Resident Orchestra at Cadogan Hall September 2012 – February 2013
Orchestral excellence in London’s award-winning venue
www.rpo.co.uk
Fabien Gabel Janina Fialkowska Dmitry Yablonsky Farhad Badalbeyli
Jan - Feb
Booking Information
Booking
W elc om e
Rory Macdonald Natasha Paremski Mike Allen Nick Davies Mary Carewe Michael Dore
Nov - Dec
Notes supplied by Joanna Wyld
Grzegorz Nowak Dimitri Maslennikov Christoph Koenig Chloë Hanslip
Nov
Alongside these classics, there is the opportunity to hear an exciting selection of rarities. This season, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is showcasing the music of Azerbaijani composer Fikret Amirov, whose pieces represent a thrilling fusion of cultures, from exotic, seductive melodies to exhilarating folktunes. And don’t miss the chance to hear one of Shostakovich’s most intriguing concertos, for piano and trumpet, in which Natasha Paremski and Mike Allen perform an unusual duet, with witty commentary from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Libor Pešek Leon McCawley Paul Daniel Laura van der Heijden
Oct
There is, as always, a delectable array of music on offer. As one of the world’s foremost ensembles, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra continues to delight audiences with its performances of classical masterworks. This season features the last three symphonies by Dvorˇák, including his most famous work, the ‘New World’ Symphony. Lovers of Chopin can hear his First and Second Piano Concertos, and there are three contrasting works by Sibelius to enjoy: the patriotic Karelia Suite, rhapsodic Violin Concerto, and ravishing Fifth Symphony. Russian music is represented in all its colourful variety, from Tchaikovsky’s powerful Fourth Symphony, and Borodin’s glittering Polovtsian Dances, to Stravinsky’s puppetshow, Petrushka. For something closer to home, there is the exquisite Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams, and the irresistible Walk to the Paradise Garden by Delius.
Sept
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra welcomes you to its new season of concerts at London’s celebrated Cadogan Hall. The Orchestra will be joined by a host of outstanding artists, including the recent Winner of BBC Young Musician of the Year 2012, remarkable cellist Laura van der Heijden. Also featured are violinists Chloë Hanslip and Jack Liebeck, pianist Leon McCawley, and conductors Libor Pešek and Enrique Bátiz, all of whom are renowned for their distinctive interpretations of the classical repertoire.
Enrique Bátiz Jack Liebeck Dmitry Yablonsky Farhad Badalbeyli
Sept
Tuesday 18th September 2012, 7.30pm
Wagner The Flying Dutchman Overture Sibelius Violin Concerto Tchaikovsky Symphony No.4
Enrique Bátiz Conductor
Jack Liebeck Violin
Oct Nov
A brand-new season of orchestral masterpieces gets off to a dramatic start with Wagner’s exhilarating Overture to The Flying Dutchman, one of his earliest operas. The Violin Concerto by Sibelius is among his best-loved works, combining passionate lyricism with dazzling display. The Concerto finds an exciting exponent in violinist Jack Liebeck, winner of the 2010 Classical BRIT Award for ‘Young British Performer of the Year’. Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony is one of his most powerful works, charting an intense struggle against the caprices of Fate, culminating in an electrifying finale in which the battle seems to have been won. RPO friends’ discounts apply
Tuesday 25th September 2012, 7.30pm
Nov - Dec
Amirov Azerbaijan Capriccio Amirov Piano Concerto after Arabian Themes Stravinsky Petrushka (1947) Dmitry Yablonsky Conductor Farhad Badalbeyli Piano
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Booking
A colourful programme featuring two rare gems from Azerbaijan composer Fikret Amirov. Overlooking the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan is a cultural melting pot bubbling with influences from Eastern Europe, Western Asia and the Middle East. Fusing Azerbaijani folk-music with powerful orchestration, Amirov transports us to his homeland in the mysterious Azerbaijan Capriccio and exotic Piano Concerto, which was influenced by Arabic music. The piano is also featured in Stravinsky’s ballet Petrushka, a mesmerising depiction of an unfortunate Russian puppet.
