International Concert Season 2012-2013 Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF THE HALLÉ IN NOTTINGHAM
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Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
International Concert Season 2012-2013 Hear more sensational sounds for less!
Mix it up with a flexible subscription
It’s a special season in 2012-2013 as we celebrate ten years of the Hallé in Nottingham and the 30th anniversary of the Royal Concert Hall. So it’s the perfect time to become a subscriber. Just book three concerts or more in advance and you can make big savings on your ticket purchases - as much as £115 if you’re booking for the whole season. Subscribing also helps you to make space in a busy diary for some quality time.
If you don’t want to commit to all 12 concerts then try a flexible subscription. This allows you to choose freely from the different concerts in the season. Flexible subscriptions start at just three concerts and you’ll save at least 10% off all your ticket purchases.
Become a full season subscriber and get four extra concerts FREE! If you book in advance for all 12 Subscription Series concerts then you get 25% off all your tickets and a free ticket to hear the BBC Philharmonic’s Discovering Sibelius concert on 15 May - that’s four concerts free when compared with the price you’d pay if you booked them all separately. 12-concert subscribers also get an exclusive 25% discount on tickets for the Czech Philharmonic concert on 18 April.
SPECTACULAR
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Jaw-dropping concerts at a special price We’ve made it really easy to subscribe with our Spectacular Six package. This brings together the biggest, loudest and most exciting concerts in the season - a full choice of seats, big savings and guaranteed thrills! Each Spectacular Six concert is clearly marked in the brochure - just look for the Spectacular Six symbol.
More great benefits • Priority booking for all concerts in the 2012-2013 season - you get to book before tickets go on general sale • Choose your favourite seats for each concert - the earlier you book, the better your seats • Get a free concert programme when you book ten or more concerts (saving you up to £30) • No booking fees charged on any subscription purchases • Free ticket exchange if you can’t make a particular concert • Exclusive discounts at Classical CD, Nottingham’s specialist classical retailer • Exclusive offers on tickets for other events at the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall For full details on how to become a subscriber and information on other ways to save money on your concert tickets take a look at the centre pages of this brochure or call the Box Office on 0115 989 5555.
Cover image: Sir Mark Elder with the Hallé © Robert Day
THE HALLÉ Sir Mark Elder Alisa Weilerstein
conductor cello
Alisa Weilerstein © Jamie Jung
WEDNESDAY 26 SEPTEMBER, 7.30PM
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Women’s voices of Nottingham Harmonic Choir Stravinsky Elgar Holst
Fireworks Cello Concerto The Planets
What better way to launch the Hallé’s 10th anniversary in Nottingham than with some fireworks? In this case it’s the dazzling orchestral showpiece that the young Stravinsky wrote for the wedding of Rimsky-Korsakov's daughter. The mood of Elgar’s Cello Concerto could hardly be more different; his last major work is a poignant farewell to a world blown apart by the Great War. The outstanding young American cellist Alisa Weilerstein joins Sir Mark Elder for a keenly anticipated performance. Gustav Holst’s The Planets was the first piece that the Hallé performed when it became the resident orchestra in Nottingham so it’s fitting that the concert ends with this spectacular modern classic. Inspired by his interest in astrology, Holst’s masterpiece vividly captures the characters of each planet, from the ferocity of Mars, the Bringer of War, to the ethereal chill of Neptune, the Mystic. Nearly a hundred years after its first performance it remains one of the most brilliantly original works for orchestra, drawing every ounce of colour from its huge orchestral forces. SPECTACULAR
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Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Tickets: £10 - £32
Cordelia Williams
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FRIDAY 12 OCTOBER, 7.30PM
NORTHERN SINFONIA John Wilson Cordelia Williams
conductor piano
Coates Gershwin Ravel Vaughan Williams
Dancing Nights - concert valse Lullaby for Strings Piano Concerto in G Symphony No. 5
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Tickets: £10 - £32 ‘Why be a second-rate Ravel, when you are a first-rate Gershwin?’ the French composer asked his American admirer when he requested lessons. As one of the early 20th century’s central musical figures Ravel exerted a powerful influence; even the doyen of British light music, Eric Coates, quotes Ravel’s La Valse in his exquisite Dancing Nights. But Ravel wasn’t himself immune to the allure of jazz and his Piano Concerto in G - performed here by rising star Cordelia Williams - has intoxicating echoes of Gershwin. Vaughan Williams studied with Ravel between 1907 and 1908 and his superb orchestration owes a debt to the French master. His 5th symphony, dedicated to Sibelius, is his most beautiful and transparent, offering a sublime vision of peace against the clouds of the Second World War. John Wilson, a world-leading conductor of British music with impressive jazz credentials, is the ideal maestro in this richly textured programme. Estimated finishing time: 9.25pm ● Free pre-concert talk, 6.30pm in the auditorium: John Wilson in conversation
SUNDAY PIANO SERIES
SUNDAY 21 OCTOBER, 11.00AM Jenny Lin performs Bach, Shostakovich, Mozart, Debussy and Stravinsky (see page 17 for details)
AFTER HOURS
20 minutes after the main performance. Free admission to Northern Sinfonia ticket holders. £3 for non-ticket holders Northern Sinfonia wind ensemble Tabakova Metamorphoses (world première) Higgins After Fallout (UK première) Ferneyhough Prometheus Recorded for broadcast by BBC Radio 3 as part of the Royal Philharmonic Society's Encore Scheme.
