N E W S R E L E A S E CONTACT: Katherine Blodgett Director of Public/Media Relations phone: 215.893.1939 e-mail: kblodgett@philorch.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: September 10, 2008 CHARLES DUTOIT BEGINS TENURE AS CHIEF CONDUCTOR AND ARTISTIC ADVISER OF THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA During the 2008-09 season, Mr. Dutoit focuses on the music of Hector Berlioz and works written for the Ballets Russes Highlights of Mr. Dutoit s first season include Opening Night Concert featuring pianist Martha Argerich, the U.S. premiere of Krzysztof Penderecki s Concerto grosso No. 1, for three cellos and orchestra, and performances of Berlioz s Romeo and Juliet and Requiem as well as The Damnation of Faust, led by Simon Rattle Mr. Dutoit leads the Orchestra in two Carnegie Hall concerts, one of which is part of a festival celebrating African-American cultural heritage (Philadelphia, September 10, 2008) In his first season as chief conductor and artistic adviser, Charles Dutoit leads The Philadelphia Orchestra in nine weeks of concerts. Known for his interpretations of French, Russian, and 20th-century music, Mr. Dutoit focuses on the works of Hector Berlioz and pieces written for the Ballet Russes during the 2008-09 season and throughout the next four years. He also leads the U.S. premiere of Krzysztof Penderecki s Concerto grosso No. 1 for three cellos and orchestra as part of the Orchestra s celebration of the composer s 75th birthday. Mr. Dutoit has a long-standing relationship with The Philadelphia Orchestra, having made his debut with the ensemble in 1980. Since 1990 he has been artistic director and principal conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra s summer residency at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Between 1990 and 1999, he also directed the Orchestra s summer series at The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, and led the Orchestra in a series of distinctive recordings. I am excited to begin my new role with The Philadelphia Orchestra and to continue building on the years of wonderful music making I ve enjoyed with these amazing musicians, said Philadelphia Orchestra Chief Conductor and Artistic Adviser Charles Dutoit. It gives me the
PAGE 2 Charles Dutoit begins tenure as chief conductor and artistic adviser greatest pleasure to offer Philadelphia audiences an exciting season during which we will encounter some of Berlioz s grandest works, explore the Ballets Russes, celebrate composer Krzysztof Penderecki, and welcome many guest artists with whom I have long collaborated. The 2008-09 season will be one of many rich musical experiences. French and Russian Classics; Opening Night Heralded by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as the authority on the Russian-French tradition, Mr. Dutoit leads the Orchestra in a program of works by Ravel, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and Musorgsky in his first Philadelphia appearances of the 2008-09 season (October 2-3). Renowned pianist Martha Argerich joins Mr. Dutoit and the Orchestra as soloist in Shostakovich s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Prokofiev s Piano Concerto No. 1. This season marks the 50th anniversary of the musical collaboration between Mr. Dutoit and Ms. Argerich. Ravel s Valses nobles et sentimentales and Musorgsky s Pictures at an Exhibition complete the program. Mr. Dutoit, Ms. Argerich, and the Orchestra then travel to New York s Carnegie Hall for a third performance of the program (October 7). Three of the works Ravel s Valses nobles et sentimentales, Prokofiev s Piano Concerto No. 1 with Ms. Argerich, and Musorgsky s Pictures at an Exhibition are also featured in the Opening Night Concert of The Philadelphia Orchestra s 109th season (October 4). Krzysztof Penderecki at 75 Mr. Dutoit and The Philadelphia Orchestra celebrate the 75th birthday of Krzysztof Penderecki with the United States premiere of the composer s Concerto grosso No. 1 for three cellos and orchestra with soloists Han-Na Chang, Daniel Müller-Schott, and Arto Noras. The work is paired with Stravinsky s Dumbarton Oaks and Sibelius s Symphony No. 1 (October 10, 11). The Concerto grosso No. 1 is also featured in an Access Concert (October 14) a lower-priced, 90-minute concert designed for listeners who are new to, or curious about, classical music. The program includes Lutosławski s Piano Concerto with soloist Krystian Zimerman, for whom the work was written. The Orchestra also honors Mr. Penderecki with a Chamber Music Concert of his works performed by musicians of the Orchestra, violinist Chantal Juillet, and cellist Arto Noras (October 12). The Philadelphia Orchestra has a long-standing relationship with Mr. Penderecki, who has led the Orchestra on several occasions and served as composer-in-residence at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in 2007. Concerto grosso No.1 is the third of the composer s works to be premiered by the Orchestra. Previous works include Utrenja, the Entombment of Christ (U.S. premiere, 1970) and Piano Concerto ( Resurrection ) (world premiere, 2002).