Jan - Feb
Free for all concert ticket holders: The Mountains of Gabala; a 30-minute film documenting the city of Gabala and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s residency at the Gabala International Music Festival, featuring Dmitry Yablonsky and Farhad Badalbeyli, Artistic Directors of Gabala Festival. Main auditorium 6.15pm.
Thursday 11th October 2012, 7.30pm
Smetana Chopin Dvorˇák
The Bartered Bride Overture Piano Concerto No.1 Symphony No.7
Libor Pešek Conductor Leon McCawley Piano
Oct Nov
Czech conductor Libor Pešek has enjoyed an international career spanning fifty years, and this irresistible programme is the perfect showcase for his celebrated interpretations of Czech music. Smetana’s exuberant Overture to his comic opera, The Bartered Bride, brims with infectious energy, whereas Dvorˇák’s impassioned Symphony No.7 captures the full emotional spectrum of Czech musical styles. With its profound depth of feeling and masterful orchestral balance, this is considered by many to be Dvorˇák’s greatest symphonic achievement. At the heart of this programme, Leon McCawley performs the First Piano Concerto by Polish composer Chopin, whose exquisite writing for the soloist overflows with romance. RPO friends’ discounts apply
Tuesday 30th October 2012, 7.30pm The Wasps Overture Cello Concerto A Song of the Night ‘Enigma’ Variations
Nov - Dec
Vaughan Williams Walton Holst Elgar
Paul Daniel Conductor Laura van der Heijden Cello
Booking
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Jan - Feb
Winner of BBC Young Musician of the Year 2012, dazzling cellist Laura van der Heijden performs Walton’s Cello Concerto – the piece with which she won the title, aged only 15. With its singing, complex cello part and rich orchestral writing, Walton’s Concerto is the perfect vehicle for Laura van der Heijden’s unique gifts. Framing Walton’s powerful music are gems by his fellow Englishmen: a witty overture from Vaughan Williams, the hauntingly beautiful A Song of the Night by Holst, featuring acclaimed violinist Clio Gould, and Elgar’s incomparable ‘Enigma’ Variations.
Tuesday 6th November 2012, 7.30pm
Borodin Tchaikovsky Dvorˇák
Polovtsian Dances Variations on a Rococo Theme Symphony No.9, ‘From the New World’
Grzegorz Nowak Conductor Dimitri Maslennikov Cello
Nov
Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances, from his opera Prince Igor, are amongst his most famous pieces, full of exotic melodies and vibrant orchestration. Cellist Dimitri Maslennikov has a special affinity for Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, a delightful set of variations on an elegant theme inspired by Mozart. While living in America, Czech composer Dvorˇák was enchanted by the music he heard there, declaring: ‘These beautiful and varied themes are the product of the soil. They are the folk songs of America.’ For his Ninth Symphony, Dvorˇák emulated this style, while also recalling the music of his homeland. The result is his most popular symphony, its famous Largo just one of many glorious moments. RPO friends’ discounts apply
Tuesday 13th November 2012, 7.30pm Weber Brahms Dvorˇák
Der Freischütz Overture Violin Concerto Symphony No.8
Nov - Dec
Christoph Koenig Conductor Chloë Hanslip Violin
Booking
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Jan - Feb
He may have been overshadowed by Wagner, but without Weber the history of opera would be very different. Weber’s Der Freischütz, with its atmospheric Overture, is considered the first important German Romantic opera – and had a huge impact on Wagner himself. Brahms and Wagner were rivals, splitting the musical world with their different approaches to composition, yet few can now resist the sunny charm of the Violin Concerto by Brahms. With its lyrical opening movement, exquisite, singing Adagio and vigorous finale, the Concerto is an ideal showcase for the talents of Chloë Hanslip. Dvorˇák’s Eighth Symphony is one of his most joyous, full of Bohemian folk-tunes and orchestral colour.
