RLPO Preston Series 11/12

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Preston Concerts 2011/2012 Vasily Petrenko Chief Conductor – Preston Guild Hall Box Office 0845 344 2026 prestonguildhall.com

Critical Acclaim Tim Ashley gives 5* in his review of Ottavio Dantone and Désirée Rancatore’s performance in January, 2011

“The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s recent renaissance has made it a pliable ensemble, receptive to stylistic variety from a range of conductors. Dantone kept his forces big, but brought period clarity and baroque opulence to the proceedings … Bliss, from start to finish.”

Geoffrey Norris reviews Shostakovich’s Symphony No.10

(Naxos) (November 2010)

“Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philararmonic Orchestra have achieved a triumph. The orchestral playing is ripe, detailed, lithe, concentrated and intense …

This is a terrific performance.”

Anna Picard reviews the Orchestra and Vasily Petrenko’s performance of Brahms Symphony No.1 in January, 2011

'‘The orchestral balance is easy and suave, the playing uninhibited and engaged. Petrenko intensified the sound for Brahms First Symphony, its lacerating opening movement sharply accented with the throaty attack of the violas, its Andante pricked through with the honeyed violin solos of leader, James Clark. There was earth here and heaven too, food for the heart and mind.”

Libor Pešek’s French Collection Friday 7 October 7.30pm

Debussy La Mer

Francaix L’Horloge de Flore (Flora’s Clock) Bizet Carmen Suite No.1 Fauré Pavane

Debussy Iberia – Libor Pešek KBE conductor Jonathan Small oboe

Best Concert of 2010 Hugh Canning

It’s always a treat when conductor laureate Libor Pes˘ek returns to Preston, and tonight he shares one of his private passions – French music. Expect all his trademark elegance and panache as he throws a real fête à la francaise, from the delicious tunes of Bizet’s Carmen and Fauré’s haunting Pavane to the gorgeous musical landscapes of Debussy’s Iberia and La Mer: pure Monet for the ears. Not forgetting Delibes’ elegant ballet score and a fragrant musical bouquet from the Orchestra’s brilliant Principal Oboe, Jonathan Small in Jean Francaix’s exquisite miniature concerto. Liverpool to Paris: and a lot quicker than the Eurostar!

Tickets £19, £26

“Under the charismatic Vasily Petrenko, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra outshone stiff competition at the opening Proms weekend with a thrilling Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony.”

Libor Pes˘ek KBE

Pictures Tuesday 29 November 7.30pm

Fire and Ice Tuesday 8 November 7.30pm

Grieg Symphonic Dances

Mozart Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat, K595

Sibelius Symphony No.5 – Vasily Petrenko conductor Kathryn Stott piano

“Some composers mix colourful cocktails” said Jean Sibelius. “I offer pure, cool water”. Certainly, you’ll never hear anything purer or more invigorating than his majestic Fifth Symphony: beginning with a northern sunrise, inspired by a flight of swans and ending with a tune so great and so simple that once you’ve heard it, you’ll never forget it. Vasily Petrenko conducts, but first, Lancashire lass Kathryn Stott brings her special brand of poetry to Mozart’s noble final piano concerto. Grieg’s Symphonic Dances, meanwhile, aren’t so much cocktails as delicious musical canapés – a rarely-heard (and wonderfully catchy) treat for anyone who loves his music for Peer Gynt.

Borodin Polovtsian Dances Glazunov Violin Concerto

Kodaly Dances from Galanta

Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition – Michal Dworzynsky conductor Eugene Ugorski violin

Tickets £19, £26

Kathryn Stott

A hut on hen’s legs, dancing slave-girls, luminous skulls…sounds spectacular?

It’s amazing what Mussorgsky achieved with a head full of stories, an ear for musical colour, and a few shots of vodka! In his first Preston appearance, the acclaimed Polish conductor Michal Dworzynsky unlocks a real Russian jewel-box of a concert. Whether its Borodin’s dangerously seductive dances, Mussorgsky’s fantastic gallery full of musical pictures, or Glazunov’s sumptuous forgotten gem of a violin concerto (with a passionate soloist), you’re guaranteed one thing: terrific tunes in fabulous colours. Kodály’s feisty set of Hungarian folkdances might come from further west, but they’ve got fire to spare. There’ll be no letting-up!

Tickets £19, £26

Eugene Ugorski

The Film Music of John Williams: 80th Birthday Celebration Tuesday 7 February 7.30pm

Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ Sunday 15 January 2.30pm

Beethoven Overture, Prometheus Beethoven Piano Concerto No.4

Beethoven Symphony No.6 ‘Pastoral’ – Vasily Petrenko conductor Nikolai Lugansky piano

One great composer: three incredible worlds. From blazing joy to blinding rage, no composer captured human emotion with more passion, or poetry, than Ludwig Van Beethoven. Tonight’s concert squeezes a lifetime of feeling into two extraordinary hours, from the brilliant sunshine of the ‘Prometheus’ overture to Beethoven’s Fourth piano concerto, which so transfixed the 26year-old Robert Schumann upon first hearing that he “sat in my place without moving a muscle or even breathing”.