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THURSDAY 25 OCTOBER, 7.30PM
DRESDEN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Michael Sanderling Mikhail Simonyan
conductor violin
Prokofiev Khachaturian v Dvorák
Suite from Cinderella Violin Concerto Symphony No. 9 ‘From the New World’
The fast-rising Russian star, Mikhail Simonyan, takes centre stage for this concert of Eastern European classics. Aram Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto, brimming with Armenian spirit and irresistible rhythmic drive, offers plenty of opportunity for his virtuosity to shine. Before that, Prokofiev’s ballet music to Cinderella makes great play with the scenes and characters of the classic fairy story, its magic and romance captured in some of the composer’s most affecting melodies and dashing wit.
Estimated finishing time: 9.45pm SPECTACULAR
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Mikhail Simonyan © Lisa-Marie Mazzucco
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Dvorák’s ‘New World’ Symphony was his tribute to a country that had treated him well during his time as Director of New York’s National Conservatory of Music. America’s wide horizons, its legends and the emotive sounds of Spirituals, inspired him to create a powerful and atmospheric soundscape that also harks back to his Bohemian homeland. It’s an irresistible blend, ensuring the symphony’s enduring appeal over more than a century.
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Tickets: £10 - £32
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WEDNESDAY 7 NOVEMBER, 7.30PM
THE HALLÉ GALA CONCERT Ten years in Nottingham Sir Mark Elder v Simon Trpceski
conductor piano
Elgar Grieg v Dvorák v Janácek
Overture: Cockaigne Piano Concerto Scherzo Capriccioso Sinfonietta
This gala evening celebrates the achievements of the Hallé as our resident orchestra over the past ten years, beginning with the composer most closely associated with Sir Mark Elder and his orchestra. Elgar described his overture, Cockaigne, as ‘cheerful and Londony, "stout and steaky"' and it’s hard to resist this affectionate portrait of the city, complete with church bells, courting couples, and a chest-puffing military band. Then we’re off to Norway, with Grieg’s passionate Piano Concerto performed by the phenomenal Macedonian pianist Simon Trpceski. v
Dvorák’s Scherzo Capriccioso was written whilst the composer was enjoying the first fruits of success and his buoyant spirits are felt throughout this jovial work. Dvorák’s compatriot Janácek provides the festive finale. His Sinfonietta began life as a set of fanfares to accompany gymnastic displays but is now much loved as a vibrant orchestral spectacular. v
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● Free pre-concert talk, 6.30pm in the auditorium: Geoffrey Owen, the Hallé’s Head of Artistic Planning, in conversation
SUNDAY PIANO SERIES
SUNDAY 11 NOVEMBER, 11.00AM Di Xiao performs Chopin, Ravel, Beethoven and Debussy (see page 17 for details).
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Estimated finishing time: 9.35pm
Simon Trpceski © Simon Fowler - EMI Classics
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Tickets: £10 - £32. Add £5 to join the post-concert party with live music and the chance to chat with Hallé players over a glass of bubbly.