Thursday 29th November 2012, 7.30pm Vaughan Williams Shostakovich Delius Sibelius
Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis Piano Concerto No.1 for Piano, Trumpet and Strings The Walk to the Paradise Garden Symphony No.5
Rory Macdonald Conductor Natasha Paremski Piano Mike Allen Trumpet
This delectable programme of spine-tingling works opens with the Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams. The majesty of the English Renaissance meets the pre-war innocence of early twentieth-century England, as a theme by Thomas Tallis resonates through Vaughan Williams’ rich string textures. In the fascinating Piano Concerto No.1 for Piano, Trumpet and Strings by Shostakovich, the piano dominates, but both soloists shine with quickfire exchanges and rhythmic verve. The Walk to the Paradise Garden, from the opera A Village Romeo and Juliet by Delius, is a gloriously seductive work, its sumptuous orchestration dripping with nostalgia. As if this wasn’t enough, the epic Fifth Symphony by Sibelius is one of his masterpieces, building to a climactic finale with its unforgettable French horn theme. RPO friends’ discounts apply
Tuesday 18th December 2012, 3pm and 7.30pm
Nov - Dec
NEW DATE ADDED
Saturday 22nd December 2012, 3pm CHRISTMAS CRACKER 2012 Nick Davies Conductor Mary Carewe Vocalist Michael Dore Vocalist
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Booking
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Mary’s Boy Child, The Little Road to Bethlehem, Sleigh Ride, Santa Baby, Let it Snow plus many more!
Jan - Feb
This scrumptious Christmas favourite is perfect to whet your Yuletide appetite. Featuring a sparkling mix of Christmas songs and orchestral pieces, plus sing-along carols to help lift your spirits and celebrate this fun time of year. Suitable for all the family, Mary Carewe and Michael Dore sing their hearts out with a programme to include…
Friday 25th January 2013, 7.30pm
Brahms Tragic Overture Chopin Piano Concerto No.2 Beethoven Symphony No.6, ‘Pastoral’
Fabien Gabel Conductor Janina Fialkowska Piano
Brahms composed his Tragic Overture while on holiday in 1880, writing that ‘I could not refuse my melancholy nature the satisfaction of composing an overture for a tragedy’. Whether or not Brahms had a particular tragedy in mind remains a mystery, but the Overture encompasses imposing, turbulent ideas, poignant lyricism and memorable rhythms. Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.2 boasts one of his best-loved movements, the irresistibly romantic Larghetto, framed by an animated, intricate opening movement and a lively finale in the style of Polish folk-music. Beethoven’s expansive ‘Pastoral’ Symphony is a magnificent mixture of charm and innovation, brimming with evocative melodies which create a vivid impression of the countryside in all its majesty. RPO friends’ discounts apply
Thursday 7th February 2013, 7.30pm
Shostakovich Sibelius Prokofiev Mussorgsky, orch. Ravel
Festive Overture Karelia Suite Piano Concerto No.1 Pictures at an Exhibition
Dmitry Yablonsky Conductor Farhad Badalbeyli Piano
Booking
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Jan - Feb
Written in just three days, Shostakovich’s Festive Overture is a dazzling tour de force, demanding breathtaking agility from the whole orchestra. Also written in haste, the Karelia Suite by Sibelius is one of his most popular works, its shimmering textures and bold melodies celebrating the composer’s native Finland. Prokofiev’s dynamic and colourful First Piano Concerto was written when he was a student; Prokofiev premièred the Concerto himself, considering it to be his first mature work. This programme culminates in the grandeur of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition orchestrated by Ravel, each movement vividly conjuring up a different scene.
f
friends More music for less!
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is the only London orchestra to offer a 50% discount on tickets for every own-promotion concert for a year. Become a member from only £25 per year and enjoy benefits including: • 50% off all RPO own promotion concerts (two tickets per concert) • Exclusive RPO friends’ bar • Priority booking • FREE rehearsal passes to selected concerts • Discounted RPO CDs • Regular newsletters and updates on the Orchestra’s activities and forthcoming events To join the RPO friends, please telephone 020 7608 8855 or visit www.rpo.co.uk/friends
Cadogan Hall Booking Information Ticket prices £40, £32.50, £25, £15 (Christmas Cracker £45, £35,
£25,
£15)
Booking fees apply, RPO friends’ and Encore discounts apply
Telephone bookings 020 7730 4500 STAGE
Online bookings www.cadoganhall.com Subscription discounts Generous discounts are available for booking multiple concerts from the RPO’s Resident Season. Please ask at the Box Office when booking. 2 or 3 concerts – 15% discount 4 or 5 concerts – 25% discount 6 or more concerts – 30% discount Cadogan Hall 5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ 2 minutes’ walk from Sloane Square Underground
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