The Cleveland Orchestra Summers @ Severance July 17 Concert
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN. IGOR STRAVINSKY. MAURICE RAVEL.
Three pillars of the classical music canon. These composers wrote some of the most fiery, sublime, and recognizable passages in the orchestral repertoire. But all three clashed publicly with the gatekeepers of musical taste in their respective worlds, resisting the bonds of tradition.
Few of Beethoven’s works were unqualified successes during his lifetime. While his musical friends celebrated his genius, critics and audience members were less convinced by his experimental harmonies and expanded forms. A century later, Ravel stood in the opposite position. Audiences and critics alike rebelled on Ravel’s behalf when he was disqualified from the prestigious Prix de Rome scholarship in 1905 — a scandal that led the director of the Paris Conservatoire to step down, ushering in a new, progressive era for the institution. Ravel may have begun as a black sheep of the Parisian musical establishment, but his idiosyncrasies sounded downright tame compared to the angular violence of Stravinsky’s early ballets. Most notoriously, The Rite of Spring incited riots upon its 1913 premiere at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées.
So, how does one offset the immense pressure of flaunting authority and reimagining the trajectory of Western classical music? For these composers, at least, the answer is humor. The throughline of tonight’s program — led by Santtu-Matias Rouvali (see page 19) — is undeniably levity and play, showcasing the jocular side of three musical giants.
Beethoven’s Second Symphony begins with Classical elegance (see page 6), but the final two movements are full of off-kilter accents, unexpected repetitions, and other charming musical jokes. Stravinsky’s ballet Jeu de cartes (see page 9) takes as its cast a deck of cards, spinning through a poker game in “three deals.” Stravinsky’s neoclassical style can sound like Beethoven put through a kaleidoscope (or a blender!), which brings musical mirth to this playful plot. Finally, more pastoral than downright funny, Ravel’s Suite No. 2 from the ballet Daphnis et Chloé (see page 12) is nevertheless infused with a sense of play as the devotees of Bacchus — supplicants at the altar of pleasure — dance their way through celebration, conflict, and love. — Ellen Sauer Tanyeri
Ellen Sauer Tanyeri was the 2024–25 Cleveland Orchestra Archives research fellow and is working towards a PhD in musicology at Case Western Reserve University.
Despite the dour expressions captured in this 1910 photo, Maurice Ravel (left) and Igor Stravinsky (right) were good friends and admirers of each other’s work. Stravinsky even spoke at Ravel’s funeral in 1937.
BEETHOVEN & RAVEL
Thursday, July 17, 2025, at 7 PM
Santtu-Matias Rouvali, conductor
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36 30 minutes
I. Adagio molto — Allegro con brio
II. Larghetto
III. Scherzo: Allegro
IV. Allegro molto
INTERMISSION
Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971)
Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
20 minutes
Jeu de cartes (Game of Cards) 20 minutes
I. Première donne (First Deal) —
II. Deuxième donne (Second Deal) —
III. Troisième donne (Third Deal)
Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloé 15 minutes
I. Lever du jour (Sunrise) —
II. Pantomime —
III. Danse générale (General Dance)
Total approximate running time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Thank you for silencing your electronic devices.
The Cleveland Orchestra would like to thank Presenting Sponsor Thompson Hine LLP for generously supporting Summers @ Severance.
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36
by Ludwig van Beethoven
BORN : December 16, 1770, in Bonn
DIED : March 26, 1827, in Vienna
▶ COMPOSED: 1801 – 02
▶ WORLD PREMIERE : April 5, 1803, led by the composer
▶ CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA PREMIERE : November 2, 1922, conducted by Music Director Nikolai Sokoloff
IT IS FASCINATING TO TRACE the gradual process by which the young Ludwig van Beethoven found his personal voice as a composer. It is certainly true that with his Third Symphony (nicknamed “Eroica” or heroic), Beethoven created the heroic style that many musicians and audience members feel is the “quintessential” Beethoven. But this style was not born overnight. Almost every one of Beethoven’s early works has something in it that anticipates the stylistic explosion of the “Eroica” and the compositions that followed it.
In his First Symphony, written between 1799 and 1800, Beethoven generally followed the outlines of a late Haydn symphony, although signs of a new musical world taking shape were numerous. In the Second Symphony, the occasional echoes of Haydn and
Mozart are secondary in a style that was moving on an entirely new plane. Soon after the first fortissimo notes that begin the Second Symphony’s opening movement, it becomes clear that we are listening to no ordinary introduction. The first great change is in the orchestration. The opening melody is given to the woodwinds, while the strings are silent. This is the first indication that the winds will have much more to do in this symphony than their traditional roles of doubling the strings and taking a solo or two. Similar novelties are found in the main section of the movement, which presents more themes and elaborates upon them, rounding it all out with a grand coda. Whereas the first movement emphasized rhythmic action, the exquisite second movement is all melody and
lyricism. The themes unfold with a grace and elegance that was new in Beethoven’s music, which later found continuation in Schubert’s music. Despite occasional turbulence, the movement preserves its serene and peaceful quality to the end.