The great Russian virtuoso Nikolai Lugansky brings all his mastery to bear, before Vasily Petrenko and the Orchestra set out on a cheerful ramble across the woods and fields of Beethoven’s lovely ‘Pastoral’ symphony. Hear it as the most serene of all Romantic symphonies, or simply relax by Beethoven’s brook and listen to the birdsong.

Carl Davis CBE (Hon) conductor

No-one writes a big film theme like John Williams: that’s why he’s the world’s most popular living classical composer. And if you think his music is thrilling on the big screen, just wait until you hear it played live! Join filmmusic maestro Carl Davis and the Orchestra for a blockbuster 80th birthday tribute to John Williams and the legendary movie composers who inspired him. It’s just hit after hit after hit, including Star Wars, Schindler’s List, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Superman, E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws, Citizen Kane, Star Trek, The Magnificent Seven - and a multiplex-load more!

Tickets £19, £26

Tickets £19, £26 Nikolai Lugansky © James McMillan | Onyx

Carl Davis CBE (Hons)

Preston Series 2011/2012 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.3 Tuesday 15 May 7.30pm

Dream Team Monday 26 March 7.30pm

Debussy Ronde de Printemps

Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No.2

Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique – Vasily Petrenko conductor Simon Trpc˘eski piano

There’s something about French composers! When Hector Berlioz wanted to impress a girl, he couldn’t just write her a simple love song. His Fantastic Symphony is just that, a headlong, opium-fuelled fantasy of obsessive love, violent betrayal, satanic rites and death on the guillotine. It’ll knock you sideways. By comparison, Camille SaintSaëns led a blameless life, but that didn’t stop one critic saying that his Second Piano Concerto “begins in church and ends in a bordello!” Whatever; it’s almost indecently entertaining, and when the world-beating dream-team of Vasily Petrenko, the Orchestra and the incredible Simon Trpc˘eski come together again, there’ll be no shortage of je ne sais quoi. Debussy’s sensuous Ronde de Printemps gets the sap rising.

Brahms Academic Festival Overture Dvor˘ák Symphonic Variations Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3 – Ilyich Rivas conductor Stephen Hough piano

Tickets £19, £26

Tickets £19, £26

“Trpc˘eski was born to play this music and Petrenko to conduct it.”

The Telegraph Simon Trpc˘eski & Vasily Petrenko © Mark McNulty

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Preston Series 2011/2012

It’s been called the Everest of piano concertos, and fans of the film Shine will know that it’s broken many a lesser pianist. But Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto is also Imperial Russia’s last great showpiece, glowing with emotion and surging with Rachmaninov’s incomparable romantic tunes. And if any pianist alive can scale its peaks, it’s the incredible Stephen Hough – the lad from Wirral who’s been hailed as the world’s most brilliant keyboard virtuoso. Tonight, though, he meets another phenomenon – the astonishing teenage conductor Ilyich Rivas, the latest star to emerge from Venezuela’s inspirational music education system.

Dvor˘ák’s lovely, neglected Symphonic Variations and Brahms’ riotous Academic Festival Overture should let him stretch his wings.

Stephen Hough © Grant Hiroshima

How to get to Guild Hall

Booking Information

Book seven concerts Save 25%

By Rail Nearest main line station is Preston. Approximately 10 minutes walk from the town centre. For further information on train operators and times please phone National Rail Enquiries on 0845 7484950.

When to Book

Ticket Prices

By Bus Preston Bus Station, situated on Tithebarn St. Approximately 5 minutes walk from the Guild Hall.

Wednesday 11 May Booking opens for renewing subscribers and Friends of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Monday 6 June Booking opens for all NEW subscribers (priority booking deadline for renewals is Sunday 5 June) Monday 20 June Public booking open – all tickets on sale

By post Guild Hall Box Office, Lancaster Rd, Preston, PR1 1HT By telephone 0845 344 2026 By fax 01772 204582 Online (for single tickets from 20 June) www.prestonguildhall.com Booking fees may apply D C

F

Book for all seven concerts and save 25% on full prices – you’ll also get priority seating, discounts on parking, and you can pay by direct debit!

Seating Block

Full Price

C, D & E

£182

H

A

£133

Season Ticket

£99.75

£136.50

YOU SAVE

£33.25

£45.50

5 payments

by Direct Debit

£19.95

£27.30

Discounted Tickets Concessions Under 25s and students can purchase tickets for just £7 on production of appropriate identification (subject to availability and not all seating sections may be offered).

Registered disabled receive a discount of £2 per ticket.

Groups Generous group discounts are available for most concerts depending on the size of your group:

B

G

Season Tickets

A, B, F, G & H

How to Book

E

£19 Blocks A, B, F, G & H / £26 Blocks C, D & E

Groups of 10-29 10% off Groups of 30-49 15% off Groups of 50+ 20% off

For more details and to book, call Alison Gainford on 01772 903 202 or email a.gainford@preston.gov.uk

Principal Funders

Principal Partner

Thanks to the City of Liverpool for its financial support Media Partner

Higher Education Partner

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society. A company limited by guarantee.

Registered in England number 88235. Registered charity number 230538