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FRIDAY 7 DECEMBER, 7.30PM
SINFONIA VIVA Andrew Gourlay Christian Ihle Hadland
conductor piano
Schubert Saint-Saëns Mozart
Symphony No. 5 Piano Concerto No. 2 Symphony No. 40
This concert unites two exciting young talents. Dynamic British conductor Andrew Gourlay makes his first appearance with sinfonia ViVA and is joined by BBC New Generation Artist Christian Ihle Hadland for Saint-Saëns’ Second Piano Concerto. Composed in 1868 its stylistic swings initially met with some sardonic comments (one complained that ‘it begins with Bach and ends with Offenbach’) but its wit and high spirits have since made it one of his most popular works. Schubert wrote his sparkling 5th Symphony in a burst of creativity in 1816. Classical in scale and light on its feet it makes a perfect companion to Mozart’s 40th Symphony, also written during a period of inspiration for the composer in 1788. Robert Schumann praised its ‘Grecian lightness and grace’ but it’s the restless tensions and quiet pathos running through this late masterpiece that makes it such a compelling experience.
● Free pre-concert talk, 6.30pm in the auditorium: Andrew Gourlay in conversation
Andrew Gourlay © Shambhala
Estimated finishing time: 9.35pm
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Tickets: £10 - £32
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TUESDAY 18 DECEMBER, 7.30PM
THE HALLÉ CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Programme includes: Humperdinck Delius Handel Korngold Adam Tchaikovsky Harline/Washington Rebikov Ireland Prokofiev Williams
Hansel and Gretel Overture Sleigh Ride ‘Rejoice’ from The Messiah Prelude: The Snowman O Holy Night Excerpts from The Nutcracker When you Wish Upon a Star Christmas Tree Waltz The Holy Boy Troika from Lieutenant Kije ET’s Adventures on Earth
With a festive mix of great Christmas numbers from Winter Wonderland to The Twelve Days of Christmas. Tickets £10 - £32 Who better to light up a dark winter night than the acclaimed Welsh soprano Elin Manahan Thomas? Her angelic voice graces this sparkling programme of seasonal favourites including Humperdinck’s magical overture to his opera Hansel and Gretel, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, and some lovely, snow-flecked miniatures by Erich Korngold and Vladimir Rebikov. You can hitch yourself to no less than three sleigh rides, including Prokofiev’s joyful Troika and a charming early tone poem by Delius, and join in the fun with some good old-fashioned audience participation. Finally, since Christmas is about feel-good stories, what better way to wrap it up than with John Williams’ brilliant score to ET - music that’s really out of this world. Estimated finishing time: 9.30pm
Elin Manahan Thomas
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Roderick Dunk conductor Elin Manahan Thomas soprano
Sinfonia ViVA © Marco Borggreve
TUESDAY 5 FEBRUARY, 7.30PM
SINFONIA VIVA Garry Walker Thomas Gould Guy Johnston
conductor violin cello
Haydn Brahms Beethoven
Symphony No. 70 Concerto for Violin and Cello Symphony No. 5
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Scottish conductor Garry Walker takes on this meaty Germanic programme, beginning with Haydn’s Symphony No. 70. Written in 1779, it was a striking return to form after some lukewarm reviews and shows Haydn at his vigorous best. Over a hundred years later, Brahms composed his ‘Double Concerto’, his last major orchestral work and a peace offering to the violinist Joachim. Brahms described it as his ‘strange flight of fancy... for fiddle and cello’ but it was quite revolutionary in its day, the two soloists taking leading roles in an absorbing orchestral drama. The novelist E M Forster famously proclaimed that ‘Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is the most sublime noise that has ever penetrated into the ear of man.’ A grand claim perhaps, but there’s no doubting the stature of this Romantic giant. From the fateful opening - sounded by the most famous four notes in classical music to the triumphant finale, this is music with an irresistible sense of purpose. ● Free pre-concert talk, 6.30pm in the auditorium: Professor Robert Pascall on Brahms’s Double Concerto Estimated finishing time: 9.20pm
AFTER HOURS
20 minutes after the main performance. Free admission to sinfonia ViVA ticket holders. £3 for non-ticket holders Tine Thing Helseth trumpet Members of sinfonia ViVA Turnage Pärt Macmillan
An Aria (with dancing) Fratres Seraph
Norwegian trumpet star Tine Thing Helseth performs James Macmillan’s celestially-inspired Seraph and Mark Anthony Turnage’s spring-loaded study for solo trumpet. Arvo Pärt’s Fratres provides a meditative interlude. A co-promotion with
SUNDAY PIANO SERIES
SUNDAY 27 JANUARY, 11.00AM Louise Bessette performs Bax, Fauré, Brahms and Lecuona (see page 17 for details).
