Tuesday Musical presents The Cleveland Orchestra, clevelandorchestra.com, on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. at E.J. Thomas Hall, The University of Akron.
Hans Graf, cmartists.com, conducts The Cleveland Orchestra in a celestial program featuring works inspired by the stars.
About the Program
The concert opens with the extraterrestrial Asteroid 4179: Toutatis by contemporary Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho http://www.saariaho.org/ followed by Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, majestically dubbed “Jupiter.” The orchestra will conclude its tour of the galaxy with Holst’s masterwork The Planets.
This musical exploration of the cosmos will be led by Austrian-born Hans Graf, Music Director of the Houston Symphony. From the haunting Asteroid 4179 by Saariaho to the spectacular suite of seven orchestral tone poems known as The Planets, The Cleveland Orchestra will perform some of the most beautiful music ever written.
Adding to this already-stunning program will be the voices of the Women of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus. The mystical “Neptune” is the seventh and final movement of The Planets and, with the addition of the chorus, the music transcends into an unearthly hymn that enhances the ethereal ending of this exceptional work.
About the Artists
Hans Graf is an international presence in the music world, having served as the music director of the Calgary Philharmonic, the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine and the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra before accepting the position in Houston. His guest conducting engagements in North America include appearances with the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, as well as a close collaboration with the Boston Symphony. Abroad, Mr. Graf’s guest conducting engagements have spanned the foremost concert halls of Europe, Japan and Australia. Recent and upcoming international appearances include the Vienna Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the St. Petersburg Philharmonic.
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus was formed in 1952, and is one of the few professionally trained, all-volunteer choruses sponsored by a major American orchestra. In addition to performing with The Cleveland Orchestra in concerts at Severance Hall each season, the Chorus has appeared with the Orchestra on tour in Boston, Brussels, Edinburgh, London, Lucerne, and New York, as well as on television and in numerous recordings. Cleveland Orchestra Chorus members hail from nearly 50 northeast Ohio communities and, together, the group’s 150 members volunteer more than 50,000 hours annually, through rehearsals and performances.
Tuesday Musical
Tuesday Musical’s distinguished history with The Cleveland Orchestra began the year the orchestra was founded: 1918. Since then, Tuesday Musical has presented the Orchestra at least once a year on its series and sometimes twice in one season. Akron audiences have had the pleasure of getting acquainted with each Music Director over the years, as well as many of the guest conductors and artists.
Pre-Concert Talk
There is a pre-concert talk by Dr. Guy Victor Bordo, Director of Orchestras at The University of Akron. Beginning at 6:00 p.m. in E.J. Thomas Hall, Dr. Bordo will cover a wide range of topics including pertinent historical and personal influences of the composers. Dr. Bordo is an engaging speaker and his talk will provide an excellent entrée to your concert experience on November 30th. These pre-concert talks are free and open to any ticket holder.
Concert Sponsor: Ohio Arts Council and the Ritchie Memorial Foundation
The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.
Season Support: Ohio Arts Council, The University of Akron and the GAR Foundation
Media Sponsors: WKSU FM and the Ritchie Memorial Foundation
The University of Akron supports this program to encourage educational and cultural growth, excellence and enrichment for all Ohioans.
Tuesday Musical Concerts
Curtain time is 7:30 p.m.
Ticket Prices: $22, $35, $40
Ticket Services: Call the E.J. Thomas ticket office at 330.972.7570, Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On weekend show days, the ticket office opens two hours prior to performance and remains open until the end of intermission. Or contact Ticketmaster at 1.800.745.3000
Student Tickets
Program Details:
THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA
Hans Graf, guest conductor
Asteroid 4179: Toutatis
by Kaija Saariaho (b. 1952)
Symphony No. 41 ("Jupiter") in C major, K551
by Wolfgang Amadé Mozart (1756-1791)
1. Allegro vivace
2. Andante cantabile
3. Menuetto: Allegretto
4. Molto allegro
INTERMISSION
The Planets, Orchestral Suite, Opus 73
by Gustav Holst (1874-1934)
1. Mars, the Bringer of War
2. Venus, the Bringer of Peace
3. Mercury, the Winged Messenger
4. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
5. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age
6. Uranux, the Magician
7. Neptune, the Mystic
with Women of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
