Ciak… agrees! The 62. Season of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra

In Palermo the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra Foundation raise the curtain on 62nd season, “Ciak… agrees!": I am 26 the productions put on the bill, in addition to special events such as the Christmas concert and the New Year's concert, flanked by the chamber music programming and come on concerts itinerant in Sicilian theaters and in schools.

The 62. Season takes place at Politeama Garibaldi Theater, prestigious seat of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra, from October 2021 to May 2022, with a musical offer characterized by the variety of proposals, attractive programs and the relevance of the artists on the bill. Next to the renowned Sicilian Symphony Orchestra, between returns and debuts, many great names of the national and international concert scene will perform: to name just a few, the legends Martha Argerich is Uto Ughi, the violinists Isabelle Faust is Anna Tifu, the pianist Alexander Tavern, the soprano Elisabete Matos, the directors Roberto Abbado, Donato Renzetti, Diego Matheuz, Dimitri Jurowski, Fabio Biondi is Sergej Krylov both also soloists, Gianna Fratta artistic director of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra.

The FOSS (Sicilian Symphonic Orchestra Foundation) thus launches a complete calendar and a high-profile musical season characterized, as the presentation states, "by a precise and strategic programmatic conception, aimed at intercepting different target audiences, at enhancing the music of our time, also through first absolute performances and commissions to young and established composers, to continue to propose the great symphonic repertoire, ranging from Haydn to the twentieth century. "

"A season"- comments Gianna Fratta, conductor and artistic director of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra,"aimed at bringing the public back to the theater, to enjoy live music, skin-deep emotions, the irreplaceable rite of the live concert. A season to start over. Here, then, "Ciak ... accords!", Because it is from the tuning that we begin, it is from there that the magic of the show begins and the departure of the journey. And the entire season is dotted with itineraries and celebrations: from the homage to Franck on the 200th anniversary of his birth to an extraordinary closure of Dante's celebrations with the Cantata by Wolf-Ferrari 'La vita nuova' based on texts by Alighieri, from the commissions of works new ones that will be performed for the first time to the enhancement of young and exceptional Italian instrumentalists, from the big names on the international scene to musical journeys between Iberian sounds, romantic sensibility, Central European classicism, world music, from the performance in concert form of an opera like Strauss's Elektra to the many special events, including the Christmas concert or the New Year's concert. All made possible by the artistic, technical and administrative forces of the Foundation, first of all the orchestra, the staff, the children's choir ”.

The concerts are offered in double replication on Friday at 9pm and Saturday at 5.30pm, except for special events.

"Ciak… agrees!”Starts with a prestigious one preview (out of subscription) on October 16 and 17 with Roberto Abbado to the direction of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra and the pianist Giuseppe Albanese, engaged with music by Liszt e Berlioz: the famous one by the French composer is scheduled Fantastic Symphony, Op.14, milestone in the history of instrumental music, while of Liszt will be proposed on Concert n. 1 in E flat major for piano and orchestra S 124 is Orpheus, symphonic poem no. 4 S 98.

The 29, 30 and 31 October (the first two subscription dates) the grand opening event of the season, the C.sure of inauguration with a legend of pianism of all times, Martha Argerich. The great pianist renews an already tried and loved formula, in which she shares the stage with friends and artistic collaborators, in this case the Argentine pianist Daniel Rivera. On the podium of the'Sicilian Symphony Orchestra the artistic director Gianna thicket, scheduled music by Stravinskji, excerpts from Clara Schumann orchestrated and interpreted in world premiere, alongside two beloved concertos for piano and orchestra, the Second Concert of Rachmaninov and the Concerto in A minor for piano and orchestra op. 54 of Robert Schumann.

To follow, the 5 and 6 November a concert featuring the famous Russian violinist Sergej Krylov in the double role of conductor and soloist, with a program dedicated to Felix Mendelssohn, of which we will listen to the Concerto in E minor for violin and orchestra op. 64 and to Dmitry Shostakovich , with the Symphony n. 15 in A major, op. 141.

For the next appointment of the 12 and 13 November the Dutch director returns to the podium Hubert Soudant, this time in attendance after the live streaming concert last February, while at the cello there will be a young and already very talented eighteen year old Ettore Pagano. The musical program includes two compositions by Franz Joseph Haydn, the Symphony n. 1 in D major and the Concert n. 1 in C major for cello and orchestra, and the famous Serenade n.7 in D major KV 250 "Haffner" from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The November 19th and 20th, a concert entirely dedicated to French music, with the suite Masques et bergamasques of Gabriel Fauré opening, followed by excerpts from Maurice Ravel, from Shéhérazade (Op.41), to Alborada del gracioso to the suite But mère l'oye. Directs Marco Guidarini, the voice will be that of the Turkish mezzo Asude Karayavuz.