The third movement is Beethoven’s first orchestral Scherzo that is actually so labeled in the score. (The corresponding movement in the First Symphony, although scherzo-like in many respects,
was still called a Minuet.) The humorous nature of the movement is accentuated by the reduction of the thematic material to a single measure. Everything in the movement is derived from this one measure, its three rapid notes constantly played at various pitches and dynamic levels — providing many unexpected turns. In contrast, the movement’s Trio section has a continuous and disarmingly simple melody, consisting merely of parts of an ascending and descending D-major scale.
The fourth-movement finale starts with another Beethovenian joke, a two-
An 1810 rendering of Vienna’s Theater an der Wien, where several of Beethoven’s works were heard for the first time in April 1803, including the Second Symphony, Third Piano Concerto, and oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives
note motive played in the high register and answered by a “growl” an octaveand-a-half lower. The whole movement is energized by the sparkling wit of this opening. In the final measures of the symphony, Beethoven derives a brilliant coda from this returning motive, and a whole magnificent and powerful conclusion grows out of that humorous little phrase.
The Second Symphony was premiered in April 1803, during one of Beethoven’s “academies” at Vienna’s Theater an der Wien. These academies were concerts devoted entirely to his works and held largely as a benefit to keep him funded. The program, whose length was entirely typical of the era, also included a repeat performance of the First Symphony, as well as the premieres of the Third Piano Concerto and the oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives. At the concert, the Second Symphony was overshadowed by the oratorio and the concerto (with the solo part played by the composer himself), and was mostly unfavorably compared to the more accessible First Symphony.
The maturing of Beethoven’s voice as
a composer coincided with the exacerbation of his hearing problems. This fact should not be overlooked in a discussion of the Second Symphony, completed shortly after the tragic Heiligenstadt Testament of October 1802. The Testament was an intensely personal document that Beethoven addressed to his two brothers, but never mailed. In it, he wrote about his encroaching deafness and the depressive, even suicidal, mood it provoked in him. Many writers have marveled at how Beethoven was able to work on a cheerful piece like the Second Symphony while preoccupied by the thoughts expressed in the Testament. It is entirely possible, as many scholars and artists have suggested in recent years, that Beethoven’s deafness played a positive role in his creativity, leading him to compose in new ways and with new insights. We can never know what a hearing Beethoven might have written, but we can marvel at the diversity and creativity of all the great works that he did produce.
— Peter Laki
Peter Laki is a musicologist and frequent lecturer on classical music. He is a visiting associate professor of music at Bard College.
Jeu de cartes (Game of Cards)
by Igor Stravinsky
BORN : June 17, 1882, in Oranienbaum (now Lomonosov), Russia
DIED : April 6, 1971, in New York City
▶ COMPOSED: 1936
▶ WORLD PREMIERE : April 27, 1937, at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, conducted by the composer
▶ CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA PREMIERE : November 22, 1940, led by Efrem Kurtz and featuring the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Stravinsky himself later conducted the work with Cleveland in March 1964.
IGOR STRAVINSKY , who had established his reputation with three Russianinspired ballets (The Firebird, Pétrouchka, The Rite of Spring), remained partial to danced theater for the rest of his life. In his post-Rite ballet scores, he generally strove for lighter themes and more grace than high drama onstage. In Apollon musagète, he created a model of calm and clarity. The Fairy’s Kiss is a romantic tribute to Tchaikovsky. And in Jeu de cartes (Game of Cards), the cards in a deck come alive and act out their struggle during a game of poker.
The idea for a poker ballet came from Stravinsky himself, an avid poker player. He suggested it to Lincoln Kirstein, the director of the American Ballet Theatre, when the company commissioned a new work from him. He worked out the scenario with Nikita Malayev, a friend
of his older son’s. The action of the ballet was set forth in the preface to the printed score:
The subject of this ballet is a session of poker. Several players are sitting around the green baize table of a gambling hall. The dancers represent the principal playing cards. Each game is disputed by repeated mischief on the part of the unpredictable Joker.
After the first deal one player drops out. The remaining two opponents have equal “straights.” Although one of them has the Joker, this card is unable to tip the balance.
