Program Includes Handel Arias Plus Works by Boccherini, Zelenka, Handel/Halvorsen and Falla
TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2009, AT 8 PM
The Los Angeles Philharmonic presents its fifth Chamber Music Society series performance of the 2008/09 season spotlighting members of the LA PHIL and soprano Kate Royal in her Walt Disney Concert Hall debut, Tuesday, March 17, at 8 p.m. Later the same week, Royal performs as soloist with the LA Phil.
British-born Kate Royal, described by Opera News as having "a very sexy, sensual approach to the voice" is an exclusive EMI recording artist. Her debut album was praised by the critics: "a lyric soprano of rare loveliness" The Sunday Times, London and her second disc titled Midsummer Night will be released in June of this year.
The program opens with Spanish composer and virtuoso cellist Luigi Boccherini’s Flute Quintet in F, G. 437 performed by LA Phil musicians Catherine Ransom Karoly, flute; Varty Manouelian, violin; Ingrid Hutman, viola; and Jonathan Karoly and Daniel Rothmuller, cellos. The evening continues with three arias by Handel, featuring soprano Kate Royal. The first, titled Sweet Bird that shun’st thenoise of folly also features Catherine Ransom Karoly, flute, Varty Manouelian and Mitchell Newman, violins, Hutman, viola, Jonathan Karoly, cello, and Lucinda Carver, harpsichord. Eternal Source of Light Divine and Let the Bright Seraphim follow, featuring James Wilt, trumpet, and Phillip Smith, organ.
The performance continues with Baroque bassist Zelenka’s Trio No. 5 in F (for two oboes and continuo), performed by Ariana Ghez and Anne Marie Gabriele, oboes; Shawn Mouser, bassoon; Chris Hanulik, bass; and Carver, harpsichord. The evening continues with violinist and conductor Johan Halvorsen’s flamboyant adaptation of Handel’s Passacaglia featuring Stacy Wetzel, violin, and Minor Wetzel, viola. The program closes with Manuel de Falla’s radical Harpischord Concerto, originally written for the pioneering Polish-French harpsichordist Wanda Landowska, performed by Joanne Pearce Martin, harpsichord, Sarah Jackson, flute, David Howard, clarinet, Anne Marie Gabriele, oboe, Barry Socher, violin and Daniel Rothmuller, cello.
The LA PHIL's Chamber Music Society’s 2008/09 season at Walt Disney Concert Hall includes two series of four concerts performed by members of the orchestra, along with distinguished guest artists. Upcoming programs are March 31 and April 28; the season concludes May 26, with Christoph Eschenbach, piano.
KATE ROYAL, a native Londoner and former student at the Guildhall School of Music and the National Opera Studio, won the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Award and the John Christie Award in 2004 and the 2007 Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist Award. She made her Glyndebourne Festival debut in 2004 when, as the understudy, she was called on at the last moment to perform the role of Pamina in Die Zauberflöte. Glyndebourne subsequently booked her to sing the Countess (Le nozze di Figaro) and Governess (The Turn of the Screw) for Glyndebourne on Tour and Helena (A Midsummer Night's Dream) and Micaela (Carmen) for the Glyndebourne Festival. Royal has also sung the roles of Miranda (Adès: The Tempest) and Pamina at the Royal Opera House, Helena for Teatro Real, Madrid, Poppea for English National Opera and Countess Almaviva for the Aix-en-Provence Festival. Royal has appeared in concert with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment/Simon Rattle, the Bach Akademie Stuttgart/Helmut Rilling, National Symphony Orchestra (Washington)/Rilling, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic/Vassily Petrenko and the Berliner Philharmoniker/William Christie, as well as in recital throughout Europe and North America. Royal signed an exclusive contract with EMI Classics in 2006. Her first, eponymous CD for the label was released the following year to unanimous critical acclaim. Kate also performed the solo in Paul McCartney's oratorio Ecce Cor Meum, both on the EMI Classics recording and in concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Upcoming 2009 engagements include Haydn's Die Schöpfung with the BBC Philharmonic/Noseda, Die Zauberflöte (Pamina) and Carmen (Micaela) with the Bayerische Staatsoper, the title role in Handel's Susanna with Les Arts Florissants/Christie in the U.K., Spain, Romania, Austria, France and Holland and recitals in London (Wigmore Hall), Barcelona, Bilbao, Santiago del Compostela and Geneva.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable places anywhere to experience music — Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the Association's involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational programs, community concerts and children's programming, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.
EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:
TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2009, AT 8 PM
WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles
Chamber Music Society
MEMBERS OF THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC
KATE ROYAL, soprano
BOCCHERINI Flute Quintet in F, G. 437
CATHERINE RANSOM KAROLY, flute
VARTY MANOUELIAN, violin
INGRID HUTMAN, viola
JONATHAN KAROLY, cello
DANIEL ROTHMULLER, cello
HANDEL Sweet Bird that shun’st the noise of folly
KATE ROYAL, soprano
CATHERINE RANSOM KAROLY, flute
VARTY MANOUELIAN, violin
MITCHELL NEWMAN, violin
INGRID HUTMAN, viola
JONATHAN KAROLY, cello
LUCINDA CARVER, harpsichord
HANDEL Eternal Source of Light Divine
KATE ROYAL, soprano
JAMES WILT, trumpet
PHILIP SMITH, organ
HANDEL Let the Bright Seraphim
KATE ROYAL, soprano
JAMES WILT, trumpet
PHILIP SMITH, organ
ZELENKA Trio No. 5 in F (for two oboes and continuo)
ARIANA GHEZ, oboe
ANNE MARIE GABRIELE, oboe
SHAWN MOUSER, bassoon
CHRIS HANULIK, bass
LUCINDA CARVER, harpsichord
HANDEL-HALVORSEN Passacaglia
STACY WETZEL, violin
MINOR WETZEL, viola
FALLA Harpsichord Concerto
JOANNE PEARCE MARTIN, harpsichord
SARAH JACKSON, flute
DAVID HOWARD, clarinet
ANNE MARIE GABRIELE, oboe
BARRY SOCHER, violin
DANIEL ROTHMULLER, cello
Tickets ($24 - $49) are on sale now at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office, online at LAPhil.com, or via credit card by phone at 323.850.2000. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For information, please call 323.850.2000.
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Sophie Jefferies, sjefferies@lapphil.org, 213.972.3422; Lisa Bellamore, lbellamore@laphil.org, 213.972.3689; Photos: 213.972.3034