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Tickets £10 - £32
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THURSDAY 28 FEBRUARY, 7.30PM
BBC PHILHARMONIC Yutaka Sado Ruth Palmer
conductor violin
Rimsky-Korsakov Korngold Tchaikovsky
Capriccio Espagnol Violin Concerto Symphony No. 4
Big tunes and bright colours dominate this programme from the BBC Philharmonic. Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol sets the tone with gypsy rhythms and fiery fandangos brilliantly captured in the composer’s peerless orchestration. Erich Korngold’s name will forever be associated with the swashbucklers of Errol Flynn but he was also a prolific orchestral and opera composer and hailed by Mahler as a genius. His 1945 Violin Concerto was written for the great Jascha Heifetz and spans both classical and cinematic worlds with its soaring melodies and virtuosic displays. For the ideal soloist look no further than Ruth Palmer, a young British violinist with a reputation for passionate performances. As with Beethoven’s Fifth (see page 9), Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony begins with the figure of Fate, this time proclaimed in an arresting brass fanfare. It’s the prelude to an epic struggle in which Tchaikovsky exorcises his personal demons in music that veers from blistering ferocity to quiet resignation. Expect adrenalin rushes aplenty, not least in the finale when Tchaikovsky whips up a storm with a breathless Russian dance. Estimated finishing time: 9.30pm ● Free pre-concert talk, 6.30pm in the auditorium: Korngold’s Violin Concerto - speaker to be announced.
SUNDAY PIANO SERIES
SPECTACULAR
SUNDAY 24 FEBRUARY, 11.00AM Juho Pohjonen performs Grieg, Schumann and Sibelius (see page 17 for details).
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Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Tickets: £10 - £32
Vasily Petrenko © Mark McNulty
FRIDAY 15 MARCH, 7.30PM
ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Vasily Petrenko Denis Kozhukhin
conductor piano
Respighi-Rossini Prokofiev Stravinsky
La Boutique Fantasque Piano Concerto No. 3 Petrushka (1911 version)
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Vasily Petrenko makes his first appearance in Nottingham with his acclaimed orchestra and a programme built on two ballet scores written for the impresario Serge Diaghilev. La Boutique Fantasque began life as a set of unpublished piano pieces by Rossini but Respighi’s orchestral flair transformed them into the bravura ballet that we know today. As with the dolls in Rossini’s magical toy shop, Stravinsky’s masterpiece Petrushka brings a puppet to life at the St Petersburg Shrovetide Fair and tells his tragic tale through some of the composer’s most evocative and moving music. Prokofiev’s most popular piano concerto was written around the same time as the two ballets. Lively, incisive and brilliantly orchestrated, it’s one of the young composer’s greatest achievements. The virtuosic solo part explores an impressive array of different textures and makes great demands of the soloist. Ours is an exceptional young talent; still in his twenties, Denis Kozhukhin is a multi-awardwinning pianist whose standout Prokofiev performances have marked him for greatness. ● Free pre-concert talk, 6.30pm in the auditorium: Professor Robert Adlington on Stravinsky’s Petrushka
SPECTACULAR
Estimated finishing time: 9.25pm
SUNDAY PIANO SERIES
SUNDAY 10 MARCH, 11.00AM Richard Uttley performs Grieg, Liszt, Bartók and Debussy (see page 17 for details).
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AFTER HOURS
20 minutes after the main performance. Free admission to RLPO ticket holders. £3 for non-ticket holders Tamsin Waley-Cohen J S Bach Causton Ysaÿe
violin Chaconne from Partita in D minor Fantasia and Air Sonata No. 5
‘Extreme’ violin from one of Britain’s most exciting young soloists, starting with the technical and emotional hurdles of Bach's Chaconne. Richard Causton's inventive showpiece is a real thriller whilst Ysaÿe’s 5th Sonata is sensuous and pyrotechnic.
