Usher Hall Edinburgh 09/10
bbc.co.uk/bbcsso
Donald Runnicles Chief Conductor Ilan Volkov Principal Guest Conductor Stefan Solyom Associate Guest Conductor Jerzy Maksymiuk Conductor Laureate Elizabeth Layton Leader
In my first season as Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, I am delighted to return to my home city and bring these magnificent musicians to this wonderful venue. In just two concerts we can promise you a superbly varied musical diet filled with marvellous music. Powerful works by Beethoven, Mahler, Strauss and Wagner form the core of our concerts, and we shall be joined by two of the world’s most distinguished sopranos, whose artistry, I know, will bring something special to the performances. We can promise you some really exciting music making; I hope you’ll want to join us! Donald Runnicles
“The symphony must be like the world. It must embrace everything.” GUSTAV MAHLER, 1907
CONCERT 1
CONCERT 2
Sunday, 11 October 2009 at 7.30pm
Sunday, 21 March 2010 at 7.30pm
Beethoven Symphony No.1 Berg Seven Early Songs Mahler Symphony No.1 ‘Titan’
Wagner Overture and Venusberg Music from Tannhäuser Richard Strauss Songs Beethoven Symphony No.7
HEIDI MELTON, soprano Donald Runnicles, conductor
Chief Conductor Donald Runnicles begins his first season at the helm of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra with two great works from the Austro-German symphonic tradition. Runnicles and the BBC SSO have already given some memorable performances of Mahler together, at the Edinburgh International Festival and in London at the BBC Proms, and their interpretation of the magnificent First Symphony will be eagerly awaited. Influenced by both Mahler and Richard Strauss, Alban Berg’s lushly scored, late romantic songs complete this marvellous programme.
Christine Brewer, soprano Donald Runnicles, conductor
The international reputation of Donald Runnicles as a Wagner conductor has been forged in the world’s leading opera houses, from Vienna, Berlin and Bayreuth to New York and San Francisco. The wonderful overture and virtuosic Venusburg Music from Tannhäuser make a superb start to this programme which features one of the world’s finest sopranos, Christine Brewer, in a ravishing selection of songs by Richard Strauss. “The apotheosis of the dance” was how Wagner described the extraordinary rhythmic energy of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony - music that truly sounds as if it was conceived in a white heat of inspiration.
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scotland, City Halls, Candleriggs, Glasgow G1 1NQ. Tel: 0141-552 0909 E: bbcsso@bbc.co.uk W: bbc.co.uk/bbcsso BBC Scotland endeavours to ensure that personal details about customers taken by box offices are held in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. If consent is given at the time of ticket purchase, this information will be passed to the BBC SSO and may be used to contact you with information about forthcoming concerts or BBC events. These details will not be passed on to any third party. If you wish to have your name removed from the orchestra’s mailing-list please E-mail: bbcsso@bbc.co.uk or telephone: 0141-422 6728. The information carried in this brochure was correct at the time of publishing. The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra reserves the right to amend artists and programmes if necessary.
Booking Your Tickets Box Office: 0131-228 1155 or via: bbc.co.uk/bbcsso BOOKING YOUR TICKETS
BOX OFFICE
SINGLE TICKETS Area 1 : £26.00 Area 11 : £21.00
Usher Hall Box Office Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH1 2EA
Area 111 : £16.00 Area 1V : £10.00
Grand Circle
Stalls
11
1V 111
1
11
1
Online: www.usherhall.co.uk (from 15 May 2009) 11
1V
STAGE
Telephone: 0131-228 1155
Open Monday - Friday 10am to 5pm (booking opens 15 May 2009)
SEATING PLAN
STAGE
By post: To the address above. Cheques made payable to: City of Edinburgh Council In person (from 17 August 2009): Usher Hall Box Office Open Monday - Saturday 10am to 5.30pm
DISCOUNTS
All major credit cards accepted
Single Ticket Concessions: Over 60s, SSO Club Members, Registered Unemployed £2.00 off full price single ticket (proof of status may be requested).
Please note there is a £1 transaction fee for bookings by telephone, online or by post
Registered Disabled: Both you and a companion will receive a 50% discount on any single full price ticket.
Usher Hall is located between the Royal Lyceum Theatre and Traverse Theatre. It is close to both Haymarket and Waverley train stations (approx. 15 minute walk to either). A taxi rank is situated opposite the hall. There is limited on-street parking, however a 24hour car park is located behind the hall on Castle Terrace.
School Pupils: £5.00 Students: Those in full time education can buy any remaining tickets for £5.00 each. This offer is available only on the day of the performance (proof of status may be requested). Groups: Get a group of 10 together and get 1 extra ticket free (that’s 2 free tickets for a group of 20, etc– only one concession applies). Multi-buy: Buy a ticket for both concerts and receive a 15% discount (this discount applies to all categories except standby tickets). Area 1 Area 11 Area 111 Area 1V
: £44.20 (£40.80 *) : £35.70 (£32.30 *) : £27.20 (£23.80 *) : £17.00 (£13.60 *)
* denotes concession price
GETTING TO THE USHER HALL
DISABLED ACCESS There are wheelchair access places in the Stalls and Grand Circle and wheelchair accessible toilets are available. Parking spaces for disabled badge holders are located across from the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Grindlay Street, however due to continuing landscaping work outside the Hall, it may be wise to phone in advance to check availability.
The BBC SSO would like to thank Mark Hamilton for the photography featured in this brochure. Brochure design: www.weared8.com