Nelsons to shine a light on Latvia in BSO’s 2018-19 season

March 22, 2018 at 3:00 pm

By Aaron Keebaugh

Andris Nelsons will conduct two commissioned world premieres by Latvian composers in the Boston Symphony Orchestra's 2018-19 season.

Andris Nelsons will conduct two premieres by Latvian composers in the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s 2018-19 season.

Music by Latvian and American composers and works by traditional masters are on tap for the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s 2018-2019 season.

In his fifth season as music director, Andris Nelsons will lead fourteen programs. Among those, he will introduce two new works by composers from his native Latvia in honor of the 100th anniversary of Latvian Independence. Maija Einfelde’s Lux Aeterna will spotlight the Tanglewood Festival Chorus (October 25-27, 30). Nelsons will also lead the American premiere of Andris Dzenïtis’Māra (November 8-10, 13).

Nelsons will also turn his attention to American works. In concerts February 7-8 and 12 he will lead Copland’s Symphony No. 3 and Olly Wilson’s Lumina.

As for additional new music, Nelsons will include the world premiere of Sebastian Currier’s Aether, featuring violinist Baiba Skride (May 2-4, 2019), the American premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Remembering: In Memoriam Evan Scofield (November 1-3, 6), and HK Gruber’s Aerial, which will feature trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger as soloist (November 15-17).

The BSO’s ongoing multi-season survey of Shostakovich’s symphonies will also continue next season. Nelsons will conduct the Symphony No. 1 (November 9-10, 13) and Symphony No. 15 (April 25-27, 30, 2019), both of which will be recorded for release on the Deutsche Grammophon label.

The BSO-Gewandhaus Orchestra Alliance will continue next as well as Nelsons leads Bach’s Christmas Oratorio for Leipzig Week in Boston (November 29-December 1).

As for Mahler, Nelsons will lead performances of the composer’s Symphony No. 2 (October 25-27, 30) and Symphony No. 5 (November 15-17). The BSO’s Bruckner cycle will continue next season when the conductor leads the composer’s unfinished Symphony No. 9 (February 14-16).

Concert opera will return to Symphony Hall when Nelsons leads Puccini’s one-act Suor Angelica in concerts February 21 and 23,starring Kristine Opolais and Violetta Urmana, and Boston’s own Lorelei Ensemble.

Other programs to be led by Nelsons will include Dvořák’s little-heard Stabat Mater (February 28-March 2) and an all-Strauss program that will feature Also Sprach Zarathustra and the final scene from Capriccio, with soprano Renée Fleming (March 14-16, 2019). 

Podium guests next season will include BSO Artistic Partner and conductor Thomas Adès in the premiere of his own Piano Concerto, which will spotlight Kirill Gerstein as soloist (March 7-9, 2019). 

The first concerts of the season will showcase the BSO’s string, wind, brass, and percussion sections in individual works. The concert will culminate with Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra. Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu will lead in his BSO debut (October 11-13).

Gustavo Dudamel will lead six concerts at Symphony Hall, including an all-Latin-American program of music by Paul Desenne, Ginastera’s Piano Concerto No. 1, with Sergio Tiempo as soloist, and Estevez’s Cantata Criolla (April 11-13, 2019).

John Storgårds will make his Symphony Hall debut January 24-26 and 29 leading Kaija Saariaho’s Ciel d’hiver as well as music by Mozart and Sibelius. Andrew Manze will also make his BSO debut with music by Bacewicz, Mozart, and Mendelssohn (April 18-20). Thomas Wilkins will make his subscription debut leading a one-off program of mostly African-American music by Adolphus Hailstork, Roberto Sierra, Florence Price, and Duke Ellington on March 23, 2019.

Conductors returning to Symphony Hall will include Juanjo Mena in works by Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Janácek (January 31-February 2, 5), Herbert Blomstedt in works by Haydn and Brahms (January 17-19, 22), and Sir Andrew Davis leading John Harbison’s Symphony No. 2 and Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 5 (January 10-12).

BSO Associate conductor Ken-David Masur will lead works by Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev alongside Harbison’s Remembering Gatsby (October 18-20, 23). And BSO Assistant Conductor Shi-Yeong Sung will lead music by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, Felix Mendelssohn, and Dvorák (January 3-5).

Next season will also see the debut of the Boston Symphony Children’s Choir, led by James Burton. The singers will be heard in Puccini’s Suor Angelica and Britten’s Friday Afternoons (February 22).

Singers and soloists to appear next season will include Erin Morley and Bernarda Fink in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and Carolyn Sampson, Christine Rice, Sebastian Kohlhepp, and Andrè Schuen in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Violinist Lisa Batiashvili will perform Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto No. 1 (February 7-9, 12), pianist Yuja Wang will appear as soloist in Schumann’s Piano Concerto (February 14-16), and Daniil Trifonov will offer Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 (April 25-27, 30, 2019).

The BSO will also embark on an eight-city European tour from September 2 through the 17, which will feature a stop in Leipzig in recognition of the BSO-Gewandhaus Orchestra alliance.

In a concert in collaboration with the Celebrity Series, Thomas Adès and Kirill Gerstein will perform a joint recital of music by Debussy, Stravinsky, Lutoslawski, Adès, and Ravel on March 15 in Jordan Hall.

The Boston Symphony Chamber Players will also offer four performances in Jordan Hall next season, Highlights include works by Michael Gandolfi, the world premiere of a new work by Elena Langer (both on March 3, 2019), and a concert celebrating the 80thbirthday of John Harbison (January 13).

Subscriptions go on sale Friday March 23 at 10 a.m. Single tickets go on sale August 13. bso.org; 888-266-1200

 

 

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