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Tickets: £10 - £32
Sir Mark Elder © Simon Dodd
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SATURDAY 6 APRIL, 7.30PM
THE HALLÉ
Sir Mark Elder conductor Christine Rice mezzo-soprano Nottingham Harmonic Choir Sibelius Elgar Sibelius
The Bard The Music Makers Symphony No. 2
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Tickets: £10 - £32 This concert features two composers championed by Sir Mark Elder. Sibelius’s tone poem is a haunting study in atmosphere built around that most Bardic of instruments, the harp. The visionary figure of the artist is also at the heart of Elgar’s dramatic choral work, The Music Makers, inspired by an 1874 poem by Arthur O’Shaughnessy. In music of rapidly shifting moods, Elgar reflects on his calling as a composer, often quoting his most famous works, including the Enigma Variations, his symphonies and The Dream of Gerontius. The expressive mezzo-soprano role is taken in this performance by international opera star Christine Rice. Sibelius's second symphony dates from a trip he made to Italy in early 1901. He struggled to complete the work and revised it several times but the finished article quickly enjoyed success in Finland and has since become his most popular symphony. His last major Romantic work, it’s driven by a heroic sense of purpose, its sinewy themes and steely climaxes leading to a glorious, hymn-like conclusion. ● Free pre-concert talk, 6.30pm in the auditorium: A question and answer session with Sir Mark Elder on the Hallé residency in Nottingham Estimated finishing time: 9.30pm
AFTER HOURS
20 minutes after the main performance. Free admission to Hallé ticket holders. £3 for non-ticket holders Nottingham Harmonic Choir Richard Laing Music Director Purcell Rütti Lauridsen
Hear My Prayer Requiem (excerpts) O magnum mysterium
Choral masterpieces past and present, from Henry Purcell’s impassioned Hear My Prayer to Carl Rütti’s powerful Requiem and Morten Lauridsen’s serene O magnum mysterium.
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CZECH PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Jirí Belohlávek © Clive Barda
THURSDAY 18 APRIL, 7.30PM
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conductor piano
Smetana Beethoven Smetana v Dvorák
Vltava Piano Concerto No. 5 ‘Emperor’ From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields Symphony No. 5
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Jirí Belohlávek Freddy Kempf
In this anniversary season we are thrilled to welcome back the world-renowned Czech Philharmonic Orchestra with its inspirational chief conductor for this gala performance. The centrepiece of the concert is Beethoven’s majestic ‘Emperor’ Concerto. The composer’s most expansive and technically demanding concerto for piano is played here by British pianist Freddy Kempf, whose Beethoven performances have received worldwide acclaim. The rest of the programme is built on the twin musical pillars of Czech Nationalism. Smetana’s Vltava and From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields are two of the most evocative scenes from his symphonic sequence Ma Vlast, ‘My Homeland’, and respectively capture the progress of the river coursing through his country and rustic scenes of its countryside. Dvorák’s 5th Symphony also has a pastoral quality and its youthful vigour reflects the composer’s buoyant spirits at a time when he had really found his voice. v
Estimated finishing time: 9.45pm Please Note: This concert is not part of the Subscription Series.
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Tickets: £15 - £39.50
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THURSDAY 2 MAY, 7.30PM
THE HALLÉ
Cristian Mandeal conductor Alexander Romanovsky piano Rachmaninov Berlioz
Piano Concerto No. 3 Symphonie Fantastique
Rachmaninov’s 3rd Piano Concerto provides an ardent first half to this richly Romantic concert. The most ambitious of his concertos it’s as long as many symphonies. The expressive range is no less impressive and, coupled with its numerous virtuosic hurdles, the concerto is one of the biggest challenges for concert pianists. It’s also an unforgettable live experience as you’ll discover when the young Russian pianist Alexander Romanovsky - a Rachmaninovian to the core - lets his fingers loose on it.
Alexander Romanovsky © Melina Mulas
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Tickets: £10 - £32
As the most extreme incarnation of the Romantic artist, Hector Berlioz was renowned for his larger than life approach to both life and art. So when he became infatuated with the young Irish actress Harriet Smithson the result was the most outlandish piece to have scandalised the concert halls of Europe. His Symphonie Fantastique tells the tale of ‘a young musician of morbid sensibility’ who attempts suicide by taking laudanum but succeeds only in inducing a hallucinatory series of visions of his beloved, from an intoxicating ball to a riotous witches’ Sabbath. One of the great thrill rides in all orchestral music you can expect it to be doubly gripping in the hands of Cristian Mandeal, a conductor with a brilliant ear for characterisation. Estimated finishing time: 9.35pm SPECTACULAR
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● Free pre-concert talk, 6.30pm in the auditorium: Tim Jones on Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique
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John Storgårds Stephen Johnson
conductor presenter
Grieg Sibelius
Lyric Suite Symphony No. 4
Tickets: £10
Nowadays the Fourth Symphony is widely recognised as one of Sibelius’s finest achievements, even if its meanings prove difficult to unlock. To cast some light on this elusive masterpiece, we welcome back BBC Radio 3 regular Stephen Johnson. He’ll be placing the Symphony in the context of Sibelius’s life and work and exploring its soundworld, with live illustrations from the BBC Philharmonic, before a full performance of the symphony. By way of relief from the darker skies of Sibelius’s Fourth, John Storgårds will also be conducting Grieg’s Lyric Suite, a set of four contrasting piano pieces that Grieg orchestrated in 1903 to enchanting effect. Estimated finishing time: 9.20pm Please Note: This concert is not part of the Subscription Series.