We move on to Russian sounds with music by Glazunov (Concerto in E flat major for saxophone and strings op. 109) And Dvořák (Symphony n. 8 in G major op. 88) for the concerts of 26 and 27 November. The program is completed with the Poème for saxophone and orchestra op. 20 of contemporary French Pierre-Philippe Bauzin It will be the charismatic Christian Vàsquez to direct the Sicilian team while he will perform on the saxophone Alex Sebastianutto.

The 3 and 4 December the welcome return of the Palermitan Fabio Biondi, well-known and affirmed specialist of ancient music who over time has expanded his field of activity, always in search of the original language. As conductor and violin soloist he will propose Mozart L'Overture from the Idomeneo and the Symphony n. 38 “Prague", and the Concerto in la minor for violin and orchestra, posthumous work of Robert Schumann.

After France and Russia it is Spain that inspires the sounds of the concerts of 10 and 11 December. Directs José Miguel Rodilla, on the piano Pierre-Laurent Boucharlat, for an unusual program that revolves around the national opera repertoire of the Zarzuela, proposed here through preludes, interludes and dances. The concert will be opened by two famous compositions by Manuel de Do it, Noches en los Jardines de España, and the Suite from the “Sombrero de tres picos".

The Song of the Earth (Das Lied von der Erde), an extreme and ineffable masterpiece by Gustav Mahler is on the poster for the next production, the  17 and December 18, with the Belgian tenor Marc Laho and the well-known Portuguese soprano Elisabete Matos. On the podium the Swiss-Argentine director Facundo Agudi.

The 7 and 8 January the Season of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra will host another legendary artist, the great violinist Uto Ughi, back on the stage of the Politeama Theater with the Concert n. 1 for violin and orchestra op. 26 of Max Bruch. At the opening of the evening, theTragic overture op. 81 of Brahms, in closing the Symphony No. 1 in F minor of Dmitry Shostakovich, a work that consecrated the then very young composer, not yet twenty. The well-known American director will be on the podium Nicole Paiement.

The 14 and 15 January, still a long-awaited return, that of the great Italian director Donato Renzetti. At his side the tenor Stephen Sorrentino, scheduled for the Symphony n. 2 in E minor, op. 27 of Rachmaninov, is La giara, suite from the ballet op. 41 bis of Alfredo Box.

The violin is once again the protagonist with the great soloist Isabelle Faust, known for its compelling interpretations always attentive to the historical context. In the concert of 21 and 22 January will be directed by David Crescenzi, the program is dedicated to Brahms (Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, op. 77) is Haydn (Symphony n. 100 "Military").

The January 28 and 29, a particularly important event, the performance of the opera in concert form Elektra of Richard Strauss. For the occasion, the established German conductor returns to the podium of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra Marcus Bosch (in billboard also in April) with the voices, in the main roles, of Diana Gouglina (Elektra), D.air Cherniy (Clytemnestra), Tineke Van Ingelgem (Chrysothemis), Irakli Kakidze (Egisto), Ruben Amoretti (Oreste).

The next concert, the 4 and 5 February, it's a "Tribute to César Franck in bicentenary of the birth". The world premiere of the orchestral transcription of Matteo Helfer of the Choral n.1 for organ and the Symphony in D minor. At the heart of the program, recovered from last season, the Concerto for violin and orchestra of Mario Peragallo (Rome 1910 - 1996) defined by Massimo Mila as “among the four or five most beautiful of our century” and never performed in Palermo. On the violin Alberto Bologni, director Günter Neuhold.

The Venezuelan also returns to the podium of the Politeama Theater twice in February and April Diego Matheuz: in the concert of11 and 12 February will direct a program dedicated to Schumann with the Concerto in D minor for violin and orchestra, is Prokofiev, with the Symphony n. 5 in B flat major, op. 100, on stage the violinist native of Tirana Abigeila Voshtina.

The 25 and 26 February under the baton of the young American director Ryan McAdams, a Russian music program, la Swan Lake Suite of Tchaikovsky and the Concert n. 3 in C major op. 26 of Prokofiev, on the piano Alessandro Taverna, a musician much loved and followed by the public. The program will be opened by a more rare piece, the Overture by The Song of Hiawatha by the British composer of Creole origin Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875 - 1912), not to be confused with the almost homonymous poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge who inspired the name.

The 4 and 5 March a piece will be premiered, commissioned by the FOSS - Sicilian Symphonic Orchestra Foundation: it is about Eurk formula by the Tuscan composer Andrew Will bring (Grosseto 1973), author of a catalog of over 140 titles. Portera's work, which explores the universe of sound from an anthropological perspective, has received acclaim and recognition from great names in music. The concert continues with the fascinating Songs of a wayfarer (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen) by Gustav Mahler - with the voice of the acclaimed mezzo-soprano Anna Maria Chiuri - and with the latest, exemplary Symphony n. 6 “Pathetic" from Tchaikovsky. To conduct the orchestra, Mārtiņš Ozoliņš, since 2013 principal conductor at the Latvian National Opera in Riga.