In the second game the player with the Joker has a hand of Aces; with them he beats the other two, exultantly triumphing over the four Queens.
The cards are dealt for a third time. The game becomes more and more heated. This time there is a battle between three “flushes.” The Joker, heading a sequence of Spades,
defeats one opponent; but then he himself is beaten by a royal flush in Hearts. This puts an end to the rascally Joker’s mischief. …
The work begins with a brass fanfare, which has its own story. Stravinsky recalled that as a child, he spent several holidays at German spas where he visited the casinos. The voice of the master of ceremonies, calling out “Ein neues Spiel, ein neues Gluck” (A new game, a new chance) at the beginning of each “deal” still rang in his ears when he composed this music. This introduction is followed by a pas d’action in which the game begins. In its middle is the agitated “Dance of the Joker,” a passage full of mock-dramatic outbursts in a pathosfilled minor key. This is followed by a graceful “Waltz of the Cards,” who don’t let the Joker disturb their game.
In the second “deal,” we hear (after the opening fanfare) a “March of Hearts and Spades” and then a set of variations in which each of the four Queens comes forward for a solo. These variations contain subtle allusions to such well-known classic works as Beethoven’s Eighth Symphony and Johann Strauss, Jr.’s Die Fledermaus. Stravinsky evokes some of his own music as well, most notably his Capriccio for piano and orchestra and his opera Mavra. The second “deal” concludes with a pas de quatre and another march.
After the return of the fanfare, announcing the third “deal,” the ballet continues with a waltz that plays with motives from Ravel’s La valse, followed by a “Battle of Hearts and Spades”
that sounds a lot like the Overture to Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. Even the opening motive of Beethoven’s Fifth shows up for a moment as an irreverent but deliciously funny caricature. In the concluding measures, the opening fanfare is transformed into something resembling the final scene of Pétrouchka, but the same motive that sounded so menacing in the earlier work is now little more than the cards of the deck taking their last bows.
All these tongue-in-cheek allusions to earlier music suggest that the card game is also a game of role-playing in which the cards assume various identities during the show. George Balanchine, who created the choreography for the world premiere, felt the presence of “the Italian spirit of the commedia dell’arte” in the piece, and that is entirely consistent with poking fun at some of our most revered musical classics.
— Peter Laki
The Queen of Hearts and the mischievous Joker engage in the poker game during a 1974 production of Stravinsky’s ballet at the Badisches Staatstheater.
Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloé
by Maurice Ravel
BORN : March 7, 1875, in Ciboure, Basses-Pyrénées
DIED : December 28, 1937, in Paris
▶ COMPOSED: 1909 – 12
▶ WORLD PREMIERE : June 8, 1912, conducted by Pierre Monteux
▶ CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA PREMIERE : April 9, 1925, led by Music Director Nikolai Sokoloff
such as Tristan and Isolde, Shanbo and Yingtai, or Romeo and Juliet — the tale of Daphnis and Chloé has a happy ending. It is a celebration of sensual love and beauty set in an imaginary world of ancient Greek shepherds. Many a secret dream and amorous fantasy are embodied in this luxuriant ballet score.
The story came from a pastoral romance by the Greek author Longus (3rd century AD). The romance tells about the awakening of love between two young people, both abandoned as children and now tending their herds together. After various adventures — rivalries among lovers, abductions by pirates, and other intrigues — it turns out that both are children of aristocratic
families, and they have a grand wedding, living happily ever after.
Maurice Ravel’s ballet on this subject was written on a commission from Sergei Diaghilev, the brilliant Russian impresario and founder of the Ballets Russes. Ravel received the commission in 1909, but the score was not completed until 1912. By the time the long-awaited score was finished, much had happened in the realms of Parisian ballet and music. Indeed, the fast-moving Diaghilev had initiated so many new projects that Ravel’s effort, when finally presented, was somewhat overshadowed by other productions, including a controversial adaptation of Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, which opened just two weeks before Daphnis et Chloé. In
two days before the end of the ballet season, and played only twice before the company went on summer break.
addition, Stravinsky’s The Firebird and Pétrouchka had received their premieres in 1910 and 1911, respectively (and The Rite of Spring was already in the making). Even the Greek topic had been “stolen” from Ravel with the ballet Narcisse, which premiered in 1911 with music by Nikolai Tcherepnin and featured the same choreographer (Michel Fokine) and star dancer (Vaslav Nijinsky) as in Daphnis et Chloé. In the end, Daphnis et Chloé was presented on June 8, 1912,
“My intention,” Ravel said, “was to compose a vast musical fresco in which I was less concerned with archaism than with faithfully reproducing the Greece of my dreams, which is very similar to that imagined and painted by the French artists at the end of the 18th century.”
