with its famous Largo, one of classical music’s best-loved works. The Seventh, together with the Eighth and Ninth, represent Dvořák at his best, and they each reveal a somewhat different aspect of his personality. The Seventh is the most ambitious in structure and the most consciously international in its message. Dvořák specialist John Clapham writes that “without doubt” the Seventh “must surely be Dvořák’s greatest symphony,” although elsewhere he writes that the Ninth is the most popular worldwide.
Other gems this season include perennial favorite Mussorgsky/Ravel’s grand and majestic “Pictures at an Exhibition,” depicting a particularly vivid symphonic tour of an art collection based on 10 drawings and watercolors produced by Mussorgky’s deceased friend, the architect and artist Victor Hartmann; and Brahms’ Symphony No. 3, which interweaves passionate themes with reflective melodies that look back to his younger years. Not to be missed is Shostakovich’s intense 10th Symphony—48 minutes of tragedy, despair and ultimately, triumph!
Making a re-appearance this season is Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F, given new life by Xiayin Wang. “Many persons had thought that the ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ was only a happy accident…,” George Gershwin once said. “Well, I went out, for one thing, to show them that there was plenty more where that had come from.” Widely considered Gershwin’s most classical piece, this work represents the perfect blend of rhythmic liberties of jazz fused with classical roots. On the lighter side, the Symphony also pays homage to “Symphonic Dances” from “West Side Story” in tribute to the 100th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s birth.
“Cathedrals of Sound,” featuring the Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael’s Abbey, returns to offer another evening of awe and inspiration, bathed in waves of sound. Along with stunning visuals from Clemens Prokopf, the orchestra brings to life Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony—a tour de force of symphonic power, aptly nicknamed “The Apocalyptic.” Reminiscent of the unique spiritual journey taken by the Symphony in 2010 for Bruckner’s Ninth and in 2014 for Duruflé’s “Requiem,” the focus returns to Bruckner again, this time for his Eighth—performed for the very first time by the orchestra.
Composer Hugo Wolf called Bruckner’s Eighth, “the creation of a giant, surpassing in spiritual dimension and magnitude all the other symphonies of the master.” Bruckner himself said when he finished the work’s gigantic, revelatory finale: “Hallelujah! The Finale is the most significant movement of my life.”
In another evening of soulful awakening, Anne Akiko Meyers performs a stunning arrangement of Morten Lauridsen’s famous and spiritually riveting vocal work, “O Magnum Mysterium,” which the composer arranged for violin specifically for her. She also performs two pieces for violin and orchestra by well-respected film composer James Newton Howard, who incorporates themes from his films such as “The Village” and “Defiance.”
DAZZLING TALENT LIGHTS UP SEASON
Pacific Symphony promises great music played by some of today’s most thrilling and accomplished artists, many of whom make their debut with Pacific Symphony in 2017-18—among them, Xiayin Wang. Performing with the orchestra for the first time is this international sensation who joins the orchestra to give fresh, dynamic energy to Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F. Considered an artist of keen musicality and sweeping virtuosity, Wang has brought audiences to their feet with her playing.
The Washington Post called Wang’s finger work “precise and strong” and said her drive was “unrelenting and her concentration intense.” The Herald Scotland wrote of a performance by Wang: “I have seldom heard anything so attention-grabbing and commanding… It was like a banner headline, proclaiming not just the pianist’s own extraordinary technical prowess, but the character and quality of the work she was about to perform.”
Born in Russia, Israeli classical pianist, Boris Giltburg makes his first appearance with the Symphony to perform Rachmaninoff’s behemoth Second Piano Concerto. Gramophone places Giltburg “among the truly memorable Rachmaninoff interpreters, an elect including Moiseiwitsch, Horowitz, Kappel, Richter and Cliburn. Giltberg’s originality stems from a convergence of heart and mind, served by immaculate technique and motivated by a deep and abiding love for one of the 20th century’s greatest composer-pianists.”