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
BBC PHILHARMONIC Discovering Sibelius
By common consent Sibelius’s Fourth is his most enigmatic symphony. Craggy, remote, sometimes threatening, it’s a far cry from the upbeat Third and heroic Fifth symphonies that flank it. Its austere musical language suggests a time of crisis for the composer, one response to which was a greater willingness to experiment. Unsurprisingly its first audiences were puzzled by it.
John Storgårds © Marco Borggreve
WEDNESDAY 15 MAY, 7.30PM
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FRIDAY 28 JUNE, 7.30PM
CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Andris Nelsons conductor Lucy Crowe soprano Mihoko Fujimura alto Ben Johnson tenor Iain Paterson bass City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus Mendelssohn Beethoven
Symphony No. 4 ‘Italian’ Symphony No. 9 ‘Choral’
The matchless combination of Andris Nelsons and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra provides our final concert of this season. And as it takes place at the end of June it’s appropriate to begin with Mendelssohn’s sun-drenched ‘Italian’ Symphony. A ten month tour of Italy in 1830 left him with an overwhelming impression of the ‘land of nature, delighting every heart,’ and inspired him to write his most effervescent symphony three years later. One of the most moving stories of Beethoven is that one of the soloists at the première of his 9th Symphony in 1824 had to turn the deaf composer around so that he could witness the tumultuous applause. Few there could have doubted its seismic status. Visionary in scope, extreme in its gestures and technically daunting (horn players still have cold sweats about one notorious solo), it’s a piece which tears at the boundaries of the classical symphony, nowhere more so than in the choral finale that proclaims the words of Schiller’s Ode to Joy. It’s one of the most ecstatic moments in musical history and the perfect end to a celebratory season. Estimated finishing time: 9.25pm ● Free pre-concert talk, 6.30pm in the auditorium: Neil Bennison previews the 2013-2014 season
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Andris Nelsons with the CBSO © Neil Pugh
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Tickets: £10 - £32
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Enjoy an hour of great music in the company of some of the most exciting stars of the piano. Our Sunday Morning Series offers a thrilling mix of classic works and rare gems from Chopin to Lecuona with the chance to chat with the artists over coffee and cake after the concert.
SUNDAY 21 OCTOBER, 11AM
SUNDAY 24 FEBRUARY, 11AM
Bach & Shostakovich Mozart Debussy Stravinsky/Agosti
Grieg Schumann Sibelius
Juho Pohjonen © Marco Borggreve
Louise Bessette © Robert Etcheverry
Di Xiao
JENNY LIN
Preludes and Fugues (selection) Sonata No. 8 in A minor Feux d’Artifice Infernal Dance, Berceuse and Finale from The Firebird
JUHO POHJONEN
Holberg Suite Fantasie in C major Finlandia
SUNDAY 10 MARCH, 11AM SUNDAY 11 NOVEMBER, 11AM*
DI XIAO Beethoven Peixung Chen & Guang Ren Chopin Debussy Ravel
Sonata No. 14 ‘Moonlight’ Two Chinese Moon Songs Preludes, Nos. 3 & 15 Two Arabesques Miroirs - Oiseaux tristes and Alborada del gracioso
SUNDAY 27 JANUARY, 11AM
LOUISE BESSETTE Richard Uttley © Benjamin Harte
Sponsored by
Bax Fauré Brahms Lecuona
Finale from 5 Pièces sur le nom de Gabriel Fauré Nocturne No. 4 3 Intermezzi Suite Andalucia
RICHARD UTTLEY Haydn Bartók Debussy Liszt
Piano Sonata No. 60 6 Romanian Folk Dances Estampes Années de pèlerinage, Première Année: Suisse (selection)
Tickets: £10, including coffee/tea and cake.