Diaghilev and his choreographer, along with the set and costume designers, had hoped for something more authentically historical. But, ultimately, Ravel’s music sweeps away all questions of Greek facts and faces to evoke a wonderfully
The lush set designs for the 1912 production of Daphnis et Chloé were created by Russian artist Léon Bakst, who also worked on the first productions of The Firebird and Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.
romantic world of pastoral landscapes and the triumph of love.
The music of Daphnis et Chloé was more quickly successful in the concert hall, mainly in the form of the two suites that Ravel extracted from the score soon after the ballet music was completed. The second suite features three sections: Lever du jour (Sunrise), Pantomime, and Danse générale (General Dance), which form the complete final part of the ballet in order.
The suite begins with a wonderful and famous representation of sunrise. Against a texture of lush figurations in flutes, clarinets, harps, and celesta, the basses and cellos begin a majestic tune, gradually taken over by violas and violins. The first shepherd crossing the stage is portrayed by the piccolo, the second by the equally high-pitched E-flat clarinet (both musicians were on the stage in the original ballet version). The embrace of Daphnis and Chloé is marked by an orchestral climax where the violins reach their highest register. The music calms down as the old shepherd Lammon tells his story about Pan and Syrinx (oboe solo),
which Daphnis and Chloé proceed to enact in a pantomime. When the god creates his flute — the panpipe — from reed stalks, we hear one of the most enchanting flute solos in the entire orchestral literature.
Daphnis and Chloé embrace one more time, and then the ecstatic Danse générale gets underway. Rather unusually for a ballet, large stretches of this dance were written in the asymmetrical meter of 5/4, to which dancers and musicians in 1912 were unaccustomed. (It is said that they had to scan the words “Ser-gei Dia-ghi-lev, Ser-gei Dia-ghi-lev” until they got the rhythm right.) This asymmetry and the use of ostinatos (repeated rhythmic figures or short melodic motives) throughout this final section remind us that Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring is less than a year away. Both Daphnis et Chloé and The Rite of Spring end with similar effects — short rhythmic units repeated, varied, and stirred up to a paroxysm; and the fact that Stravinsky was to carry this effect even further takes nothing away from the brilliance and excitement of Ravel’s finale.
— Peter Laki
Original
• Business branding & corporate identity building with music
Santtu-Matias Rouvali
THE 2024–25 SEASON was Santtu-Matias Rouvali’s final as chief conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra following a successful eight-year tenure. He continues as principal conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra and honorary conductor of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra.
Throughout this season and last, he continued his relationships with toplevel orchestras and soloists across Europe, including the Berliner Philharmoniker, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, TonhalleOrchester Zürich, and returned to North America for concerts with New York Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. This past season, he also made his debut with The Cleveland Orchestra.
Continuing their strong touring tradition, Rouvali and the Philharmonia Orchestra toured Finland and Estonia in fall 2024 and were joined by Javier Perianes for a tour of Spain in spring 2025. In January 2025, they embarked on an extensive tour to Japan, with concerts in cities including Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka.
The end of Rouvali’s tenure with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra was marked by a tour to Germany and the Czech Republic, followed by a celebration concert in Gothenburg. He completed his Sibelius symphony cycle recording with Alpha Classics, the previous releases of
which have been highly acclaimed with awards, including the Gramophone Editor’s Choice Award, the Choc de Classica, a prize from the German Record Critics, the prestigious Diapason d’Or, and Radio Classique’s Trophée.
Philharmonia Records’ first release — the double album Santtu Conducts Strauss — was released in March 2023 following recent releases of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony. Santtu Conducts Mahler — the second album from Philharmonia Records, featuring Mahler’s Second Symphony — was released in September 2023 followed by Santtu Conducts Stravinsky on the same label in March 2024.
Another prominent album — featuring Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with Benjamin Grosvenor, Nicola Benedetti, and Sheku Kanneh-Mason — was released on Decca in May 2024.
The Cleveland Orchestra rehearses under the baton of guest conductor Bernard Labadie
NOW FIRMLY IN ITS SECOND CENTURY , The Cleveland Orchestra, under the leadership of Franz Welser-Möst since 2002, is one of the most sought-after performing ensembles in the world. Year after year, the ensemble exemplifies extraordinary artistic excellence, creative programming, and community engagement. In recent years, The New York Times has called Cleveland “the best in America” for its virtuosity, elegance of sound, variety of color, and chamber-like musical cohesion.
Founded by Adella Prentiss Hughes, the Orchestra performed its inaugural concert in December 1918. By the middle of the century, decades of growth and sustained support had turned the ensemble into one of the most admired around the world.
