MET Orchestra Spotlight Series Finale Announced

As our nation's vaccination effort begins to facilitate the return of live, in-person performance, this final edition of the MET Orchestra Musicians Spotlight Series on June 13, 2021 at 3pm ET bridges the gap between physical and digital offerings. Recorded live before an invited audience at Peak NYC on the 101st Floor of 30 Hudson Yards, host and guest performer Tamara Mumford joins members of the MET Orchestra Musicians in a program of chamber music and operatic selections, including several world premiere arrangements.

Even as this program closes the digital portion of the MET Orchestra's offerings over this past year, it opens to an exciting new chapter for the organization on Manhattan's Far West Side. In addition to this performance opportunity at Hudson Yards, the MET Orchestra will also take up residence at High Line Nine's gallery 9.1. The space, which is open to the public, will serve as a rehearsal and education quarters for MET Orchestra members.

Ms. Mumford, an esteemed mezzo-soprano who has performed at the Metropolitan Opera more than 140 times, will sing the world premiere of arrangements by leading opera composer Jake Heggie for flute, harp, and string quartet of Debussy's three Chansons de Bilitis, L. 90. Then, joined by a chamber orchestra of MET Musicians, she will premiere MET Orchestra violist Dov Scheindlin's arrangements of Rossini's "Cruda sorti" from L'Italiana in Algeri and familiar selections from Bizet's Carmen.

Exquisite chamber music abuts Ms. Mumford's performances. The MET's storied horn section will open the program with a movement of Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks, followed by Ravel's otherworldly Introduction and Allegro: an ode to the powers of Mariko Anraku's pedal harp. MET principal cellist Jerry Grossman will solo in the lyrical Dream Colored Mobile, Op. 58 of Takashi Yamamatsu-one of the leading living composers of Japan-and an octet will tackle the opening of Mendelssohn's beloved Op. 20.

Following the concert, audience members will be treated to a recorded Q&A with the artists. This presentation of the MET Orchestra Spotlight Series

Tickets available for $15 USD at spotlight.metorchestramusicians.org

Complete program

*denotes world premiere of arrangement

G. F. Handel, from Music for the Royal Fireworks for horn quartet, arr. Leigh Martinet (1749/1981)
Overture
La Rejouissance

M. Ravel, Introduction and Allegro for harp, flute, clarinet, and string quartet (1905)

Takashi Yoshimatsu, Dream Colored Mobile, Op. 58 for solo cello, harp, and string quartet (1993)

C. Debussy, Trois Chansons de Bilitis, L. 90, arr. Jake Heggie* (1897/2020)

F. Mendelssohn, "Allegro moderato ma con fuoco" from Octet in E-flat major, Op. 20 (1825)

G. Bizet, from Carmen, arr. Dov Scheindlin* (1875/2021)
Habanera
Seguidilla
Entr'Acte

G. Rossini, "Cruda sorte" from L'Italiana in Algeri, arr. Dov Scheindlin* (1813/2021)

Tamara Mumford, mezzo-soprano
Chelsea Knox and Stephanie C. Mortimore, flutes
Dean LeBlanc, clarinet
Erik Ralske, Javier Gándara, Brad Gemeinhardt and Barbara Jöstlein Currie, horns
Yoon Kwon Costello, Sarah Vonsattel, Jeehae Lee and Joanna Maurer, violins
Garrett Fischbach and Shmuel Katz, violas
Jerry Grossman and Julia Bruskin, cellos
Mariko Anraku, harp