San Francisco Symphony 2016-17 Season Brochure

San Francisco Symphony

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2016 -17 Season

JOIN MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS AND THE SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY FOR THE 2016-17 SEASON

San Francisco JOIN MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS AND THE SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY FOR THE 2016-17 SEASON

THE SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY SALUTES ITS MAJOR PARTNERS

SECOND CENTURY PARTNER

OFFICIAL PARTNER

Inaugural Partner

Official Airline

MAJOR PARTNERS

MEDIA PARTNERS

PUBLIC FUNDING

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Symphony Subscribe today SECURE THE BEST SEATS AT THE BEST PRICE AND ENJOY SPECIAL PERKS.

Single ticket prices may rise— prices for subscribers remain the same all season.

Purchase additional tickets at a discounted subscriber price.

See pages 32–33 for a list of Amazing Add-ons.

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Exchange tickets easily if your plans change.

Pay half now and half later.

IN SUN JANG , VIOLIN

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2016 -17 Season

MICHAEL FABIANO

“Simply breathtaking” SAN FR ANCISCO CHRONICLE SEP 22–24 TENOR MICHAEL FABIANO PERFOR MS ITALIAN ARIA S

Rossini SEP 9–10

William Tell Overture

Verdi SEP 22–24

Te Deum

Allegri

The Beauty & Drama of Italy

OCT 27–30

Miserere

R. Strauss APR 27–29

Aus Italien

Vivaldi

T

he Symphony showcases the beauty and drama of Italian music and music inspired by Italy. From a rambunctious Rossini to the reverential Verdi, Italians display their hearts on their sleeves and in their music.

MAY 31–JUN 1

The Four Seasons

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DISCOVER PACK AGES

YUJA WANG

CONCERTS

“Spectacular”

GRE AT PERFORMER S

T H E N E W YO R K T I M E S

SPECIAL SERIES ADD-ONS

AX

BELL

Guest Artists Take the Stage

SHAHAM

THIBAUDE T

Yuja Wang SEP 28–OCT 1

Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1 NOV 2–4

Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2

Jean-Yves Thibaudet JAN 26–28

Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G

Yefim Bronfman

I

nternationally acclaimed guest artists join the Symphony for rousing performances of some of the most beloved works of all time. Experience their mastery as they take musical expression to new heights.

FEB 9–12

Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4

Gil Shaham MAR 16–18

Barber’s Violin Concerto

Emanuel Ax MAY 10–13

Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22

Joshua Bell JUN 16–18

Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole Subscribe 415-864-6000 SFSYMPHONY.ORG

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2001: A SPACE ODYSSE Y

Film Series T

he Symphony’s Film Series brings Hollywood’s finest to Davies Symphony Hall, with fantastic performances on screen and on stage. Enjoy great American cinema like never before—with the score performed live by the SF Symphony.

OCT 14–15

JAN 7–8

APR 14–15

JUN 2–3

2001: A Space Odyssey

On the Waterfront

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Casablanca

Experience the gripping story of a not-so-distant future in Kubrick’s Academy Award®-winning masterpiece.

The stunning visuals are in perfect counterpoint with the epic score, featuring music by R. Strauss, Strauss Jr., and Ligeti.

Hear Leonard Bernstein’s original score and see the great Marlon Brando in Elia Kazan’s classic film (screenplay by Budd Schulberg), winner of eight Academy Awards® including Best Picture.

This timeless story about violence, corruption and redemption, with an Oscar®-nominated score, is one of the greatest films of all time according to the American Film Institute.

The film that gave the world one of its greatest movie heroes, Indiana Jones, is back and better than ever.

Relive the magic on the big screen in this 35th anniversary celebration of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Follow Indiana Jones’ (Harrison Ford) unfor­ gettable quest while the SF Symphony plays John Williams’ epic score live.

This great American classic about love and war sweeps you up in the drama with Max Steiner’s moving, Oscar®-nominated score and Rick’s (Humphrey Bogart) brooding struggle to do what is right for himself, and for his long-lost love, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman.)

Brad Lubman conductor San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin director San Francisco Symphony Presented in association with Warner Bros., Southbank Centre London, and the British Film Institute.

