Welcome to the 2012-13 season at The Philadelphia Orchestra!
My name is Amalya Lehmann and I am the editor of the eZseatU blog. I am
a senior at the University of Pennsylvania, studying musicology, cognitive
science, and violin, and I try to attend Philadelphia Orchestra concerts
weekly.
As Philadelphia-area students, we are extremely lucky to have the
opportunity to attend concerts by one of the leading orchestras in the
world, for only $25 a year. Whether you are just getting into classical music, or you
have listened to classical music and attended concerts for years, there will be
a concert for you!
This year, we will celebrate Yannick Nézet-Séquin’s inaugural
season as music director of the Orchestra as well as other important milestones
in the canon. In honor of the upcoming bicentennial of Verdi’s birth in 2013,
he will conduct a performance of Verdi’s Requiem in October, featuring some of
today’s most famous opera singers as soloists. Because of Yannick’s expertise
in conducting vocal music, these performances are not to be missed.
Later in the year, Yannick will conduct a special performance of
Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring combined
with dance and visuals, to celebrate the centenary of its controversial premiere.
Additionally, Yannick will conduct performances of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion over Easter weekend—the first time the
Orchestra will have performed the work in over thirty years.
If you are a fan of vocal and orchestral music, don’t forget to check
out the performances of Prokofiev’s Alexander
Nevsky along with Sergei Eisenstein’s film, as well as performances of
Orff’s Carmina Burana.
Throughout the season, the Orchestra will continue to pay tribute to
Leopold Stokowski’s legacy, for he became the music director of the
Philadelphia Orchestra a hundred years ago.
Therefore, concert-goers will experience an expansion of the repertoire,
more collaborations with other artistic venues, the addition of visuals to
performances, and performances of pieces that Stokowski introduced to
Philadelphians.
In a new effort to showcase their talents and to support Yannick during
his inaugural season, many guest conductors will conduct in Philadelphia for
two weeks in a row. These conductors include Simon Rattle, Christoph von
Dohnanyi, Donald Runnicles, Gianandrea Noseda, Jaap van Zweden, Raphael
Fruhbeck de Burgos, and Stephane Deneve.
Additionally, you will not want to miss some of today’s biggest star
soloists performing in Philadelphia, including violinists Joshua Bell, Hilary
Hahn, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gil Shaham, pianists Lang Lang, Garrick Ohlssoh,
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and Andre Watts.
* Important *
If you were an eZseatU member last year, you might recall that most of
the concerts featuring Yannick’s conducting were sold out. Therefore, be
prepared that the “Premium Concerts” will likely sell out, so you might want to
purchase cheaper single tickets ahead of time through the “Young Friends” program. But don’t fret, because a
limited number of eZseatU tickets will still be on reserve, and the eZseatU
program will release a number of tickets during special giveaway and
promotional contests.
Throughout the year, I will post tidbits about the concerts as well as
these new promotional efforts, so please keep your eyes peeled!
In the meantime, which concerts are you waiting for? Comment below!
—Amalya Lehmann