The concerts of the 18 and 19 March they will see the two brothers together for the first time, respectively in the role of conductor and violinist Maximum is Alessandro Quarta. For the occasion, music by Beethoven (the Overture Coriolano op. 62 and the Symphony n. 5 op. 67) And Mozart (Concert No. 5 “Türkisch" for violin and orchestra KV 219).

It will still be Mozart the protagonist, together with Aram Chačaturjan, of the music program on the calendar l'1 and 2 April. The well-known will be performed of the first Symphony KV 551 “Jupiter", Of the second law Spartacus Suite. On the podium the great director Dimitri Jurowski (Moscow 1979), descendant of the famous family of Russian musicians, highly anticipated by the OSS.

L'8 and April 9 the wand of Diego Matheuz to lead the orchestra in the famous Pictures of an exhibition of Modest Mussorgsky and in the Concerto n. 1 for violin and orchestra Op.77 by Shostakovič which will see engaged Anna Tifu, one of the most acclaimed violinists of his generation.

The concert of April 15 and 16 directed by Maximilian Stefanelli is dedicated to Dante with the performance of 'La new life 'Canticle on Dante's words for solos, mixed choir, children's choir and orchestra op. 9 of Ermanno Wolf–Ferrari. The piece, dated 1901, is one of Wolf-Ferrari's first important compositions, written on passages extrapolated from Dante's early masterpiece of the same name, which alternating prose and verse narrates the poet's spiritual elevation through love for Beatrice.

The 22 and 23 April, the second production directed by Marcus Bosch presents music by Glinka, Rachmaninov and Prokof'ev, the Russian at the piano Anna Vinnitskaya, called "a keyboard lioness" by the Washington Post. Of Mikhail Glinka, the greatest Russian musician of the first half of the 19th century, will listen to the Ouverture from the work Ruslan and Ludmila, of Rachmaninov the Variations on Paganini's themes for piano and orchestra op. 43, finally of Prokofiev there Symphony n. 6 in E flat minor op. 111.

The concert of 29 and 30 April is an immersion in Hispanic sounds, with the evocative notes of de Do it (El amor brujo, suite from the ballet), Rodrigo (the very famous Concierto de Aranjuez) And Turina (Sevillana Symphony, op. 23) The conductor from Madrid leads the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra Pablo Honey, the twenty-six year old musician from Foggia on guitar Andrew Roberto.

The program of the 6 and 7 May directed by Luis Miguel Méndez approaches the well-known musical fairy tale by Prokofiev Peter and the wolf (1936) a Le boeuf sur le toit of Darius Milhaud, composition proposed in the elaboration of Roberto Molinelli world premiere.

The 13 and 14 May the Concert n. 3 in C minor for piano and orchestra of Beethoven will be supported by a contemporary music program: Kabbalah for orchestra by the Brazilian composer Marlos Nobre (Recife 1939), and the pieces of two great Polish authors, Threnody for the victims of Hiroshima of Krzysztof Penderecki and the Symphony n. 4 of Witold Lutoslawski. Directs Josè Maria Florencio, on the piano Roberto Giordano.

For the penultimate round of the 62nd season the 20 and 21 May the artistic director of FOSS returns to the podium, Gianna Fratta. Together with her they will perform there'Ars Trio of Rome (formed by Laura Pietrocini, plan - Marco Florentines, violin - Valeriano Taddeo, cello) and Giampiero Mancini, narrator. Scheduled Four marine interludes by Peter Grimes of Benjamin Britten, on Concert of the Albatro - inspired by a passage from Melville's Moby Dick Giorgio Federico Ghedini and the Spring Festival of Stravinsky.

The 62nd season of the FOSS program closes on May 27 and 28 with an unusual concert, which sees on the stage the horn of the Alps of Carlo Torlontano, on the podium the Bulgarian director Nayden Todorov. Torlontano, considered one of the best international soloists, is responsible for the introduction of the Horn of the Alps in concert halls: with this unusual instrument he has performed in major halls and festivals around the world, always receiving excellent acclaim from the public and critics. Particular and to discover the program, which opens with the Pastoritia Symphony for horn of the Alps and string orchestra by Anton Zimmermann (Široká Niva 1741 - Bratislava, 1781), contemporary composer of Haydn and Mozart, continues with the piece The great Horn of Helm for horn of the Alps and orchestra by Palermo born in 1966 John D'Aquila and ends with the famous "Pastoral", The Symphony n. 6 of Beethoven.

Two special events complete the program: the Christmas concert directed by Riccardo Scilipoti is scheduled for December 23 at 9 pm, again at the Politeama Garibaldi, with the Choir of White Voices of the Foundation. The festive atmosphere is ensured by traditional songs and music and by the most popular Christmas songs, from You come down from the stars to White Christmas.

January 1st (6 pm) on New Year's concert will welcome 2022 with a bubbly London-led program Neil Thomson, the Serbian virtuoso on the violin Stefan Milenkovich (Belgrade 1977), former child prodigy who performed in front of Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev and Pope John Paul II. Scheduled waltzes and polkas of the Strauss and of Léhar, but also Gershwin is Freddie Mercury.