Carnegie Hall Announces 2017-18 Classical Highlights

Carnegie Hall's 2017-2018 season is fast approaching, and they are looking forward to exciting new projects and outstanding concerts! Highlights below include Carnegie Hall's Opening Night Gala with The Philadelphia Orchestra; the kick-off of two new Perspectives series curated by violinist Janine Jansen and pianist Daniil Trifonov; concerts curated by composer Philip Glass, holder of the Richard and Barbara Debs Composer's Chair, who celebrates his 80th birthday this year; the debuts of the China NCPA Orchestra, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Pacific Symphony; and coming in January 2018: a citywide festival-The '60s: The Years that Changed America.

Carnegie Hall 2017-2018 CLASSICAL HIGHLIGHTS
All performances take place in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage unless otherwise noted.
Click the date of a performance for complete program information.

*Commissioned for Carnegie Hall's 125 Commissions Project
**Co-commissioned for Carnegie Hall's 125 Commissions Project

• The Philadelphia Orchestra, led by Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, opens Carnegie Hall's 2017-2018 season on October 4 with a program marking the centenary of Leonard Bernstein's birth, including Bernstein's On the Waterfront Symphonic Suite and Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Pianist Lang Lang is the soloist for this festive occasion, performing Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Maestro Nézet-Séguin and the orchestra return for three additional appearances, including on December 8 with The New York premiere of Thomas Adès's Powder Her Face Suite**; Bernstein's Serenade (After Plato's Symposium), featuring violinist Hilary Hahn; and Sibelius's Symphony No. 1. On March 13, Janine Jansen concludes her Perspectives series as soloist with the orchestra, performing The New York premiere of Michel van der Aa's Violin Concerto on a program with Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2. The orchestra closes its series on April 10 with Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, followed by a new work for chorus and orchestra by Tod Machover with the Westminster Symphonic Choir and Community Voices of Philadelphia - both prepared by Joe Miller.
• Orchestra of St. Luke's returns to Carnegie Hall for five concerts this season, the first with Pablo Heras-Casado conducting in his last season with the orchestra on October 12 and joined by the Westminster Symphonic Choir, prepared by Joe Miller, and guest vocalists, including sopranos Camilla Tilling and Susanna Phillips, tenor Thomas Cooley, and bass-baritone Michael Sumuel for a presentation entitled Mozart's "Great" Mass with Heras-Casado. The program feature's Mozart's Mass in C Minor, K. 427 and Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21. The orchestra returns with conductor Edwin Outwater for a Carnegie Hall Family Concert narrated by John Lithgow on October 14, featuring the world premiere of Caroline Shaw's The Mountain That Loved a Bird*, based on the story by Alice McLerran, and The New York premiere of Robert Xavier Rodriguez's The Dot and the Line**, based on the story by Norton Juster, along with Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf. On December 7, principal conductor designate Bernard Labadie leads the orchestra in Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61 with soloist Augustin Hadelich, along with Joseph Martin Kraus's Olympie Overture and Mozart's "Jupiter" Symphony. Robert Spano conducts the orchestra on February 15 along with mezzo-soprano Kelley O'Connor and pianist Jeremy Denk for a program entitled Beethoven's "Emperor" with Denk that includes the world premiere of a new work for mezzo-soprano and orchestra** by Bryce Dessner, along with Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550 and Beethoven's "Emperor" concerto. For their final concert, conductor Rob Fisher leads the orchestra in a performance of the musical Candide on April 18 in celebration of the Bernstein centenary. Guest artists are to be announced.

• The Sphinx Virtuosi, alumni of the renowned Sphinx Competition, celebrate their 20th anniversary on October 13 with an all-string program featuring The New York premiere of Jimmy López's Guardian of the Horizon: Concerto Grosso for Violin, Cello, and Strings** along with works by Vivaldi, Beethoven, Vaughan Williams, and Michael Abels.

• Notable vocal recitals this season include soprano Ruby Hughes, who is joined by pianist Julius Drake on October 13 in Weill Recital Hall to perform the world premiere of a new work* by Huw Watkins, plus works by Purcell, Schumann, Debussy, Ravel, and Britten. Soprano Renée Fleming gives a solo recital on October 23 in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage featuring the world premiere of a new work* by Caroline Shaw, plus more. Baritone Andrei Bondarenko offers a program of Ibert, Fauré, Massenet, Ravel, Saint-Saëns, Duparc, and Tchaikovsky, with pianist Gary Matthewman, on December 8 in Weill Recital Hall. Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton sings the world premiere of Of You* by Iain Bell alongside pianist Kathleen Kelly, on December 18 in Zankel Hall. On January 20, tenor Jonas Kaufmann gives a recital of Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin, D. 795, with pianist Helmut Deutsch. Tenor Lawrence Brownlee joins pianist Myra Huang on April 24 in Zankel Hall for The New York premiere of a new work by Tyshawn Sorey** along with Schumann's Dichterliebe, Op. 48.

