View as plain text
Information for disabled patrons
RSS Feed - SymphonyHall eventsWhat's On — SymphonyHall events
-
Tchaikovsky’s Little Russian
Wed 17 Jun 2009 Symphony Hall
After Hamlet in November, Andris Nelsons offers us another of Tchaikovsky’s responses to Shakespeare, a passionate fantasy overture based on the kind of story of doomed love to which the composer was naturally drawn. But Tchaikovsky is not always doom and gloom, and his Second Symphony uses folk music to create a tuneful work of great charm. Britten, a more openly gay composer than Tchaikovsky, nevertheless suffered his own share of inner torment - but in his Serenade we hear his acutely sympathetic response to great English poems from across the ages. This concert is followed by a Members’ Afternoon Tea with Elspeth Dutch, in conversation with Christopher Morley of The Birmingham Post. 1.15pm Pre-concert talk - The Little Russian Roderic Dunnett of The Independent gives a user’s guide to Tchaikovsky’s Second Symphony
Andris Nelsons - conductor Elspeth Dutch - horn Toby Spence - tenor
Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet 21’ Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings 26’ Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 (Little Russian) 33’
-
Tchaikovsky’s Little Russian
Thu 18 Jun 2009 Symphony Hall
After Hamlet in November, Andris Nelsons offers us another of Tchaikovsky’s responses to Shakespeare, a passionate fantasy overture based on the kind of story of doomed love to which the composer was naturally drawn. But Tchaikovsky is not always doom and gloom, and his Second Symphony uses folk music to create a tuneful work of great charm. Britten, a more openly gay composer than Tchaikovsky, nevertheless suffered his own share of inner torment - but in his Serenade we hear his acutely sympathetic response to great English poems from across the ages. 6.15pm Pre-concert talk - The Little Russian Roderic Dunnett of The Independent gives a user’s guide to Tchaikovsky’s Second Symphony
Andris Nelsons - conductor Elspeth Dutch - horn Toby Spence - tenor
Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet 21’ Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings 26’ Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 (Little Russian) 33’
-
Schools Concert: Romeo and Juliet
Fri 19 Jun 2009 Symphony Hall
Shakespeare’s tragic love-story inspired many composers as well as young imaginations! Today’s concert specially devised for Key Stage 2 children (Years 3 & 4) features two pieces written in Russia and the USA almost a century apart. Tchaikovsky’s fantasy overture retains Shakespeare’s characters, while Bernstein’s musical West Side Story updates Romeo and Juliet to modern times and the streets of New York.
Andris Nelsons - conductor Tommy Pearson - presenter
-
Schools Concert: Romeo and Juliet
Fri 19 Jun 2009 Symphony Hall
Shakespeare’s tragic love-story inspired many composers as well as young imaginations! Today’s concert specially devised for Key Stage 2 children (Years 3 & 4) features two pieces written in Russia and the USA almost a century apart. Tchaikovsky’s fantasy overture retains Shakespeare’s characters, while Bernstein’s musical West Side Story updates Romeo and Juliet to modern times and the streets of New York.
Andris Nelsons - conductor Tommy Pearson - presenter
-
A Hero’s Life
Wed 24 Jun 2009 Symphony Hall
To close his first season, Andris Nelsons returns to his love of Richard Strauss, with the epic, semi-autobiographical tone poem in which the composer charts his marriage, his battles with his critics and his own earlier artistic creations. Haydn’s most famous mass - named for a great hero - also incorporates the sounds of war, and like Strauss, the composer pleads for a peace - Dona Nobis Pacem - that eventually arrives.
Andris Nelsons - conductor Claire Booth - soprano Hilary Summers - mezzo-soprano Andrew Kennedy - tenor Graeme Broadbent - bass City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus
Haydn: Nelson Mass 43’ Strauss: Ein Heldenleben 46’
-
A Hero’s Life
Sat 27 Jun 2009 Symphony Hall
To close his first season, Andris Nelsons returns to his love of Richard Strauss, with the epic, semi-autobiographical tone poem in which the composer charts his marriage, his battles with his critics and his own earlier artistic creations. Haydn’s most famous mass - named for a great hero - also incorporates the sounds of war, and like Strauss, the composer pleads for a peace - Dona Nobis Pacem - that eventually arrives. c.9.15pm Post-concert conversation With Andris Nelsons and Stephen Maddock.
Andris Nelsons - conductor Claire Booth - soprano Hilary Summers - mezzo-soprano Andrew Kennedy - tenor Graeme Broadbent - bass City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus
Haydn: Nelson Mass 43’ Strauss: Ein Heldenleben 46’
-
No Place Like Home
Tue 30 Jun 2009 Symphony Hall
The brilliant young Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård, making his second visit to the CBSO, brings with him the charming Flute Concerto by his compatriot Carl Nielsen, for which he will be joined by the CBSO’s outstanding flute section leader. The light-hearted side of the Danish character which Nielsen portrays here finds a good match in a tuneful suite by his contemporary Sibelius, drawn from the same patriotic pageant that also produced Finlandia. Dvorák was just as concerned as these two composers with reflecting national character through music, and his stirring Seventh Symphony is reckoned by many to be his finest orchestral work. 6.15pm Pre-concert talk - The Player’s Perspective • Dvorák’s Seventh Introduced by David Gregory - CBSO violinist.
Thomas Søndergård - conductor Marie-Christine Zupancic - flute
Sibelius: Scènes historiques - Suite No. 1 20’ Nielsen: Flute Concerto 20’ Dvorák: Symphony No. 7 38’
-
Friday Night Classics: Bernstein on Broadway
Fri 3 Jul 2009 Symphony Hall
Showman, maestro, composer and party animal, Leonard Bernstein was the ultimate musical all-rounder - and he just happened to write some of the best tunes of the 20th century. Carl Davis brings his own brand of Broadway pizzazz to this all-singing, all-dancing salute to Bernstein - from the anarchic comedy of Candide to the urban drama and sheer passion of West Side Story. With a line-up that includes Tonight, America, Overture to Candide - and, of course, New York, New York - it’s just one great tune after another. And with Lennie, Carl and the CBSO, it’s a helluva sound!
Carl Davis - conductor Mary Carewe - vocalist Sarah Eyden - vocalist