The past decade has seen an increasing number of young people attending concerts, bringing fresh attention to The Cleveland Orchestra’s legendary sound and committed programming. More recently, the Orchestra launched several bold digital projects, including the streaming platform Adella.live and its own recording label. Together, they have captured the Orchestra’s unique artistry and the musical achievements of the Welser-Möst and Cleveland Orchestra partnership.
The 2025 – 26 season marks Franz Welser-Möst’s 24th year as Music Director, a period in which The Cleveland
Orchestra has earned unprecedented acclaim around the world, including a series of residencies at the Musikverein in Vienna, the first of its kind by an American orchestra, and a number of celebrated opera presentations.
Since 1918, seven music directors —
Nikolai Sokoloff, Artur Rodziński, Erich Leinsdorf, George Szell, Lorin Maazel, Christoph von Dohnányi, and Franz Welser-Möst — have guided and shaped the ensemble’s growth and sound. Through concerts at home and on tour, broadcasts, and a catalog of acclaimed recordings, The Cleveland Orchestra is heard today by a growing group of fans around the world.
Franz Welser-Möst, Music Director
KELVIN SMITH FAMILY CHAIR
FIRST VIOLINS
Joel Link
CONCERTMASTER
Blossom-Lee Chair
Liyuan Xie FIRST ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER
Virginia M. Lindseth, PhD, Chair
Jung-Min Amy Lee
ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER
Gretchen D. and Ward Smith Chair
Stephen Tavani
ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER
Dr. Ronald H. Krasney Chair
Wei-Fang Gu
Drs. Paul M. and Renate H.
Duchesneau Chair
Kim Gomez
Elizabeth and Leslie Kondorossy Chair
Chul-In Park
Harriet T. and David L. Simon Chair
Miho Hashizume
Theodore Rautenberg Chair
Jeanne Preucil Rose
Larry J.B. and Barbara S.
Robinson Chair
Alicia Koelz
Oswald and Phyllis Lerner
Gilroy Chair
Yu Yuan
Patty and John Collinson Chair
Isabel Trautwein
Trevor and Jennie Jones Chair
Katherine Bormann
Analise Handke
Gladys B. Goetz Chair
Zhan Shu
Youngji Kim
Paul and Lucille Jones Chair
Genevieve Smelser
SECOND VIOLINS
Stephen Rose*
Alfred M. and Clara T. Rankin Chair
Eli Matthews1
Patricia M. Kozerefski and Richard J. Bogomolny Chair
Jason Yu2
James and Donna Reid Chair
Sonja Braaten Molloy
Carolyn Gadiel Warner
Elayna Duitman
Ioana Missits
Jeffrey Zehngut^
Sae Shiragami
Kathleen Collins
Beth Woodside
Emma Shook
Dr. Jeanette Grasselli Brown and Dr. Glenn R. Brown Chair
Yun-Ting Lee
Deborah L. Neale Chair
Jiah Chung Chapdelaine
Gawon Kim
VIOLAS
Wesley Collins*
Chaillé H. and Richard B. Tullis Chair
Stanley Konopka2
Mark Jackobs
Jean Wall Bennett Chair
Lisa Boyko
Richard and Nancy Sneed Chair
Richard Waugh
Lembi Veskimets
The Morgan Sisters Chair
Eliesha Nelson^
Anthony and Diane
Wynshaw-Boris Chair
Joanna Patterson Zakany
William Bender
Thomas Lauria and Christopher Lauria Chair
Gareth Zehngut^
This roster lists full-time members of The Cleveland Orchestra. The number and seating of musicians on stage varies depending on the piece being performed. Seating within the string sections rotates on a periodic basis.
CELLOS
Mark Kosower*
Louis D. Beaumont Chair
Richard Weiss1
The GAR Foundation Chair
Charles Bernard2
Helen Weil Ross Chair
Bryan Dumm
Muriel and Noah Butkin Chair
Tanya Ell
Thomas J. and Judith Fay
Gruber Chair
Ralph Curry
Brian Thornton
William P. Blair III Chair
David Alan Harrell
Martha Baldwin
Dane Johansen
Marguerite and James Rigby Chair
Paul Kushious
BASSES
Maximilian Dimoff*
Clarence T. Reinberger Chair
Charles Paul1
Mary E. and F. Joseph
Callahan Chair
Derek Zadinsky2
Mark Atherton
Thomas Sperl
Henry Peyrebrune
Charles Barr Memorial Chair
Charles Carleton
Scott Dixon
Brandon Mason
HARP
Trina Struble*
Alice Chalifoux Chair
FLUTES
Joshua Smith*
Elizabeth M. and William C. Treuhaft Chair
Saeran St. Christopher
Jessica Sindell2^
Austin B. and Ellen W. Chinn Chair
Mary Kay Fink
PICCOLO
Mary Kay Fink
Anne M. and M. Roger Clapp Chair
OBOES
Frank Rosenwein*
Edith S. Taplin Chair
Corbin Stair
Sharon and Yoash Wiener Chair
Jeffrey Rathbun2
Everett D. and Eugenia S.
