2015 Festival Focus Week 3

YOUR WEEKLY CLASSICAL MUSIC GUIDE

FESTIVAL FOCUS

Supplement to The Aspen Times

Opera Benefit on July 20 The Aspen Music Festival and School’s annual Opera Benefit takes place next Monday.

The black-tie evening begins with an exclusive cocktail hour at the home of Benefit Chair Richard Edwards, moves on to dinner at the Caribou Club, and concludes with a performance of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette performed by the rising stars of the Aspen Opera Theater Center in the historic Wheeler Opera House.

For more information, call Jennifer McDonough at 970-205-5063.

Opera-only tickets are also available.

ET IN ASPEN

Monday, July 13, 2015

Vol 26, No. 3

Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette opens AOTC season single person, but in the opera, it’s the entire chorus,” he says. “We’ll be doing The Aspen Opera Theater Center it with about thirty-five to forty people, (AOTC) opens its season this week with really accentuating it on a big scale.” a performance of Gounod’s Roméo Although the chorus will lead the stoet Juliette, presented July 16, 18, and ryline from a narrative point of view, 20 at the Wheeler Opera House. The Joshua Guerrero, playing Roméo, and July 20 performance will also follow the Pureum Jo, playing the part of Juliette, annual black-tie Opera Benefit dinner will take on the title roles. at the Caribou Club.

“Pureum and Josh Gounod’s work absolutely personify was premiered in the youthful energy, 1867 and followed intensity, and pashis successful intersion that is so cenpretation of Goethe’s tral to the characters Faust. While Gouthey are portraynod’s Roméo et Juing,” says Asadour liette stays mostly Santourian, vice true to the Shakepresident for artistic spearian masteradministration and piece, complete with artistic advisor of the star-crossed lovers, Aspen Music Festival dueling houses, and and School (AMFS).

Asadour Santourian tragic endings, the Both Jo and GuerVice President for Artistic Administration and operatic work places rero are returning Artistic Advisor of the AMFS a heightened emAMFS students, and phasis on the relabring with them extionship between Roméo and Juliette in perience in two of the country’s most order to allow for a series of duets be- prestigious young artists programs—as tween the lovers, which make up much well as in previous performances with of the opera. one another.

AOTC Director Edward Berkeley, who Jo is a member of the Houston Grand is also directing the production, says Opera’s Young Artists Vocal Acadethe narrative voice in the work is also my and Guerrero is a member of the special to Gounod.

“In the play, the narrative voice is a See AOTC, Festival Focus page 3 TORIE ROSS

Festival Focus writer

“Pureum and Josh absolutely personify the youthful energy, intensity, and passion that is so central to the characters they are portraying.”

RYAN CUTLER / AMFS

Soprano Pureum Jo and tenor Joshua Guerrero in rehearsal for the Aspen Opera Theater Center production of Roméo et Juliette, opening Wednesday at the Wheeler Opera House.

Pianist Shai Wosner makes Aspen debut with two recitals this week TORIE ROSS

Festival Focus writer

Shai Wosner—an internationally acclaimed pianist and recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant—makes his Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) debut this week, performing two recitals, first with violinist Jennifer Koh on July 15 and then with fellow pianist Orion Weiss on July 16.

“We’ve been looking for an opportunity to present Shai Wosner in Aspen,” says Asadour Santourian, vice president for artistic administration and artistic advisor of the AMFS. “Both of these opportunities surfaced very naturally, which is the best way to have a debut.”

The Israeli-born Wosner says that in preparing for his first visit to the AMFS he has tried to not only stay “as creative as possible,” but to also think about what the audience will enjoy. “I always try and find what makes

a piece great, what makes me want to play it so much,” Wosner says. “If you know what it is about the piece that makes you excited, you’ll be able to pass that excitement on to the audience.”

Ultimately, he hopes that audiences are moved, regardless of their level of musical knowledge.

“You don’t have to be well-versed in music to feel that intense connection with a piece. You can still feel it even if you’ve never been to a concert before in your life,” Wosner says.

That careful consideration of programming is especially relevant in his recital with Koh, in which the two will present one chapter of their four-part “Bridge to Beethoven“ series. In the series, Koh and Wosner pair some of Beethoven’s most popular sonatas for violin See Wosner, Festival Focus page 3

MARCO BORGGREVE

Pianist Shai Wosner performs recitals with violinist Jennifer Koh on July 15 and then with pianist Orion Weiss on July 16.