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David Newman conductor San Francisco Symphony

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Emil de Cou conductor San Francisco Symphony © 1981 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Sarah Hicks conductor San Francisco Symphony

DISCOVER PACK AGES CONCERTS GRE AT PERFORMER S SPECIAL SERIES ADD-ONS

CA SABL ANCA

R AIDER S OF THE LOST ARK

ON THE WATERFRONT

Film A Package

Film B Package

FOUR CONCERTS WITH FILMS

FOUR CONCERTS WITH FILMS

FRI OCT 14 8PM

2001: A Space Odyssey

SAT OCT 15 8PM

SUN JAN 8 2PM

On the Waterfront

SAT JAN 7 3PM

FRI APR 14 8PM FRI JUN 2 8PM

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Casablanca

2001: A Space Odyssey

On the Waterfront

SAT APR 15 8PM SAT JUN 3 8PM

Apr 14 and Jun 2 supported by

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Casablanca

Subscribe 415-864-6000 SFSYMPHONY.ORG

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70 YEARS

John Adams FEB 16 –18

The Gospel According to the Other Mary FEB 22–25

LOU HARRISON , MICHAEL TILSON THOMA S, AND JOHN ADAMS TOGE THER IN 2000 AT THE SYMPHONY ’S ORIGINAL AMERICAN MAVERICK S FESTIVAL

JOHN ADAMS AND STE VE REICH IN 198 4

Scheherazade.2

80 YEARS

Steve Reich SEP 9–10

Double Sextet Three Movements

100 YEARS

Lou Harrison JUN 23–25

Suite for Symphonic Strings

Birthday Celebrations of Musical Greats

90 YEARS

Herbert Blomstedt

Music Director of the SF Symphony from 1985 to 1995 returns for two weeks of concerts FEB 1–3

Blomstedt conducts Beethoven’s 9th FEB 9–12

Blomstedt conducts Beethoven and Brahms

C

ome celebrate the birthdays of some of the greatest conductors and composers of our time. With careers spanning the 20th century and close connections to the Bay Area, these masters, and their work, continue to shape the course of classical music by creating new possibilities for performance and music.

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HERBERT BLOMSTEDT WITH FOR MER SF SYMPHONY MUSIC DIRECTOR EDO DE WA ART

TURN TO PAGE 13 FOR CONCERT DETAILS IN DATE ORDER .

PACK AGES

Subscription Packages

DISCOVER

Subscription Packages: Davies Symphony Hall Classical Series

CONCERTS GRE AT PERFORMER S SPECIAL SERIES

Beautiful Davies Symphony Hall, home of the San Francisco Symphony, hosts more than 200 concerts throughout the season and offers in-house dining and drinks, unique shopping, and more.

ADD-ONS

Browse the following subscription packages and turn to page 13 for concert details.

Wednesday Packages Wednesday C Package

SIX CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 28 Yuja

Wang and Stravinsky’s Firebird conducts Mozart and Dvořák FEB 22 MTT conducts Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet MAR 1 MTT conducts Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich MAY 10 Emanuel Ax plays Mozart MAY 31 Immortal Vivaldi: The Four Seasons OCT 19 Heras-Casado

Wednesday Z Combo Package

TWELVE CONCERTS AT 8PM

Buy all 12 concerts and get a complimentary concert ticket. Combine Wed C + D.

Wednesday D Package

SIX CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 14 MTT

conducts Beethoven’s Fifth Wang plays Chopin FEB 1 Beethoven’s Ode to Joy APR 19 Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff MAY 17 Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony JUN 28 MTT conducts Berlioz’s Romeo and Juliet NOV 2 Yuja

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Subscription Packages: Davies Symphony Hall Classical Series

TURN TO PAGE 13 FOR CONCERT DETAILS IN DATE ORDER .

Thursday Packages Thursday A Package

SIX CONCERTS AT 8PM

SEP 15 MTT

conducts Beethoven’s Fifth NOV 3 Yuja Wang plays Chopin FEB 16 John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary MAR 23 MTT conducts Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra APR 27 German Romanticism: Schumann and R. Strauss MAY 4 Berlioz’s Requiem

Thursday B Package

SIX CONCERTS AT 8PM

SEP 22 Viva

Verdi: Italian Masterworks Mozart’s Symphony No. 36 FEB 23 MTT conducts Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet MAR 9 Beethoven and Brahms MAR 30 MTT conducts Mahler MAY 11 Emanuel Ax plays Mozart JAN 19

Thursday C Package

SIX CONCERTS AT 8PM

Yuja Wang and Stravinsky’s Firebird MTT conducts Brahms Symphony No. 2 DEC 15 Handel’s Messiah MAR 16 Beethoven and Barber, featuring Gil Shaham MAY 25 Shostakovich with Matthias Goerne and Tchaikovsky’s Fifth JUN 29 MTT conducts Berlioz’s Romeo and Juliet

THU M

Rhoda Goldman Thursday Matinee Package SIX CONCERTS AT 2PM

Heras-Casado conducts Mozart and Dvořák plays Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G FEB 9 Bronfman, Blomstedt, Beethoven, and Brahms MAR 2 MTT conducts Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich APR 20 Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff JUN 1 Immortal Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

OCT 20

JAN 26 Thibaudet

The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman. For information about making endowment or memorial gifts, contact Gift Planning, at 415-503-5482 or giftplanning@sfsymphony.org.