• On October 17 cellist Alisa Weilerstein and pianist Inon Barnatan give the world premiere of Through Your Fingers** by Steven Mackey, plus music by Mendelssohn, Britten, and Rachmaninoff. (ZH)
• Music Director Sir Antonio Pappano makes his Carnegie Hall debut leading the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in its first appearance at the Hall in nearly 50 years. The first concert on October 20 features Verdi's rarely heard Sinfonia from Aida; Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3, featuring soloist Martha Argerich (returning to Carnegie Hall after an eight-year absence) and music by Respighi. Soprano Barbara Hannigan opens the orchestra's concert the following evening on October 21 as soloist in The New York premiere of Salvatore Sciarrino's La nuova Euridice secondo Rilke, followed by Mahler's Sixth Symphony.
• Ensemble Connect plays four concerts in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall this season, presenting music by Bernstein, Reich, and Copland during the first performance on October 23. On December 5, Ensemble Connect presents Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio in A Minor, Op. 50 among other works. The group gives The New York premiere of bright and fair, a new work* by Gabriel Kahane who joins the ensemble on voice on February 19, and presents a program including Schoenberg's Pierrot lunaire with soprano Mellissa Hughes in its final concert of the season on April 19.
• Daniil Trifonov launches his seven-concert Perspectives series on October 28 with a solo recital that features Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp Minor, Op. 66 and his Piano Sonata No. 2, as well as works inspired by the Polish master. On November 15, Mr. Trifonov plays The New York premiere of his own Piano Concerto with the Mariinsky Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev. He returns on February 6 with baritone Matthias Goerne, collaborating on songs by Schumann, Berg, and Wolf. The following month on March 1, Mr. Trifonov partners with his longtime mentor Sergei Babayan, performing works for two pianos by Rachmaninoff; The New York premiere of a work** by Mauro Lanza; and works by Schubert and Schumann. Trifonov's focus on Chopin continues in April as he performs two all-Chopin concerts with chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, presenting the composer's complete works for piano and orchestra in arrangements by Yevgeny Sharlat and Andrei Pushkarev as well as major chamber music works with violinist Gidon Kremer and cellist Giedr? Dirvanauskait? on April 25, and with cellist Gautier Capuçon on April 26. Mr. Trifonov's Perspectives series concludes on May 4 with an inventive solo recital program in Zankel Hall that includes a seminal piece from each decade of the 20th century.
• The China NCPA Orchestra, under the baton of L? Jia, makes its Carnegie Hall debut on October 30 in a program that features the U.S. premiere of a new work** by Qigang Chen (music director of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing), along with Sibelius's heroic Symphony No. 2. Lang Lang is the soloist in the legendary Yellow River Concerto by Yin Chengzong / Chu Wanghua.

• In his final season with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta leads the orchestra in three consecutive concerts at Carnegie Hall this fall, first joined by pianist Yefim Bronfman on November 7 for Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37, alongside Strauss's Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 and The New York premiere of Amit Poznansky's Footnote Suite. Japanese mezzo-soprano Mihoko Fujimura, MasterVoices, and the Manhattan Girls Chorus join the orchestra for Mahler's Symphony No. 3 on November 8. For the final concert on November 9, violinist Gil Shaham joins the orchestra for Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, alongside works by Schubert and Weber.
• Music Director Valery Gergiev leads the Mariinsky Orchestra in two concerts featuring Russian pianists: Denis Matsuev performs Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 2 on November 14 and Perspectives artist Daniil Trifonov gives The New York premiere of his own piano concerto on November 15.

• Violinist Janine Jansen has curated a five-concert Perspectives series this season, beginning with two chamber music concerts in Zankel Hall, featuring an all-star roster of musical collaborators: pianist Lucas Debargue, clarinetist Martin Fröst, and cellist Torleif Thedéen join Ms. Jansen on December 7 for works by Bartók, Karol Szymanowski, and Messiaen, and on December 9, Ms. Jansen performs alongside pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk and Mr. Thedéen for works by Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff. On January 18, Ms. Jansen joins Daniele Gatti and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, and on January 21 she performs a program of chamber works by Debussy, Grieg, and Chausson with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Dover Quartet. Ms. Jansen concludes her Perspectives series with The Philadelphia Orchestra on March 13, performing The New York premiere of a violin concerto written for her by Dutch composer Michel van der Aa.