McCurdy Chair
Robert Walters
ENGLISH HORN
Robert Walters
Samuel C. and Bernette K.
Jaffe Chair
CLARINETS
Afendi Yusuf*
Robert Marcellus Chair
Robert Woolfrey
Victoire G. and Alfred M. Rankin, Jr. Chair
Daniel McKelway2
Robert R. and Vilma L. Kohn Chair
Amy Zoloto
E-FLAT CLARINET
Daniel McKelway
Stanley L. and Eloise M. Morgan Chair
BASS CLARINET
Amy Zoloto
Myrna and James Spira Chair
BASSOONS
John Clouser*
Louise Harkness Ingalls Chair
Gareth Thomas
Jonathan Sherwin
CONTRABASSOON
Jonathan Sherwin
HORNS
Nathaniel Silberschlag*
George Szell Memorial Chair
Michael Mayhew§ Knight Foundation Chair
Jesse McCormick
Robert B. Benyo Chair
Hans Clebsch
Richard King
Meghan Guegold Hege^
TRUMPETS
Michael Sachs*
Robert and Eunice Podis
Weiskopf Chair
Jack Sutte
Lyle Steelman2^
James P. and Dolores D. Storer Chair
Michael Miller
CORNETS
Michael Sachs*
Mary Elizabeth and G. Robert Klein Chair
Michael Miller
TROMBONES
Brian Wendel*
Gilbert W. and Louise I. Humphrey Chair
Richard Stout
Alexander and Marianna C. McAfee Chair
Shachar Israel2
BASS TROMBONE
Luke Sieve
EUPHONIUM & BASS TRUMPET
Richard Stout
TUBA
Yasuhito Sugiyama*
Nathalie C. Spence and Nathalie S. Boswell Chair
TIMPANI
Zubin Hathi*
Otto G. and Corinne T. Voss Chair
Peter Nichols2
Mr. and Mrs. Richard K. Smucker Chair
PERCUSSION
Marc Damoulakis*
Margaret Allen Ireland Chair
Thomas Sherwood
Tanner Tanyeri
Peter Nichols
KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS
Carolyn Gadiel Warner
Marjory and Marc L. Swartzbaugh Chair
LIBRARIAN
Michael Ferraguto*
Joe and Marlene Toot Chair
ENDOWED CHAIRS CURRENTLY UNOCCUPIED
Clara G. and George P. Bickford Chair
Sandra L. Haslinger Chair
Charles M. and Janet G. Kimball Chair
Sunshine Chair
Rudolf Serkin Chair
CONDUCTORS
Christoph von Dohnányi
MUSIC DIRECTOR LAUREATE
Taichi Fukumura
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
Elizabeth Ring and William Gwinn Mather Chair
James Feddeck
PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR & MUSICAL ADVISOR OF THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Sidney and Doris Dworkin Chair
Lisa Wong
DIRECTOR OF CHORUSES
Frances P. and Chester C. Bolton Chair
* Principal
§ Associate Principal
1 First Assistant Principal
2 Assistant Principal
^ Alum of The Cleveland
Orchestra Youth Orchestra
FALL
SEP 26 – 28
RAVEL’S BOLÉRO
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
BERND RICHARD DEUTSCH
Urworte
R. STRAUSS Salome’s Dance from Salome
RAVEL Boléro
OCT 2 & 5
MAHLER’S SONG OF THE EARTH
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Limmie Pulliam, tenor
Iurii Samoilov, baritone
HONEGGER Symphony No. 3, “Symphonie liturgique”
MAHLER Das Lied von der Erde
OCT 9 – 11
TRIFONOV PLAYS BRAHMS
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Daniil Trifonov, piano
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 7
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 2
OCT 23 – 26
BEETHOVEN’S ODE TO JOY
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Joélle Harvey, soprano
Taylor Raven, mezzo-soprano
Miles Mykkanen, tenor
Dashon Burton, bass-baritone
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
SIBELIUS Tapiola
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9, “Choral”
RECITAL
OCT 29
BEATRICE RANA IN RECITAL
Beatrice Rana, piano
Works by Prokofiev, Debussy, and Tchaikovsky
OCT 30 & NOV 1 – 2
OHLSSON PLAYS MOZART
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Garrick Ohlsson, piano
TYLER TAYLOR Permissions
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 23
R. SCHUMANN Symphony No. 3, “Rhenish”
NOV 13 – 15
MAHLER’S SIXTH SYMPHONY
Tugan Sokhiev, conductor
Robert Walters, English horn
GEOFFREY GORDON Mad Song
MAHLER Symphony No. 6, “Tragic”
NOV 20 – 23
DVOŘÁK’S NEW WORLD SYMPHONY
Dalia Stasevska, conductor
REVUELTAS La Noche de los Mayas*
DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”
NOV 28 – 30
YUJA WANG PLAYS
RAVEL
Petr Popelka, conductor
Yuja Wang, piano
RAVEL Piano Concerto for the Left Hand
LIGETI Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