Charles Dutoit begins tenure as chief conductor and artistic adviser PAGE 3 The Works of Hector Berlioz Mr. Dutoit s begins his four-year exploration of the works of Hector Berlioz with four performances of the composer s Romeo and Juliet (October 16-18, 21). Joining the Orchestra are mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose, tenor Gregory Kunde (in his Philadelphia Orchestra debut), baritone David Wilson-Johnson (in his Philadelphia Orchestra debut), and the Philadelphia Singers Chorale, led by David Hayes. Described as a dramatic symphony, the work draws on two sources that were deeply inspirational for the composer: Shakespeare and Beethoven. Shakespeare, coming upon me unawares, struck me like a thunderbolt, the composer wrote of attending performances of Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet in Paris. Over the following decades, Shakespeare s works continued as a source of inspiration for many of Berlioz s compositions, including Beatrice and Benedict, Fantasy on The Tempest, the King Lear Overture, and The Death of Ophelia. Of hearing Beethoven s music, Berlioz wrote: The shock was almost as great as that of Shakespeare had been. Beethoven opened before me a new world of music, as Shakespeare had revealed a new universe of poetry. Berlioz s Romeo and Juliet combines words with dramatic writing for orchestra and vocalists, paying homage to Shakespeare s drama and to Beethoven s Ninth Symphony. Also part of Mr. Dutoit s focus on Berlioz is an all-star performance of the composer s The Damnation of Faust, led by Simon Rattle (April 29 and May 2 in Verizon Hall; May 1 at Carnegie Hall). Mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená, tenor Giuseppe Sabbatini (in his Philadelphia Orchestra debut), and bass-baritones Eric Owens and Thomas Quasthoff are soloists. Completed in 1846, the work was inspired by Goethe s Faust, a retelling of the legend of a philosopher who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power. The marvelous book fascinated me from the first, wrote Berlioz of Goethe s book. I could not put it down. I read it incessantly, at meals, in the theatre, in the street. Mr. Dutoit s first season with the Orchestra concludes with performances of Berlioz s Requiem (June 18-19, 21) with tenor Paul Groves and The Philadelphia Singers Chorale, led by David Hayes. Although not religious in an orthodox sense, the composer was drawn to the imagery and drama of the Grande Messe des morts, the Catholic mass for the dead. His Requiem, one of his few compositions that won acclaim in France during his lifetime, is an impassioned vision of death and judgment. It was a favorite of Berlioz, who once wrote, If I were threatened with the destruction of the whole of my works save one, I should crave mercy for the Messe des morts. The work was last performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1983 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
PAGE 4 Charles Dutoit begins tenure as chief conductor and artistic adviser Ballets Russes A Russian Art Form in Paris The Philadelphia Orchestra s focus on the music of the Ballets Russes, the great 20 th - century ballet company founded by Sergei Diaghilev, begins with the complete ballet music from Stravinsky s The Firebird in the 2008-09 season (March 19-22, 24) and continues through the 2011-12 season. Based on a Russian folk tale about a magical bird with plumage that shines like fire, The Firebird centers on the hero Ivan, who falls in love with a beautiful captured maiden and enlists the bird to free his love. It was Stravinsky s first ballet for Diaghilev and its success brought the 28-year-old composer fame in Paris and abroad. For these performances, The Firebird is paired with works by two composers also closely associated with Ballets Russes: Maurice Ravel and Sergei Prokofiev. Ravel s Le Tombeau de Couperin and Prokofiev s Violin Concerto with soloist Lisa Batiashivili, in her Philadelphia Orchestra subscription debut, complete the program. Founded in 1909 by Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev, the Ballets Russes revolutionized the ballet world with its ground-breaking artistic collaboration among contemporary choreographers, composers, artists, and dancers. Over the next two decades, Diaghilev worked with choreographers such as Michel Fokine, George Balanchine, Leonid Massine, and Vaslav Nijinsky; designers including Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Georges Rouault; and composers Manuel de Falla, Claude Debussy, Francis Poulenc, Sergei Prokofiev, Maurice Ravel, Erik Satie, and Richard Strauss. Igor Stravinsky was virtually discovered and introduced to the world by Diaghilev, for whom the composer wrote The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911), and The Rite of Spring (1913), among other works. Charles Dutoit has a close connection with the musical tradition of the Ballets Russes through two teachers, French-born conductor Pierre Monteux and Swiss conductor Ernest Ansermet. Monteux became conductor of the Ballets Russes in 1911 and led the premieres of Stravinsky s Petrushka and The Rite of Spring, as well as Debussy s Jeux and Ravel s Daphnis and Chloé (1912). Ansermet followed Monteux, serving as conductor for the Ballets Russes from 1915 to 1923. As a young music student Mr. Dutoit, who considers Ansermet a mentor, attended the maestro s rehearsals with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Carnegie Hall s Honor! Festival Mr. Dutoit and The Philadelphia Orchestra appear at New York s Carnegie Hall as part of Honor! A Celebration of the African American Cultural Legacy, a special festival curated by legendary soprano Jessye Norman (March 17). The concert, which is dedicated to the memory of legendary African-American singer and Philadelphia native Marian Anderson, features Mahler s Songs of a Wayfarer with bass-baritone Eric Owens. A native of Philadelphia, Mr. Owens was awarded the Kennedy Center s Marian Anderson Award in 2003. Ms. Anderson, who was known for her performances of this Mahler work, appeared with The Philadelphia Orchestra
Charles Dutoit begins tenure as chief conductor and artistic adviser PAGE 5 and at Carnegie Hall numerous times during her career. The program, which also receives three Philadelphia performances (March 12-14), includes Milhaud s jazz-tinged The Creation of the World and Dvořák s Symphony No. 9 ( From the New World ), both works inspired by African-American music. Honor! A Celebration of the African American Cultural Legacy offers a personal exploration of the spiritual, gospel, jazz, R&B, and classical voices that have made African-American music celebrated throughout the world; it also pays tribute to these pioneering artists with nearly 20 concerts, recitals, and panel discussions at Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and other venues in New York. Additional Programs Led by Dutoit In addition to the previously mentioned programs, Mr. Dutoit leads performances of Beethoven s Coriolan Overture, Honegger s Symphony No. 3 ( Liturgical ), and Brahms s Violin Concerto with Julia Fischer as soloist (May 28-31). In June, he conducts Ravel s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand and Liszt s Totentanz both featuring Jean-Yves Thibaudet paired with Rachmaninoff s Symphonic Dances and Ravel s La Valse (June 3-7), and Debussy s Images with Shostakovich s Symphony No. 5 (June 12-13, 16). Charles Dutoit Chief conductor and artistic adviser of The Philadelphia Orchestra, beginning in September 2008, as well as artistic director and principal conductor of the Royal Philharmonic, beginning in 2009, Charles Dutoit regularly collaborates with the world s leading orchestras. Since his debut with The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1980, Mr. Dutoit has been invited each season to conduct all the major orchestras of the United States, including those of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland. He has also performed regularly with all the great orchestras of Europe, including the Berlin Philharmonic and Amsterdam s Concertgebouw Orchestra, as well as the Israel Philharmonic and the major orchestras of Japan, South America, and Australia. Mr. Dutoit has recorded extensively for Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, EMI, Philips, CBS, Erato, and other labels with American, European, and Japanese orchestras. His more than 170 recordings, half of them with the Montreal Symphony, have garnered more than 40 awards and distinctions. Since 1990 Mr. Dutoit has been artistic director and principal conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra s summer festival at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Between 1990 and 1999, he also directed the Orchestra s summer series at The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, and led
