Friday Evening

8:00 pm
DENÈVE / BEETHOVEN / HAHN / GERSHWIN / MAHLER FIRST

The Verdi Requiem

Friday, October 19, 2012

Yannick Nézet-Séguin - Conductor

Marina Poplavskaya - Soprano

Christine Rice - Mezzo-soprano

Rolando Villazón - Tenor

Mikhail Petrenko - Bass

The Westminster Symphonic Choir - Mixed chorus

program

Verdi - Requiem

A monumental work for a monumental occasion—the inaugural concerts of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s eighth music director. continuing his exploration of the great requiems, Yannick has assembled an international cast of spectacular vocalists for the profound drama and operatic style of Verdi’s revered Requiem. The thundering of the famous “Dies irae,” the brass choirs throughout the hall, and the multitude of voices raised to the heavens combine to create a powerful musical experience.

A Taste of Paris

Friday, November 23, 2012

Stéphane Denève - Conductor

program

Debussy - Images

Poulenc - Suite from Les Biches

Gershwin - An American in Paris

Take a musical journey from French Impressionism to jazz. Debussy’s Images contains some of his boldest writing. The charming Suite from Poulenc’s ballet Les Biches, originally composed for the Ballets Russes, is filled with humorous, syncopated melodies. In An American in Paris, Gershwin vividly depicts taxi horns, smoky cafés, and falling in love in the city of light.

Tchaikovsky and a Genius

Friday, December 14, 2012

Gianandrea Noseda - Conductor

Alisa Weilerstein - Cello

program

Borodin - Overture to Prince Igor

Elgar - Cello Concerto

Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 3 ("Polish")

Tchaikovsky wrote seven symphonies, but the third is an often-neglected masterpiece. It gets its nickname, the “Polish,” from the energetic folk dances of the finale. recent MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Alisa Weilerstein is featured as soloist in Elgar’s noble cello concerto.

Watts and Beethoven

Friday, February 1, 2013

Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos - Conductor

André Watts - Piano

program

Bach - "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme"

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 5 ("Emperor")

Hindemith - Concert Music for Strings and Brass

Liszt - Les Préludes

Philadelphia favorite André Watts returns, joining forces with the revered Maestro Frühbeck to perform Beethoven’s grandest piano concerto, the “Emperor.” Liszt, a super-star pianist in his own right, also composed brilliant tone poems such as Les Préludes. And Hindemith further stretches the demands of the orchestra in his compelling concert Music for Strings and Brass. This program also features another charming orchestration by Stokowski of Bach’s “Sleepers Awake.”

Beethoven's "Eroica"

Friday, March 8, 2013

Christoph von Dohnányi - Conductor

Rudolf Buchbinder - Piano

program

Lutoslawski - Funeral Music

Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 20, K. 466

Beethoven - Symphony No. 3 ("Eroica")

Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony was originally dedicated to Napoleon, but perhaps the real hero of this Symphony is the composer himself. Beethoven was a revolutionary of his time and continues to influence music being written today. Mozart was equally progressive, especially in his Piano Concerto No. 20, which was unusual for its bold, syncopated rhythms and chromatic melodies.

Hilary Hahn Returns

Friday, May 3, 2013

Yannick Nézet-Séguin - Conductor

Hilary Hahn - Violin

program

Strauss - Love Scene from Feuersnot

Korngold - Violin Concerto

Mahler - Symphony No. 1

Hilary Hahn returns to Philadelphia for Korngold’s Violin concerto. This colorful and cinematic score stemmed from his success in Hollywood writing many treasured film soundtracks. Trademark fanfares, folk melodies, and thunderous crescendos punctuate Mahler’s First Symphony, along with humorous folk tunes and inventive orchestrations. Plus a chance to hear a rarely-heard and vibrant work by another 20th-century master, Strauss’s love Scene from his opera Feuersnot.