★ PIANO SERIES SAVER Book for all five Sunday Morning concerts and save 10% on your ticket purchases. *This concert will begin at 11.05am to allow two minutes’ silence on Remembrance Sunday. There will be a retiring collection in aid of the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal after the concert.
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Jenny Lin
SUNDAY MORNING PIANO SERIES
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SPECIAL EVENT FRIDAY 26 OCTOBER, 7.30PM
A Celebration of Rodgers and Hammerstein and Rodgers and Hart Following on from their sold out shows in 2011, John Wilson & the John Wilson Orchestra, with special guests, return with this spectacular concert celebrating the timeless musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein with classics from Oklahoma, The King and I, South Pacific, Carousel and The Sound of Music. The concert will also include a tribute to Rodgers' other long-term songwriting partnership with Lorenz Hart. Tickets £19.50 - £43 Please Note: This concert is not part of the Subscription Series.
John Wilson © Chris Christodouloue
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
JOHN WILSON & THE JOHN WILSON ORCHESTRA with special guests Kim Criswell Julian Ovenden Sir Thomas Allen
SPECIAL EVENT SATURDAY 8 JUNE, 7.30PM
ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Bernstein on Broadway David Charles Abell Mary Carewe Sarah Eyden Graham Bickley
conductor vocalist vocalist vocalist
Join us for this celebration of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein’s fabulous musicals in an evening full of the glitz and glamour of Broadway. This sensational concert features music from the composer’s hit musicals including West Side Story, On the Town, Candide and Wonderful Town. Conductor David Charles Abell is joined by an impressive line up of West End vocalists who’ll be treating us to a feast of favourite songs including New York, New York, Tonight, Glitter and Be Gay, America, I Can Cook Too, A Little Bit in Love and many more. With orchestral thrills delivered by the mighty Royal Philharmonic Orchestra this is an electrifying evening that no Bernstein fan will want to miss. Tickets: £12.50 - £35 Please Note: This concert is not part of the Subscription Series.
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Graham Bickley
Sarah Eyden
Mary Carewe © Maurice Voxhall
David Charles Abell © Cory Weaver
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FOR SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES FRIDAY 14 JUNE, 2.00PM
FRIDAY 14 JUNE, 6.00PM
NOWHEAR THIS!
DRIVETIME
The Hallé are back with another eye-opening, jaw-dropping and hairraising concert for children aged 8 to 12. Presented by French horn player Tom Redmond, Now Hear This is the perfect introduction to the awesome sounds of the orchestra and offers the chance to get a piece of the action in the Come and Play performance for young musicians and in a 2000-strong performance of music from the Sing Up Songbank. Tickets £3. Teachers’ pack and booking form available from January 2013.
Drivetime Choir © Robert Day
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
THE NOTTINGHAM CLASSICS SCHOOLS’ CONCERT
THE
CONCERT
Miss the jams and catch some classics with another fast-paced, family-friendly concert from the Hallé. If you’ve ever wanted to hear a live orchestra but don’t know where to start then this is for you! And you can really raise the roof, singing with the Hallé and with hundreds of other singers in our Drivetime Choir. Now that’s got to be better than sitting in your car during the rush hour! Tickets £7.50. Family tickets £20 (up to 2 adults and 2 children). Under 16s £5. Booking opens 18 June 2012.
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SUPPORTING NOTTINGHAM CLASSICS
Sponsorship Corporate support plays a vital part in enabling us to maintain our position as one of the best classical concert series in the UK. Sponsorship opportunities include: ● ● ● ●
The whole season The piano series A specific concert The Nottingham Classics Schools’ Concert
You could also consider an association through in-kind support.
Hospitality Nottingham Classics performances are ideal occasions for treating your guests to an unforgettable night out. We can create a hospitality package for any of our concerts, whether you are looking to entertain an intimate gathering of key clients or to reward a large party of your valued staff.
Marketing Generate greater brand and product awareness by speaking directly to our audiences. Opportunities include programme advertisements, direct mail, e-marketing, leafleting and product placement/promotion
Classical Partners Nottingham Classics gratefully acknowledges the support of the following funders, sponsors and business partners.
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Nottingham Classics offers a unique opportunity to raise your company’s profile through associating it with the finest international orchestras and soloists. Bespoke packages are available to meet your requirements and budget.