“Romanovsky is special, not just an extraordinary technician with a flair for color and fantasy, but also a sensitive musician and lucid interpreter,” wrote The New York Times.
Making another spectacular debut this season is Alexander Romanovsky, a dramatist and purveyor of lyrical charm, who pounces on one of the most technically daunting piano concertos in the repertoire, Prokofiev’s Second. Declared the latest pianist to be hailed as the true heir to the great Russian tradition by The Guardian, Romanovsky, according to Gramophone, can “produce the thunderous sound and sharp-edged, ringing bass that sends a tingle down the spine.”
Among those more familiar to the Symphony is a stunning pianist, of whom The Financial Times has written: “Garrick Ohlsson, playing without a score, dignified the piece with his phenomenal pianism—never self-servingly virtuosic—and equally phenomenal memory.” Hailed by The Independent as a “big pianist with a calmly commanding presence,” Ohlsson—who first performed with Pacific Symphony in 1993 and again in 2000—joins the Symphony 17 years later for a memorable interpretation of Mozart’s Ninth Piano Concerto.
The Huffington Post describes Ray Chen’s talent this way: “TO DIE FOR. He had the kind of liquid tone that carries with it emotional depth of great intimacy,” while The Washington Post declares, “Ray Chen can do pretty much anything he wants on the violin.”
After sharing a thrilling performance a few years ago with Taiwanese-Australian violinist Chen, the Symphony was compelled to invite him back. A critics’ favorite, The Strad wrote of Chen: “From the first notes there was no doubt of being in the presence of something special.” Jaws are sure to drop in awe when Chen—first prizewinner in the 2008 International Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition and the 2009 Queen Elisabeth Music Competition—returns to dazzle with Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. “Colors dance, moods swing, and Chen’s artistry blazes,” wrote The Times.
Among the celebrated artists who need no introduction is Pinchas Zukerman, Israeli violinist, violist and conductor, widely regarded as one of today’s greatest string players. One of the first to grace the halls of the then-new Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in 2006, Zukerman promises to knock the socks off the Symphony audience this season with Bruch’s Violin Concerto.
“The most distinctive aspect of Mr. Zukerman’s playing, something that struck the ear right away, was his remarkable tone production. He is a total hedonist at heart, and without pressing or forcing his instrument he generated a warm, liquid sound that effortlessly filled the hall,” said The New York Times.
Considered one of the best pianists of the 20th century and a perennial favorite guest of Pacific Symphony, André Watts returns for his seventh performance with the orchestra to perform one of Beethoven’s most beloved works, the “Emperor” Concerto. The Huffington Post wrote: “[Watts] plays unstintingly, every little passage crafted with love and attention. His tones are warm and gleam like burnished gold instead of cool stainless steel.” Having played before royalty in Europe and heads of government in nations all over the world, it’s hard to find a more accomplished pianist than Watts.
“Watts dug into the keyboard. All those speedy and acrobatic passages in the opening movement, which most pianists toss off with pearly nonchalance, were firmly directed note-missiles in the hands of Watts, gritty, intense and hot under the collar,” reviewed The Orange County Register.
Taking the audience on a journey through symphonic space and time are the spiritually mesmerizing voices of the Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael’s Abbey. Expect to be moved and transformed as the Fathers fill the hall with their sonorous and worshipful voices for this all-new program, as they perform the Gregorian chants that inspired Bruckner’s symphonies.
Then, be prepared to be mesmerized when audience-favorite Anne Akiko Meyers—one of today’s premier violinists—returns to perform a stunning arrangement, never heard before by OC audiences, of Morten Lauridsen’s famous vocal work “O Magnum Mysterium,” which the composer arranged for violin specifically for her. An emotional, riveting piece, even in its original form it’s been known to reduce a listener to tears. The Los Angeles Times calls Akiko Meyers a performer of “vigorous mastery, unflinching technical skills and stylish elegance.”