PAGE 6 Charles Dutoit begins tenure as chief conductor and artistic adviser them in a series of distinctive recordings. From 1991 to 2001, he was music director of the Orchestre National de France. In 1996 he was appointed principal conductor, and in 1998 music director, of the NHK Symphony in Tokyo. For 25 years (1977 to 2002), Mr. Dutoit was artistic director of the Montreal Symphony. When still in his early 20s, Mr. Dutoit was invited by Herbert von Karajan to lead the Vienna State Opera. Mr. Dutoit has since conducted regularly at Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. He also led productions at the Los Angeles Music Center Opera and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. Mr. Dutoit holds honorary doctorates from McGill University, the University of Montréal, and Université Laval. In 1982 he was named Musician of the Year by the Canadian Music Council; in 1988 the same organization awarded him the Canadian Music Council Medal. In 1991 Mr. Dutoit was made an Honorary Citizen of the City of Philadelphia. In 1994 the Canadian Conference of the Arts awarded him their Diploma of Honour. In 1995 the government of Québec named him Grand Officier de l Ordre National du Québec, and in 1996 the government of France made him Commandeur de l Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He has also been invested as an Honorary Officer of the Order of Canada, the country s highest award of merit. Mr. Dutoit was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, and his musical training took him to Geneva, Siena, Venice, and Tanglewood, where he worked with Charles Munch. A globetrotter motivated by his passion for history and archaeology, political science, art, and architecture, Mr. Dutoit has traveled and visited all the nations of the world. He maintains residences in Switzerland, Paris, Montreal, Buenos Aires, and Tokyo The Philadelphia Orchestra Founded in 1900, The Philadelphia Orchestra has distinguished itself as one of the leading orchestras in the world through a century of acclaimed performances, historic international tours, best-selling recordings, and its unprecedented record of innovation in recording technologies and outreach. The Orchestra has maintained an unparalleled unity in artistic leadership with only seven music directors throughout its history: Fritz Scheel (1900-07), Carl Pohlig (1907-12), Leopold Stokowski (1912-41), Eugene Ormandy (1936-80), Riccardo Muti (1980-92), Wolfgang Sawallisch (1993-2003), and Christoph Eschenbach (2003-08). This rich tradition is carried on by Charles Dutoit, who was appointed chief conductor and artistic adviser of The Philadelphia Orchestra from the 2008-09 season through the 2011-12 season. Mr. Dutoit has a long-standing relationship with the Orchestra, having made his debut with the ensemble in 1980. Highlights of his first season include the Opening Night Concert, featuring
pianist Martha Argerich; performances of Berlioz s Romeo and Juliet and Requiem, part of Mr. Dutoit s four-year focus on the works of that composer; the U.S. premiere of Krzysztof Penderecki s Concerto grosso No. 1 for three cellos, part of the Orchestra s celebration of Mr. Penderecki s 75th birthday; and Honegger s Symphony No. 3 ( Liturgical ). During his tenure, Mr. Dutoit will also focus on the music of the Ballets Russes, beginning in the 2008-09 season with performances of Stravinsky s complete music to The Firebird. Recent Philadelphia Orchestra highlights include the opening of the Orchestra s Online Music Store, www.thephiladelphiaorchestra.com; regular broadcasts on NPR; a series of critically acclaimed recordings led by Mr. Eschenbach and released in partnership with Ondine Records; and a $125 million endowment campaign. The Philadelphia Orchestra annually touches the lives of more than one million music lovers worldwide through its performances, publications, recordings, and broadcasts. The Orchestra presents a subscription season in Philadelphia each year from September to May, in addition to education and community partnership programs, and appears annually at Carnegie Hall. Its summer schedule includes an outdoor series at Philadelphia s Mann Center for the Performing Arts, free Neighborhood Concerts, and residencies at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in upstate New York. For more information about The Philadelphia Orchestra please visit www.philorch.org. # # #