MUSSORGSKY/RAVEL Pictures at an Exhibition
DEC 4 – 6
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
Bernard Labadie, conductor
Liv Redpath, soprano
Tim Mead, countertenor
Andrew Haji, tenor
Philippe Sly, bass-baritone
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
HANDEL Messiah
WINTER
JAN 8 – 10
MOZART’S JUPITER SYMPHONY
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
MOZART Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 11, “The Year 1905”
JAN 15, 17 & 18
VERDI’S REQUIEM
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Asmik Grigorian, soprano
Deniz Uzun, mezzo-soprano
Joshua Guerrero, tenor
Tareq Nazmi, bass
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
VERDI Requiem
FEB 5 – 7
HADELICH PLAYS
MENDELSSOHN
Antonello Manacorda, conductor
Augustin Hadelich, violin
MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto
SCHOENBERG Chamber
Symphony No. 2
SCHUBERT Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished”
FEB 12 & 14
HANNIGAN CONDUCTS
GERSHWIN
Barbara Hannigan, conductor
Johanna Wallroth, soprano
CRUMB A Haunted Landscape
RUGGLES Sun-Treader
BARBER Knoxville: Summer of 1915
GERSHWIN Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture (arr. Bennett)
RECITAL
FEB 17
MAO FUJITA IN RECITAL
Mao Fujita, piano
Works by Beethoven, Wagner, Berg, Mendelssohn, and Brahms
FEB 19 – 21
FRENZIED TANGO
John Adams, conductor
Aaron Diehl, piano
IVES From Greenland’s Icy Mountains*
TIMO ANDRES Made of Tunes
JOHN ADAMS Frenzy
PIAZZOLLA La Mufa (arr. Adams)*
PIAZZOLLA Oblivion (arr. Adams)*
PIAZZOLLA Libertango (arr. Adams)
FEB 26 – 28
STRAUSS’S DON JUAN
Alain Altinoglu, conductor
Alisa Weilerstein, cello
UNSUK CHIN Cello Concerto
R. STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegel’s
Merry Pranks
R. STRAUSS Don Juan
MAR 5, 7 & 8
BRAHMS’S THIRD SYMPHONY
Jakub Hrůša, conductor
BRAHMS Symphony No. 3
MARTINŮ Symphony No. 3
KAPRÁLOVÁ Military Sinfonietta
MAR 12 – 15
BEETHOVEN’S FATEFUL FIFTH
Elim Chan, conductor
Michael Sachs, trumpet
STRAVINSKY Suite from Pulcinella
HAYDN Trumpet Concerto
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5
RECITAL
MAR 17
THE KANNEH-MASONS IN RECITAL
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello
Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano
Works by Mendelssohn, N. Boulanger, R. Schumann, and Clarke
MAR 19 – 21
CHAN CONDUCTS
BARTÓK
Elim Chan, conductor
Patricia Kopatchinskaja, violin
DANIEL KIDANE Sun Poem*
BARTÓK Violin Concerto No. 1
BARTÓK Dance Suite*
SCRIABIN The Poem of Ecstasy
SPRING
APR 2 – 4
DEBUSSY’S LA MER
Daniele Rustioni, conductor
Paul Jacobs, organ
FAURÉ Suite from Pelléas et Mélisande
POULENC Concerto for Organ, Strings, and Timpani
CASELLA Italia
DEBUSSY La mer
APR 9 – 11
SCHUBERT & SHOSTAKOVICH
Santtu-Matias Rouvali, conductor
Sol Gabetta, cello
SHOSTAKOVICH Cello Concerto No. 2
SCHUBERT Symphony No. 9, “The Great”
RECITAL
APR 16
ALEXANDRE KANTOROW IN RECITAL
Alexandre Kantorow, piano
Works by J.S. Bach, Medtner, Chopin, Scriabin, and Beethoven
APR 23, 25 & 26
BRITTEN’S WAR REQUIEM
Daniel Harding, conductor
Tamara Wilson, soprano
Andrew Staples, tenor
Christian Gerhaher, baritone
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
The Cleveland Orchestra Children’s Chorus
BRITTEN War Requiem
APR 30 & MAY 2
MENDELSSOHN’S REFORMATION SYMPHONY
Jörg Widmann, conductor
JÖRG WIDMANN Fanfare for Ten Brass Instruments
JÖRG WIDMANN Con brio
JÖRG WIDMANN Danse macabre
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 5, “Reformation”
RECITAL
MAY 5
MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN & MARIA JOÃO PIRES IN RECITAL
Marc-André Hamelin, piano
Maria João Pires, piano
Program to be announced
MAY 7 – 9
WAGNER’S GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Jörg Widmann, clarinet
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 1, “Classical”
OLGA NEUWIRTH Zones of Blue*
WAGNER Excerpts from Götterdämmerung
MAY 16, 21 & 24
BEETHOVEN’S FIDELIO
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Malin Byström, soprano (Leonore)
David Butt Philip, tenor (Florestan)
