PACIFIC SYMPHONY ANNOUNCES 2018-19 SEASON

Season Opener featuring pianist Olga Kern on September 27

Leonard Bernstein centennial celebration led by Carl St.Clair,
who was mentored by Bernstein

World premiere of Pacific Symphony commission from Michael Daugherty
in celebration of 50 years since the moon landing; Jean-Marie Zeitouni conducts

Puccini’s Madame Butterfly in a semi-staged production by Eric Einhorn

Southern California premiere of Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín, a multimedia-enhanced performance of Verdi’s Requiem commemorating 75 years since Jewish prisoners performed the work at the Terezín concentration camp; Murry Sidlin conducts

Additional guest artists include violinists Augustin Hadelich, Paul Huang, and Philippe Quint; pianists Markus Groh, Gabriela Martinez, and Juho Pohjonen; cellist Leonard Elschenbroich; soprano Celena Shafer; guitarist Pablo Villegas; and conductors Rune Bergmann, David Danzmayr, Carlos Izcaray, and Christopher Warren-Green

Music Director Carl St.Clair and President John Forsyte today announced Pacific Symphony’s 2018-19 season, which celebrates the orchestra’s 40^th anniversary. The season commences on Thursday, September 27 with a program featuring American composer Frank Ticheli’s Shooting Stars, commissioned for Pacific Symphony’s 25^th anniversary and newly revised for this season’s celebration; Ravel’s Boléro highlighting musicians of Pacific Symphony as soloists on stage and in a specially commissioned anniversary film; and guest soloist Olga Kern in Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3.

Comprising 16 programs, the 2018-19 classical season continues Pacific Symphony’s commitment to American music through performances of works by Leonard Bernstein in honor of his centennial and contemporary American works commissioned by the orchestra.

The season also reflects the orchestra’s diverse repertoire—from core symphonic works to full-length operas—and penchant for re-interpreting the classics for the 21^st century, through choreography, lighting, and other multidisciplinary elements.

“The 40^th anniversary is a landmark season for Pacific Symphony,” said Carl St.Clair, who will lead the orchestra in his 29^th season as Music Director. “It has been my pleasure to work with these brilliant musicians over the years, and I look forward to conducting the Symphony in repertoire that showcases their virtuosity and humanity.

This will be a season of celebrations: from the Bernstein centennial concert in October, which is particularly meaningful to me because of my cherished experience studying with this great artist, to a concert in April marking the 50^th anniversary of the moon landing that will feature a work we’ve commissioned from Michael Daugherty, one of the most widely performed American composers of his generation. We’ll be offering diverse programming throughout the year, including a holiday program in December on which we’ll present a Nutcracker Suite with arrangements by both Tchaikovsky and Duke Ellington. In February, we’ll return to the Italian operatic repertoire with Puccini’s Madame Butterfly for our annual semi-staged opera performances. And we conclude this celebratory season in June with Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, the so-called ‘Symphony of a Thousand,’ which is one of the largest scale works in the classical repertoire. It is sure to be a grand finale to a grand season.”

Additional season highlights include a collaboration with the Magic Circle Mime Company featuring works by Prokofiev and Ravel; performances conducted by Rune Bergmann, David Danzmayr and Jean-Marie Zeitouni, and in their Pacific Symphony debuts, Carlos Izcaray, Murry Sidlin and Christopher Warren-Green; and performances with cellist Leonard Elschenbroich, pianists Markus Groh, Olga Kern, Gabriela Martinez, and Juho Pohjonen, violinists Augustin Hadelich, Paul Huang, and Philippe Quint, and guitarist Pablo Villegas.

“With the 40^th anniversary season, we’re building on the momentum generated during the 2017-18 season, which includes Pacific Symphony’s Carnegie Hall debut at the invitation of Philip Glass and a five-city tour of China, the orchestra’s first international tour since 2006,” said Pacific Symphony President John Forsyte. “All this provides a musical springboard that naturally unfolds into a season of celebrations as the orchestra enjoys growing national recognition while leading a cultural renaissance in the communities of Orange County.”

Subscription and Ticket Information

Subscription materials for Pacific Symphony’s 2018-19 season of classics are now available, offering a savings of up to 50% off regular single ticket prices on a wide variety of concert packages from four to 12 concerts each. Subscribers save 20% on additional tickets purchased throughout the year and enjoy easy ticket exchange options and other subscriber-only benefits, including preferential discounts at nearby restaurants.

Tickets for special concerts are currently available for purchase only with subscriptions. Subscriptions may be purchased or renewed by any of four methods: online, by phone, by mail or in person at the box office. Pacific Symphony provides an easy payment plan option for subscribers: subscriptions purchases are eligible for the payment plan and will be automatically charged in installments.

For more information, call Pacific Symphony Patron Services at (714) 755-5799, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit PacificSymphony.org. Groups of 10 or more who are interested in subscribing to the 2018-19 season should call Pacific Symphony’s group sales department at (714) 876-2311.

Patrons may also visit PacificSymphony.org to order tickets, learn about other nearby attractions and restaurants and make donations. The Symphony’s website provides background on the performances and the performers, along with Spotify playlists of works to be performed.

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