Europe 2011!
GUSTAVO DUDAMEL LEADS THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ON HIS FIRST EUROPEAN TOUR AS MUSIC DIRECTOR JANUARY 21 – FEBRUARY 5, 2011
LA Phil Returns to Vienna’s Musikverein After 30 Years
Orchestra Debuts in Portugal’s Gulbenkian Hall and Budapest’s
Palace of the Arts Gustavo Dudamel Makes First Appearance in Hungary
On January 21, 2011, the Los Angeles Philharmonic embarks on a 7-city, 13-concert European tour led by Gustavo Dudamel, his first international tour as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. This tour marks the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s 18th tour to Europe, the most recent being in 2007 with former LA Phil Music Director and now LA Phil Conductor Laureate, Esa-Pekka Salonen.
The 2011 European tour begins in Lisbon at Gulbenkian Hall on January 21 & 22 and also stops in Madrid at Auditorio Nacional on January 23, Cologne at the Philharmonie on January 25 & 26, London at the Barbican on January 27 & 28, Paris at Salle Pleyel on January 30 & 31, and Budapest at the Palace of the Arts on February 2 & 3. The tour concludes in Vienna at the Musikverein with two performances on February 4 & 5, the orchestra’s first return to the venue since the 1980 European tour with former Music Director Carlo Maria Giulini. The 2011 tour also features the orchestra’s debuts in Portugal’s Gulbenkian Hall and Budapest’s Palace of the Arts, and marks Dudamel’s first appearance in Hungary.
Two programs will be performed in each city (with the exception of Madrid) featuring works by Adams, Bernstein, Beethoven and Mahler, all composers for which Gustavo Dudamel feels a particular affinity. “One of the most important things when you go on tour is to bring works that identify the orchestra with its own musical history,“ commented Dudamel. “As one of the most famous contemporary North American composers and our Creative Chair, John Adams is already a strong part of the orchestra’s identity and was a perfect choice for us to include in the tour program. Bernstein, Beethoven and Mahler are composers to whom I feel close and are a big part of my life.”
Program 1 begins with Adams’ Slonimsky’s Earbox. The piece was originally performed by the LA Phil under Adams’ direction in May 1997 and was part of the repertoire for the orchestra’s 1997-98 European tour with Esa-Pekka Salonen. The program continues with Bernstein’s Symphony No. 1, “Jeremiah.” Bernstein is frequently featured in Dudamel’s repertoire including his first summer as Music Director of the LA Phil at the Hollywood Bowl. The performance of “Jeremiah” features mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor. The evening closes with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, one of the symphonies included on Dudamel’s debut recording with the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela.
Program 2 features Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic performing a single work, Mahler’s Symphony No. 9. Since Dudamel sprang to international attention after winning the inaugural Bamberg Symphoniker Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition in May 2004, Mahler has been a composer who figures prominently in his repertoire. Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 was featured in Dudamel’s inaugural performance as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic on October 8, 2009.
In keeping with the LA Phil’s commitment to provide educational opportunities that foster the next generation of composers, during the 2011 visit to London, Dudamel and members of the LA Phil will participate in an event at St. Luke’s, co-organized with the Barbican Centre. This event will also launch the educational element of the LA Phil’s 2013 London residency.
Source: LA Philharmonic Orchestra
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