ENCORE! OPERA GOES SYMPHONIC AGAIN!
Encouraged by sell-out crowds for the last six seasons and inspired by St.Clair’s stellar career as an opera conductor in Europe, Pacific Symphony once again presents semi-staged concert opera this season, featuring one of Mozart’s most popular operas, “The Magic Flute.” From the successful debut in 2011-12 of Puccini’s heartbreaking “La Bohème,” to Verdi’s “Aida” in 2017—the Symphony’s opera initative in 2018 shines the spotlight on this jewel by Mozart to unveil a fairy tale about love through the story of Tamino and Papageno, a prince and bird catcher tasked by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter Pamina from the confinements of a mysterious high priest.
Mozart’s seductive and irresistible tunes bring this enchanting tale vividly to life, as the orchestra shares the stage with world-class opera stars and Pacific Chorale. Together they fill the concert hall with astonishing voices as Mozart’s dreamlike fantasy unfolds and the unforgettable score with its intoxicating melodies is highlighted by some of opera’s finest arias and best-loved moments. Prepare for an evening filled with magic, comedy and some of opera’s best music!
St.Clair was the former general music director and chief conductor of the German National Theater and Staatskapelle (GNTS) in Weimar, Germany, where he led Wagner’s “Ring Cycle” to great critical acclaim. During his tenure at the Komische Oper Berlin, St.Clair led acclaimed productions of not only “La Traviata,” but also the world premiere of Christian Jost’s “Hamlet” and the heralded production of “Lear” by Aribert Reimann, one of Germany’s most distinguished composers.
MORE CELEBRATIONS, SPECIAL CONCERTS
Pacific Symphony presents three special events in 2017-18. In addition to Joshua Bell in September, two other concerts promise unique experiences. First, in December, many will shout: “Hallelujah! Handel is back!” when the grandeur and ebullience of Handel returns for the annual favorite, his glorious “Messiah.” This timeless masterwork transcends three centuries of ever-changing trends in music. Thrill once again to blazing trumpets, thundering timpani and the electrifying “Hallelujah” chorus at Orange County’s most popular rendition of this cherished holiday tradition. The orchestra is joined by the angelic voices of the Pacific Chorale for an afternoon that is always full of joy, reflection and renewal.
And in February 2018, the Symphony led by St.Clair celebrates the 2018 Chinese New Year with the Southern California community for a concert dedicated to the lunar holiday. This colorful presentation of Eastern and Western music and dance ushering in the “Year of the Dog,” (according to the Chinese zodiac), offers a very special performance for the second year in a row. St.Clair leads the orchestra as they are joined by an array of talented dancers and singers for a program that is both a visual and aural wonder. This performance is sure to sell out once again as audiences from across our communities come together to celebrate.
SUNDAY CASUAL CONNECTIONS
Sunday Casual Connections, including four Sunday matinees with repertoire from the Classical series led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, offers an intimate and informative experience. Audience members peer beneath the surface of the music to explore a world of fascinating history, intrigue and discovery. They are invited to experience great masterworks in a casual, Sunday afternoon performance featuring commentary from stage. To expose the next generation to great music, the Symphony offers children under 17 a free subscription to Sunday Casual Connections, when accompanied by a full-paying adult.
Sunday Casual Connections begins in September with the four most famous notes in history, as St.Clair dives into the complexity of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Then, bass-baritone Greer Grimsley sings the epic final scene from Wagner’s “Die Walküre,” in the role of Wotan. In February, pianist Alexander Romanovsky performs Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and the orchestra opens with “Wild Wood” by Japanese-American composer Paul Chihara. Two of the repertoire’s most popular pieces are the focus in March, when Pinchas Zukerman performs Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and St.Clair dives into Mussorgsky/ Ravel’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.” For the final concert in June, violinist Anne Akiko Meyers performs two new pieces by Hollywood composer James Newton Howard.