Buy tickets now! (970) 925-9042 or www.aspenmusicfestival.com

Page 2 | Monday, July 13, 2015

FESTIVAL FOCUS: Your Weekly Classical Music Guide

Supplement to The Aspen Times

Orli Shaham performs “Stumble to Grace” TORIE ROSS

Festival Focus writer

When composer Steven Mackey first met pianist Orli Shaham she was pregnant with twins and he was an expectant father. “Our early friendship grew out of our interactions as new parents,” Mackey says.

So naturally, when Shaham approached him about composing a piece for her, he automatically thought of that connection between them.

“As I’ve advanced in my career, my works have become much more personal, about real human experiences,” Mackey says, “whereas twenty years ago they were very abstract and conceptual.”

Mackey found the inspiration for the piece composed for Shaham, titled “Stumble to Grace,” by watching his children learn to walk. “I wanted to mimic the physicality of learning to walk, and the rhythm of that learning curve,” he explains.

“There is a real sense of arrival and deeper maturation in this work, and also a sense of lyricism,” says Asadour Santourian, vice president for artistic administration and artistic advisor of the Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS).

Santourian says that when Shaham performs Mackey’s piece with the Aspen Festival Orchestra (AFO) this Sunday, July 19, audiences can expect a performer who is just as passionate about the work as the composer is. “I think part of the secret chemistry of music is that when you have a proponent who really believes in a piece of music, it adds an ineffable quality that just transmits from the stage,” says Santourian. “Orli possesses that about this work, and we can fully expect to witness something truly extraordinary.”

The performance of “Stumble to Grace” will mean a return to the Festival for both Mackey and Shaham; Mackey has been a guest composer in residence for the Festival in years past, and Shaham first attended the AMFS as a student before returning as a guest artist.

This season, she’ll also join AMFS President and CEO Alan Fletcher for a “High Notes” discussion focusing on the Mackey piece, this Wednesday, July 15, at Christ Episcopal Church. “When Orli takes something on, she absolutely champions it. She gives it the full attention of her beautiful mind and her

COURTESY OF ORLI SHAHAM

Pianist Orli Shaham performs with the Aspen Festival Orchestra this Sunday, July 19.

beautiful musicianship,” says Santourian. High Notes, presented by the AMFS every Wednesday at noon from July 8 to August 19, allows artists to discuss performances and new works in greater detail and provide audiences with a deeper

understanding of the artistic process.

In addition to Shaham’s performance of “Stumble to Grace,” this week’s AFO concert will also feature Richard Strauss’s Don Juan and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 5 in E-flat major.

Buy tickets now: (970) 925-9042 • www.aspenmusicfestival.com

Supplement to The Aspen Times

FESTIVAL FOCUS: Your Weekly Classical Music Guide

Monday, July 13, 2015 | Page 3

AOTC: Roméo et Juliette opens run on Thursday Continued from Festival Focus page 1

Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program at Los Angeles Opera.

Some of Guerrero’s most notable roles as a young tenor have included his performance as Steve Hubbell in A Streetcar Named Desire, Orpheus in Orpheus in the Underworld, and the Messenger in Aida.

Jo, a soprano, has appeared as the Rose in The Little Prince, Barbarina in The Marriage of Figaro, and Pamina in The Magic Flute.

The two artists also appeared side by side last season in the AOTC’s production of Carmen, in which Jo played Micaëla and Guerrero played Don José.

“Josh and I have this wonderful working relationship, and because we’ve worked together in the past, the chemistry is already there between us,” says Jo of their upcoming roles. Jo has described playing Juliette as a “dream role” and says she can’t wait to be on the stage with Guerrero once again.

Jo’s love of opera started early. “I started singing when I was very young,” she says. “I love to sing and I love to act, so with opera I can do both. Becoming a great opera singer was my goal since I was an elementary school girl.”

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She came to the United States from her native South Korea by herself (“I am quite independent and brave”), and then came to the Aspen Music Festival and School for the first time three years ago. She found it supported her artistic development on every level. She remembers, “Everyone liked Aspen, and told me it was great.

So I went and I met my teacher there for the first time and my teacher was amazing, and I’m still working with him in my studio.”

She continues, “And Ed Berkeley is really my favorite director because I can make my music more special with him, not only dramatically but also musically.

I actually wish I could come to Aspen every summer forever!”

Roméo et Juliette is the first of three operas the AOTC will be performing this season. The second production will be a double-bill of new works, performed July 30 and August 1, opening with the world premiere of the fully staged version of Steven Stucky’s The Classical Style and followed by Christopher Theofanidis’s The Cows of Apollo (or, The Invention of Music). The final AOTC production of the season is Mozart’s comedy Così fan tutte, which will run August 18, 20, and 22.