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Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
ACCESS INFORMATION Outside the Concert Hall on South Sherwood Street there is a lay-by where cars can pull in to assist customers with mobility difficulties. However, please note that parking is not allowed in the lay-by. A limited number of parking spaces for mobility badge holders is available on Burton Street near to the Concert Hall’s access ramp. Further spaces are available on Wollaton Street near to the tram stop. In addition there are discounts available to badge holders in City Council car parks. There is level access into the Concert Hall’s main entrance foyer from South Sherwood Street. When there is a performance there is also ramped access from Burton Street leading directly to the stalls foyer level. Upper levels of the Concert Hall are accessible by lift but there are stairs to be negotiated in order to reach seating. The Concert Hall’s wheelchair spaces are located in the Stalls on the right side of the auditorium, with spaces at the rear and on the ends of rows further towards the stage. There are also two wheelchair spaces and an adapted toilet in Tier 1. Should customers wish to transfer from their wheelchair to a seat the Royal Centre staff will store their chair for them.
Hearing Assistance The Royal Concert Hall has a Sennheiser Infrared transmission system for customers with impaired hearing. Two types of receiver are offered: either in-ear ‘phones’ or a neck loop which works in conjunction with your hearing aid (on the T setting). These are available free of charge from the Cloakroom. A weaker signal may be possible on extreme sides of seating and under tiers so when booking your tickets please indicate if you wish to use the system and the Box Office staff will inform you of the seats best placed to receive the signal.
Blind and Partially Sighted Patrons Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas of the building and bowls of water are offered freely upon arrival. The Royal Concert Hall offers a dog-sitting or walking service during the performance. Please contact Emily Noakes on 0115 989 5609 if you wish to book this service.
Toilet Facilities Adapted toilets are available on the Stalls entrance level (Level 1), to the left of Door A and on Level 3, through Door C. Please be aware that there are a few steps to be negotiated in order to access the toilets on Level 3.
Alternative Formats Information about the Nottingham Classics programme is available in Braille, large print and audio CD. This information can also be emailed to you.
For accessibility information Please call: 0115 989 5609 Fax: 0115 950 3476 Email enquiry@trch.co.uk
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JOIN THE MAILING LIST Get the Nottingham Classics brochure delivered FREE If you would like the Nottingham Classics brochure delivered free to your door as well as updates on the season and information about special offers then fill in the form below.
Title ______ First Name ________________________________________ Last Name_________________________________________________________
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Please return the form to: Royal Concert Hall Box Office, Theatre Square, Nottingham NG1 5ND or email your details to enquiry@trch.co.uk
For the latest news, join the E-bulletin list Tick here if you would like to receive regular Nottingham Classics e-mail bulletins about forthcoming events and exclusive special offers.
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DATA Protection Your information will be held by Nottingham City Council on a secure server. From time to time we may use it to contact you about forthcoming events at the Royal Concert Hall using any one of the contact methods that you have specified. Your information will not be shared with any third parties unless you indicate that you wish us to do so. (Data Protection Act (1998)).
Box Office: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/nottinghamclassics
Address ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nottingham City Centre
For a full city centre map featuring all five zones visit our website at www.trch.co.uk and go to ‘How to find us’.
Bus Nottingham is well served by many fast and frequent buses which stop close to the Theatre and Concert Hall. For bus times call Nottingham City Transport on 0115 950 6070, Traveline on 0871 200 2233 or visit the website www.traveleastmidlands.co.uk
Tram The tram stops directly outside the Theatre and runs every 10 minutes until midnight. For more information call 0115 942 7777 or email info@thetram.net
Rail Leave your car at home and use the bus or tram to get to the Royal Concert Hall. Buy a Royal Ticket, redeemable at all tram stops and on all Nottingham City bus routes.
Nottingham Station is a 15 minute walk from the venue or a short taxi/tram ride. Call 0845 748 4950 or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk for train times and fares.
Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Theatre Square Nottingham NG1 5ND Managing Director Robert Sanderson
0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk/ nottinghamclassics
Proud to present World Class Entertainment
HOW TO FIND US
Car Follow signs for the city centre and the ‘Royal Zone’. There are several car parks within a 5 minute walk including Talbot Street, Trinity Square and The Crowne Plaza Hotel car park. See map for further details.
Taxi
This map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. 100019317 2010
Our preferred taxi partner is DG Cars. To book a taxi call 0115 9500 500, visit them online at www.dgcars.co.uk or call them for free from one of the phones in the Theatre Royal bar or Concert Hall foyer.
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