The Planets at Davies Symphony Hall

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2. The Planets

Elim Chan Conductor Andrew Staples Tenor San Francisco Symphony Chorus San Francisco Symphony Les Illuminations Benjamin Britten The Planets Gustav Holst Benjamin Britten delves into the hallucinatory verses of Arthur Rimbaud with youthful enthusiasm in the song cycle Les Illuminations, a rare foray into the French language for a composer renowned for his contributions to English music. Alongside Britten’s cycle is a much-loved work by an Englishman of an earlier generation: Gustav Holst’s The Planets launches the pastoral tradition into the extraterrestrial realm, conjuring up the star signs with otherworldly sounds and a wordless offstage choir. Mr. Staples’s appearance is made possible through the generosity of the Mrs. George J. Otto Memorial Vocalist Fund.