Utah Symphony to Present Strauss' 'A Hero's Life' and Berg's 'Violin Concerto'

The Utah Symphony welcomes violinist Baiba Skride for an evening of Wagner, Berg and Strauss' special works inspired by figures in the composers' lives on January 30-31 at 8 p.m. at Abravanel Hall. Tickets, priced from $18 to $69 ($10 for students), are available for purchase through www.utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 355-2787.

Ms. Skride performs Alban Berg's Violin Concerto which was written for Manon Gropius, the 18-year-old daughter of Walter and Alma Gropius who died of polio. Berg struggled with the concerto until he learned of Manon's death, upon which time he wrote the concerto feverishly and dedicated it "to the memory of an angel."

"There is a lot of sadness in the music, but there are many very important and interesting levels to this music. The most amazing part of this concerto for me is the end of the piece where Berg uses Bach's Choral, 'Es ist Genug' and slowly brings every instrument in an indescribable culmination," explains Ms. Skride. "It's just one of the most emotional moments in the whole violin repertoire. I think it is important to come with an open mind to hear this somewhat different music. It is relatively contemporary, but really, it is the most beautiful and most important concerto of the 20th century."

Also on the program is Richard Wagner's "Siegfried Idyll," written for his wife Cosima after the birth of his son Siegfried, and Richard Strauss' "Ein Heldenleben" (A Hero's Life). This work was not dedicated to anyone in particular but, as Strauss said in a program note at the premiere, to "a more general and free ideal of great and manly heroism."

RELATED EVENTS

Utah Symphony is holding an online contest inviting people to nominate the hero in their lives. Eight winners will be highlighted on the Utah Symphony blog, and win four tickets to the January 30 or 31 concerts. Their stories will be on display in the lobby for all patrons to read and enjoy. The winners will also be invited to a VIP intermission reception. Entries will be accepted online until January 26, 2015. For more details please visit: www.utahsymphony.org/hero

Vice President of Artistic Planning Toby Tolokan will present a free pre-concert chat for ticket holders each night at 7 p.m., one hour prior to the start of the performance in the First Tier Room of Abravanel Hall (123 West South Temple).

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