• In celebration of Philip Glass's 80th birthday year, Carnegie Hall highlights the composer as this season's Richard and Barbara Debs Composer's Chair, presenting performances that feature Glass classics and premieres. On December 8, American Composers Orchestra dedicates a program to composers inspired by Glass, and featuring his Violin Concerto No. 2, "The American Four Seasons"-Glass's musical response to Vivaldi's Four Seasons performed by Timothy Fain. The Philip Glass Ensemble, joined by the San Francisco Girls Chorus and students from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, performs his groundbreaking but rarely performed masterpiece, Music with Changing Parts, led by conductor Michael Riesman on February 16 as part of Carnegie Hall's citywide festival The '60s: The Years that Changed America. In addition, notable premieres include a string quartet** written by Glass for the JACK Quartet on March 6 and arrangements* by composer Nico Muhly of lesser-known Glass songs on February 8. Two orchestras make their Carnegie Hall debuts as part of the Philip Glass celebration: Conducted by Carlos Miguel Prieto, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Days and Nights in Rocinha on February 27, a program that also features soloists Jim Atwood and Paul Yancich playing nine timpani between them in Glass's Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra. Glass's famous collaborations with sitar master Ravi Shankar will be honored when the Pacific Symphony, led by Carl St.Clair, performs "Meetings Along the Edge" from Passages on April 21, a piece Glass recorded with Shankar. The orchestra also presents The New York premiere of Glass's The Passion of Ramakrishna and Ravi Shankar's Concerto No. 3 for Sitar and Orchestra performed by his daughter, Anoushka Shankar. Vocalists on the program include soprano Elissa Johnston, mezzo-soprano I-Chin Feinblatt, tenor Nicholas Preston, baritone Christópheren Nomura, bass-baritone Donovan Singletary, and the Pacific Chorale.

• Franz Welser-Möst leads The Cleveland Orchestra in two consecutive concerts at Carnegie Hall celebrating the orchestra's centenary season. Their first appearance on January 23 features Mahler's Symphony No. 9 along with The New York premiere of Stromab** by Johannes Maria Staud. The orchestra returns on January 24 for Haydn's The Seasons joined by The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus along with soprano Golda Schultz, tenor Maximilian Schmitt, and baritone Thomas Hampson.
• The legendary Marilyn Horne-the dynamic, moving force behind The Song Continues-is celebrated in a very special concert on January 28 that marks the conclusion of her glorious tenure leading the series. Eight singers, who are currently enjoying brilliant careers and who have been mentored by Horne-as well as two magnificent pianists who have enjoyed long and fruitful associations with her-return for a festive concert to honor an inspirational giant of the vocal art.

• Notable piano recitals this season include one of the great Schubert interpreters, pianist Mitsuko Uchida, who reveals the sweet, unforced lyricism, depth of emotion, and technical brilliance of the master's piano sonatas in two all-Schubert programs on February 26 and March 2 - the first concerts in a two-year exploration of these works. The following month, pianist Maurizio Pollini celebrates the 50th anniversary of his Carnegie Hall debut during a solo recital on April 29.

• Following her October performance with the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, pianist Martha Argerich returns for a recital with violinist Itzhak Perlman on March 22 celebrating the duo's first album in nearly 20 years, featuring works by Bach, Schumann, and Franck.

• Harry Bicket returns to Carnegie Hall with The English Concert on March 25 for a concert performance of Handel's Rinaldo along with sopranos Jane Archibald and Joélle Harvey, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, and countertenors Iestyn Davies (in the title role) and Jakub Józef Orli?ski.
• Music Director Designate of the Berliner Philharmoniker, Kirill Petrenko makes his Carnegie Hall debut leading the Bayerisches Staatsorchester and Bayerische Staatsoper on two consecutive nights this season. The first evening on March 28 features the Staatsorchester in Brahms's Double Concerto, with violinist Julia Fischer and cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, and Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony. The second night on March 29, Mr. Petrenko conducts the Staatsoper in a concert performance of R. Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier with featured vocalists sopranos Adrianne Pieczonka and Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, mezzo-soprano Angela Brower, tenor Lawrence Brownlee, baritone Markus Eiche, bass Peter Rose, and the choir of the Bayerische Staatsoper.
• The MET Orchestra returns in the spring with three concerts that feature three conductors. Mirga Gražinyt?-Tyla leads the orchestra in her Carnegie Hall debut on May 18 in a program that includes Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, and Mussorgsky's Songs and Dances of Death with mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili, and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4. On May 30, James Ehnes plays Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5, "Turkish," on a program led by conductor Gianandrea Noseda that also includes Mahler's Symphony No. 5. Music Director Emeritus James Levine concludes the three-concert series on June 5, leading the world premiere of Charles Wuorinen's Eros and Nemesis on a program that also includes Mozart's Exsultate, jubilate, with soprano Pretty Yende, and Mahler's Symphony No. 4.

Single tickets for Carnegie Hall presentations go on sale Monday, August 28 at 8:00 a.m. (with an early on-sale date of Monday, August 21 at 8:00 a.m. for subscribers and donors). Tickets can be purchased at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, by phone at Carnegie Charge (212-247-7800), or online at carnegiehall.org. Subscription packages are currently available.

Photo credit: Kevin Kennedy