Tomasz Konieczny, bass-baritone (Don Pizarro)
Martin Summer, bass (Rocco)
Dashon Burton, bass-baritone (Don Fernando)
Ashley Emerson, soprano (Marzelline)
Owen McCausland, tenor (Jaquino)
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus BEETHOVEN Fidelio Opera presentation sung in German with projected supertitles
MAY 22
HERO’S SONG
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Leila Josefowicz, violin
Trina Struble, harp
ADOLPHUS HAILSTORK
Epitaph for a Man Who Dreamed BACEWICZ Symphony No. 4
JÜRI REINVERE Concerto for Violin, Harp, and Orchestra
DVOŘÁK Hero’s Song
* Not performed on the Friday matinee concert
Generous support for the 2025 – 26 Recital Series provided by the Art of Beauty Company, Inc.
YOUR VISIT
LATE SEATING
As a courtesy to the audience members and musicians in the hall, late-arriving patrons are asked to wait quietly until the first convenient break in the program. These seating breaks are at the discretion of the House Manager in consultation with the performing artists.
CELL PHONES, WATCHES & OTHER DEVICES
As a courtesy to others, please silence all electronic devices prior to the start of the concert.
PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEOGRAPHY & RECORDING
Audio recording, photography, and videography are prohibited during performances at Severance. Photographs can only be taken when the performance is not in progress.
HEARING AIDS & OTHER HEALTH-ASSISTIVE DEVICES
For the comfort of those around you, please reduce the volume on hearing aids and other devices that may produce a noise that would detract from the program. For Infrared Assistive-Listening Devices, please see the House Manager or Head Usher for more details.
IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY
Contact an usher or a member of house staff if you require medical assistance. Emergency exits are clearly marked throughout the building. Ushers and house staff will provide instructions in the event of an emergency.
AGE RESTRICTIONS
Regardless of age, each person must have a ticket and be able to sit quietly in a seat throughout the performance. Classical Season sub-
FREE MOBILE APP TICKET WALLET
Download today for instant, secure, and paperless access to your concert tickets.
For more information and direct links to download, visit clevelandorchestra.com/ticketwallet or scan the code with your smartphone camera to download the app for iPhone or Android.
Available for iOS and Android on Google Play and at the Apple App Store.
Cleveland Orchestra performances are broadcast as part of regular programming on ideastream/WCLV Classical 90.3 FM, Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 4 PM.
scription concerts are not recommended for children under the age of 8. However, there are several age-appropriate series designed specifically for children and youth, including Music Explorers (for 3 to 6 years old) and Family Concerts (for ages 7 and older).
FOOD & MERCHANDISE
Beverages and snacks are available at bars throughout Severance Music Center. For Cleveland Orchestra apparel, recordings, and gift items, visit the Welcome Desk in Lerner Lobby.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE
We are so glad you joined us! Want to share about your time at Severance? Send your feedback to cx@clevelandorchestra.com Hearing directly from you about what we are doing right and where we can improve will help us create the best experience possible.
The Cleveland Orchestra is grateful to the following organizations for their ongoing generous support of The Cleveland Orchestra: the State of Ohio and Ohio Arts Council and to the residents of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.
The Cleveland Orchestra is proud of its long-term partnership with Kent State University, made possible in part through generous funding from the State of Ohio.
The Cleveland Orchestra is proud to have its home, Severance Music Center, located on the campus of Case Western Reserve University, with whom it has a long history of collaboration and partnership.
