RENÉE AND HENRY SEGERSTROM CONCERT HALL December 29, 2017 Segerstrom Center for the Arts and Attila Glatz Concert Productions present Friday at 8 p.m. Strauss Symphony of America András Deák, Conductor (Budapest) Katarzyna Dondalska, Soprano (Berlin Warsaw) Alexander Kaimbacher, Tenor (Vienna) Kiev-Aniko Ballet of Ukraine Sergii Afanasiev Kseniia Kandyba Kateryna Kholod Daniil Podliesnyi Vladyslav Shpota Yuliana Todoriuk Aniko Rekhviasvili, Choreography and costumes International Champion Ballroom Dancers The Center applauds: Kristóf Balga Éva Patrícia Forgó Viktória Páli Gábor Szalkai-Szabó Csaba László, Choreography Szilvia Szatmári-Nagy, Costumes Out of courtesy to the artists and your fellow patrons, please take a moment to turn off and refrain from using cellular phones, pagers, watch alarms and similar devices. The use of any audio or videorecording device or the taking of photographs (with or without flash) is strictly prohibited. Thank you. 5
The Program Johann Strauss, Jr. Johann Strauss, Jr. Overture to Die Fledermaus Spiel ich die Unschuld vom Lande, from Die Fledermaus Johann Strauss, Jr Morgenblätter Waltzes, Op. 279 Franz Lehár O Mädchen, mein Mädchen, from Friederike Johann Strauss, Jr Im Krapfenwald l Polka française, Op. 336 Josef Strauss Mein Lebenslauf ist Lieb und Lust Waltzes, Op. 263 Johann Strauss, Jr Dieser Anstand, (Watch Duet) from Die Fledermaus Johann Strauss, Jr Entweder-oder! Polka, Op. 403 INTERMISSION Franz Lehár Franz Lehár Overture to Land of Smiles Da geh ich zu Maxim, from Merry Widow Johann Strauss, Jr Tales from the Vienna Woods Waltzes, Op. 325 Jacques Offenbach Les oiseaux, (Doll Song) from Tales of Hoffmann Johann Strauss, Jr Freikugeln Polka, Op. 326 Emmerich Kálmán Komm mit nach Varaždin, from Countess Maritza Johann Strauss, Jr Thunder and Lightning Polka, Op. 324 Program and artists are subject to change without notice. 6
A message from the Founders And Producers Marion and Attila Glatz Welcome to Salute to Vienna New Year s Concert! We are delighted to have you here today and so very pleased you ve chosen to celebrate with us. For us, this concert s music, beauty, and tradition is a celebration of life. When we moved from Europe to North America, it was the message of the famous Viennese Neujahrskonzert that guided us: while cherishing the people, memories, and experiences we were moving away from, we looked forward to the new faces and places we would encounter. The magic of that message never gets old or goes out of style, but remains an evergreen reminder of youth, love, and joy. A little over two decades ago, to both celebrate our New Year s traditions and build our future, we produced a single concert in Toronto, hoping the magic of the New Year s Concert would translate to new audiences and be welcomed in North America. That first concert has since blossomed into a series of 25 performances in cities across the United States and Canada, and has drawn in tens of thousands of patrons annually who book tickets a year in advance, plan holiday events around the date, and drive hundreds of miles to attend. People like David from Philadelphia, who described the concert as a frothy delight, Lorelei in Saskatoon who called it a grand event, and Ilse, a loyal patron in West Palm Beach for over ten years, who wrote that she and her husband attend because we love to hear the songs we know. Laszlo from New York told us, I can t think of any better way to ring in the New Year! Your affection for our concerts sustains them and gives them meaning. We feel so lucky to know you enjoy them as much as we do, and we are so proud to see a tradition so important to us flourish in the New World. Wishing you a year filled with music! Marion and Attila Glatz Photo by Chris Lee 7
Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal President of the Republic of Austria Music brings people together, beyond borders and continents, and is a messenger of joy, inspiration, and personal enrichment. Music always encourages, touches the soul, and captures one s imagination. I am very pleased about this beautiful tradition of presenting world-famous melodies of our country in concerts across the USA and Canada. Salute to Vienna New Year s Concert truly deserves recognition and has all of my appreciation. Particularly in restless times, such as ours, it is of great importance to create an atmosphere of peace by exchanging, sharing, and promoting music and culture. Thank you to the organizers of Salute to Vienna and the artists, and I wish audiences a memorable concert evening and a peaceful and happy New Year. Christian Kern, Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria As the year comes to a close, Austria can look back on two major anniversaries: 2017 not only marked the 300th birthday of the Empress Maria Theresia, but also the 175th anniversary of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Year after year, this world-renowned orchestra fills us with new inspiration at the traditional New Year s Concert in Vienna. The organizers and performers involved in Salute to Vienna New Year s Concert in North America have also enjoyed remarkable success, and as Federal Chancellor of Austria, I am especially pleased that the programme reflects our country s rich musical tradition. I wish all of you a very unique musical experience and a happy, healthy New Year! 8
Dr. Michael Häupl, Mayor and Governor of Vienna Vienna has a worldwide reputation as a city of music, and spreading this musical tradition throughout the world is a particularly gratifying task. As Mayor of the Austrian federal capital, I am delighted that Salute to Vienna has brought Viennese tunes into the hearts of so many people in Canada and the United States. The great composers of the classical period lived in Vienna. But the city was also home to the most popular masters of light music, including the King of Operetta, Johann Strauss, Jr. His Blue Danube Waltz has become a musical message that is heard and understood all over the world. His Excellency Wolfgang Waldner, Austrian Ambassador to U.S. I am delighted to see that Salute to Vienna is received so warmly every year, and that it has become a holiday musical tradition. It is said that music is one of the quickest and easiest ways to build bridges between nations and cultures, and Salute to Vienna has played a major role in contributing to that idea. The Blue Danube Waltz, celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, has become the unofficial national anthem of Austria, and Vienna s international signature tune a musical message that is understood throughout the world. 9
About the Artists András Deák, Conductor (Budapest) András Deák attended the Liszt Academy of Music where he received diplomas in both choral and orchestral conducting. He has been the principal conductor of the Danube Symphony Orchestra since 1991, and he has conducted the Vienna Mozart Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, and the Chicago Civic Opera Orchestra, among others. International tours as guest conductor have taken him throughout Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, the Middle East, and North America. In 2004, Maestro Deák was awarded Hungary s decoration of Knight s Cross for his internationally recognized contribution to musical artistry. Katarzyna Dondalska, Soprano (Berlin Warsaw) Coloratura Katarzyna Dondalska began her musical studies at age five with the violin and began singing at 15. In 2011, she was awarded a Doctoral degree by the Danzig Music Academy. Ms. Dondalska has sung throughout Europe and North America, with concert repertoire, oratorio, and opera roles including Queen of the Night, Konstanze, Zerbinetta, and Olympia. She has performed to critical acclaim with opera companies including Houston Grand Opera, the Korean National Opera, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the National Theatre Mannheim, and Teatr Wielki in Warsaw, and was a finalist in competitions including the Sylvia Geszty International Coloratura Singing Competition in Luxembourg. Alexander Kaimbacher, Tenor (Vienna) Alexander Kaimbacher studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna and the Goetheanisches Conservatory. Since 1999, Mr. Kaimbacher has worked as a freelance opera and concert singer, and has performed as a member of both the Vienna and the Bavarian State Operas. He has performed at many major houses in Europe and worked with some of the most influential directors and conductors of his time. His operatic repertoire ranges from the lyrical passages of Mozart (Belmonte, Don Ottavio) and Britten (Madwoman, Aschenbach), to the character roles of Wagner (Helmsman, Vogelsang, Loge, Mime) and Strauss (dancing master, Brighella, Valzacchi). 10