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  • Gustavo Dudamel Leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Performances of Berio and Schubert
  • Nov. 12, 2009
  • World-Renowned Soprano Dawn Upshaw Joins for Berio’s Folk Songs

    THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2009, AT 8 PM

    FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2009, AT 8 PM (CASUAL FRIDAYS)

    SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009, AT 8 PM

    SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2009, AT 2 PM

    Media Sponsor for Friday, November 13: Telefutura and Univision

    Music Director Gustavo Dudamel continues his debut season with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in four performances of Berio and Schubert at Walt Disney Concert Hall, November 12 – 15. Thursday, Saturday and Sunday performances feature Berio’s Rendering, Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 in B minor, “Unfinished,” and Berio’s Folk Songs with world-renowned soprano, Dawn Upshaw. The Friday concert, the first Casual Fridays series performance of the 2009/10 season, presented without intermission, features a shorter program of Berio’s Folk Songs and Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 in B minor, “Unfinished.”

    Luciano Berio’s Schubert-based Rendering opens the Thursday, Saturday and Sunday performances. Based on sketches from Schubert’s Tenth Symphony (first made available for general examination in 1978), Rendering is “intended as a restoration, not a completion or reconstruction,” according to Berio himself. Spiced with dreamy interjections and inventions of Berio’s own, Rendering creates an unusual picture – part Schubert, part deconstructed Schubert, and lots of Berio.

    All four performances include Berio’s Folk Songs, featuring acclaimed soprano Dawn Upshaw. Dating mainly from 1964, during Berio’s residency at Mills College, Folk Songs was originally crafted for the composer’s then-wife, Cathy Berberian (1928-1983), a pioneer in the devising and employment of extended vocal techniques. Berio spoke of his connection to folk music as follows, “I have a utopian dream, though I know it cannot be realized. I would like to create a unity between folk music and our music – a real, perceptible, understandable conduit between ancient, popular music-making which is so close to everyday work and music.”

    Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 in B minor, “Unfinished,” which concludes all four performances, was originally composed in 1822. Schubert had gone as far as he could go with the score and did not finish the symphony before his death in 1828. It remained in the care of Anselm and Joseph Huttenbrenner until over 40 years after Schubert’s death. Johann Herbeck obtained the manuscript in exchange for a promise to include an overture by Anselm on the program and the symphony finally made its debut in Vienna on December 17, 1865.

    A four-time Grammy winner, Dawn Upshaw has achieved worldwide celebrity as a singer of opera and concert repertoire ranging from the sacred works of Bach to the freshest sounds of today. Her ability to reach to the heart of music and text has earned her both the devotion of an exceptionally diverse audience, and the awards and distinctions accorded to only the most distinguished of artists. In her work as a recitalist, and particularly in her work with composers, Dawn Upshaw has become a generative force in concert music, having premiered more than 25 works in the past decade. From Carnegie Hall to Walt Disney Concert Hall, in large and small venues throughout the world, she regularly presents specially designed programs composed of lieder, unusual contemporary works in many languages, and folk and popular music.

    The Friday, November 13 performance is the first of the LA Phil’s Casual Fridays series in the 2009/2010 season. Casual Fridays encourage audiences and orchestra members to attend in comfortable attire. These shorter programs – without intermission – feature free post-concert activities for all ticket-holders to enjoy. These activities include a TalkBack discussion with musicians held on stage after the performance and a chance to mingle with members of the orchestra in the Concert Hall Café.

    All concerts are preceded by Upbeat Live pre-performance discussions which are free to ticket-holders, and occur one hour prior in BP Hall. Christopher Russell, Director of Orchestral Studies at Azusa Pacific University and Coordinator of the Orchestra Program at Orange County High School of the Arts, hosts.

    Gustavo Dudamel’s upcoming performances in November include:



    Thursday, November 19, 2009, at 8 PM

    Saturday, November 21, 2009, at 2 PM

    Sunday, November 22, 2009, at 2 PM




    Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

    Gil Shaham, violin



    MOZART Symphony No. 38, “Prague”

    BERG Violin Concerto

    MOZART Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”



    Friday, November 20, 2009, at 8 PM (Casual Fridays performance)



    Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

    Gil Shaham, violin



    BERG Violin Concerto

    MOZART Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”



    WEST COAST, LEFT COAST FESTIVAL

    Friday, November 27, 2009, at 8 PM

    Saturday, November 28, 2009, at 8 PM

    Sunday, November 29, 2009, at 2 PM




    Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

    Marino Formenti, piano



    SALONEN L.A. Variations

    HARRISON Piano Concerto

    ADAMS City Noir (LAPA co-commission)



    The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under the vibrant leadership of Gustavo Dudamel, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable locations 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 concerts, children's programming and community concerts, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.





    EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

    THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2009, AT 8 PM

    SATURDAY, NOVEBMER 14, 2009, AT 8 PM

    SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2009, AT 2 PM


    WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL

    111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles



    LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

    GUSTAVO DUDAMEL, conductor

    Dawn Upshaw, soprano



    BERIO (after Schubert) Rendering

    BERIO Folk Songs

    SCHUBERT Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished”




    FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2009, AT 8 PM (CASUAL FRIDAYS)



    LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

    GUSTAVO DUDAMEL, conductor

    Dawn Upshaw, soprano



    BERIO Folk Songs

    SCHUBERT Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished”

    The concerts are preceded by Upbeat Live pre-performance discussions, which are free to ticket-holders, and occur one hour prior in BP Hall. Christopher Russell, Director of Orchestral Studies at Azusa Pacific University and Coordinator of the Orchestra Program at Orange County High School of the Arts hosts.

    Tickets ($42 - $160) 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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  • Contact:

    Sophie Jefferies, sjefferies@laphil.org, 213.972.3422; Lisa Bellamore, lbellamore@laphil.org, 213.972.3689; Photos: 213.972.3034