COURTESY OF PUREUM JO

Soprano Pureum Jo calls Gounod’s Juliette a “dream role.”

Harris Concert Hall: 9 am through the intermission of the evening concert, daily.

Wheeler Opera House: 9 am–5 pm daily.

Desmond Hoebig and the joy of teaching WOSNER: Debut take up the cello instead, the puzzle pieces fell into Festival Focus writer perfect place.

Each Sunday throughout the summer, Aspen Music “In my own experience, and for many of my students, Festival and School audience members watch cellist when you have success at a young age like that, there Desmond Hoebig on stage with the Aspen Festival Or- is no choosing to become a musician. You just do,” chestra, leading the cello section in some of the great- Hoebig explains. est works of the classical canon.

Since those early days, Hoebig has performed as a Meanwhile, out of the public eye, he gives private soloist all around the world, and has held principal cellessons to three lucky young cellists from around the list positions at the Cleveland, Houston, and Cincinnati world who have applied as early as symphony orchestras. But he says October for a chance to be in his far and away one of his most restudio. How does he work with these warding challenges has been shapyoung talents, to help draw out their ing the next generation of cellists. best musical selves? Hoebig says “One of the things I adore most part of the key is he approaches his about being a teacher is the crerole as a teacher much like he apative challenge of figuring out how proaches parenting. to communicate something to a He tells the story of when his student and getting the most out daughter, Charlotte, began playing of their potential,” Hoebig says. He the piano—and never seemed to loved the challenge so much that, take to the instrument. “Finally one in 2009, Hoebig retired from his orday I sat down with her and I said, chestral life and became a full-time ‘You don’t have to play the piano, professor. you just have to do something ar“To me, teaching music has altistic,’” Hoebig says. The result was ways seemed like the highest level that Charlotte excitedly threw her you can achieve after navigating Desmond Hoebig artistic talents into painting classes, through your career,” he says.

Cellist and AMFS artist-faculty member instead of piano lessons.

Hoebig, also a professor of cello at Hoebig says that experience Rice University’s Shepherd School taught him a lot about how to interof Music, has spent the past several act with his students. “You just have to find one thing summers in Aspen, instructing some of the world’s that they’re really passionate about and focus on that,” brightest young musicians—a role he regards as a he says, “and once you do that, the marathon of work great honor. that is involved in being successful in this field be“The joy I get when my students achieve and succomes exponentially easier.” ceed is indescribable. It gives me incredible excitement He can relate. Though he ultimately found his pas- to see them grow summer after summer,” Hoebig says. sion in the cello, it’s not the first instrument he started “Teaching for me is such a long journey of personal out with. Instead, at the age of five, he began with the growth, artistic growth, confidence, experience, and violin—but Hoebig says his playing fell short when feeling comfortable enough with yourself to pass your compared to his older sister’s success with the same knowledge on to others,” he says, adding, “I’m glad part instrument. However, when his father suggested he of that experience has been in Aspen.”

TORIE ROSS

“The joy I get when my students achieve and succeed is indescribable. It gives me incredible excitement to see them grow summer after summer.”

Continued from Festival Focus page 1

and piano with contemporary works, three of which were commissioned especially for this project.

“Their program has really championed new music and innovative programming formats,” says Santourian of the duo.

For their July 15 performance, Wosner and Koh will perform Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 1 in D major, Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, and Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major, known as his “Kreutzer” Sonata.

In addition, the two will play a piece composed by Vijay Iyer—who will also be performing at the AMFS, with his jazz trio July 27—called “Bridgetower Fantasy.”

The piece is named after George Bridgetower, the violinist for whom the “Kreutzer” Sonata is dedicated.

“George Bridgetower was half African, so Vijay has incorporated, in a very subtle way, West African rhythms,” says Wosner.

In his second pairing of the season, Wosner and Weiss will perform a selection of works by Dvořák, Ravel, Schumann, and Brahms written for piano four hands.

Wosner says the music that comes from the two pianists sitting side by side, working off of one piano, is very intense, and leaves the piano exposed. “Four hands comes from a sense of making music at home in the late nineteenth century, when families would use it as a way to experience the latest symphonic works,” explains Santourian.

Wosner says that that sense of familiarity is essential to him when performing piano four hands. “It’s a lot like having one more person in your personal space, so it better be a close friend,” Wosner jokes. “In this case, Orion is one of my closest friends, and we love playing together.”

For the pianist’s debut, his recitals with Koh and Weiss will be a back-to-back whirlwind of creativity, technical skill, and feeding off the energy of his performance partners and the audience. “These two evenings are the perfect introduction of Shai Wosner to Aspen,” Santourian says.