Thursday Matinee Bus Packages

SEP 29

OCT 27

COMBO

Thursday Z Combo Package TWELVE CONCERTS AT 8PM

Buy 12 concerts and get a complimentary concert ticket. Combine Thu A + B.

Sit back, relax, and let us bring you to the Symphony! We offer several Bus Packages that make enjoying San Francisco Symphony concerts easier than ever. Our round-trip charter bus service will pick you up at a location close to your home and drop you off at Davies Symphony Hall for the Rhoda Goldman Thursday Matinee concerts. Bus Package pickup is available in several surrounding communities: Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley Chico/Yuba City Lodi Modesto Sacramento/Davis San Carlos Santa Rosa Stockton/Manteca Menlo-Atherton Los Gatos Walnut Creek/Orinda For Bus Package information, contact Mary Mercurio at 415-503-5488 or mmercurio@sfsymphony.org.

LEE ANN CROCKER , BA SS

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TURN TO PAGE 13 FOR CONCERT DETAILS IN DATE ORDER .

PACK AGES

Friday Packages SEP 16 MTT

conducts Beethoven’s Fifth Yuja Wang plays Chopin FEB 3 Beethoven’s Ode to Joy MAR 10 Beethoven and Brahms MAY 5 Berlioz’s Requiem JUN 9 Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring NOV 4

Buy 12 concerts and get a complimentary concert ticket. Combine Fri C + E.

Friday B Combo Package

TWELVE CONCERTS AT 8PM

Buy 12 concerts and get a complimentary concert ticket. Combine Fri D + F.

SIX CONCERTS AT 8PM

conducts Mozart and Dvořák Messiah FEB 24 MTT conducts Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet MAR 31 MTT conducts Mahler APR 28 German Romanticism: Schumann and R. Strauss JUN 30 MTT conducts Berlioz’s Romeo and Juliet

Friday Z Combo Package

OCT 21 Heras-Casado DEC 16 Handel’s

TWENTY-FOUR CONCERTS AT 8PM

Buy all 24 concerts and get extra perks—an additional seat upgrade, a complimentary concert ticket, and a complimentary drink voucher.

Combine Fri C + D + E + F.

ADD-ONS

TWELVE CONCERTS AT 8PM

SPECIAL SERIES

Friday D Package

Friday A Combo Package

GRE AT PERFORMER S

SIX CONCERTS AT 8PM

CONCERTS

Friday C Package

DISCOVER

Subscription Packages: Davies Symphony Hall Classical Series

Friday E Package

SIX CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 9

MTT conducts Reich and Copland conducts Brahms Symphony No. 2 JAN 27 Thibaudet plays Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G MAR 3 MTT conducts Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich MAY 19 Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony JUN 16 Joshua Bell plays Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole OCT 28 MTT

Friday F Package

SIX CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 30 Yuja

Wang and Stravinsky’s Firebird conducts Das klagende Lied: A Semi-Staged Event FEB 17 John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary MAR 17 Beethoven and Barber, featuring Gil Shaham MAY 12 Emanuel Ax plays Mozart MAY 26 Shostakovich with Matthias Goerne and Tchaikovsky’s Fifth JAN 13 MTT

Friday 7:30 Package

SIX CONCERTS AT 7:30PM SEP 23

Viva Verdi: Italian Masterworks Mozart’s Symphony No. 36, Linz FEB 10 Bronfman, Blomstedt, Beethoven, and Brahms MAR 24 MTT conducts Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra APR 21 Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff JUN 23 MTT conducts American Mavericks JAN 20

JESSICA VALERI, FRENCH HORN

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Subscription Packages: Davies Symphony Hall Classical Series

TURN TO PAGE 13 FOR CONCERT DETAILS IN DATE ORDER .

Saturday & Sunday Packages Saturday A Package

OCT 1 Yuja Wang and Stravinsky’s Firebird

JAN 14 MTT

conducts Das klagende Lied: A Semi-Staged Event FEB 18 John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary MAR 11 Beethoven and Brahms APR 29 German Romanticism: Schumann and Strauss MAY 20 Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony JUL 1 MTT conducts Berlioz’s Romeo and Juliet

Saturday B Package

SEVEN CONCERTS AT 8PM

SEP 24 Viva

Verdi: Italian Masterworks conducts Brahms Symphony No. 2 JAN 21 Mozart’s Symphony No. 36 MAR 18 Beethoven and Barber, featuring Gil Shaham MAY 13 Emanuel Ax plays Mozart MAY 27 Shostakovich with Matthias Goerne and Tchaikovsky’s Fifth JUN 24 MTT conducts American Mavericks OCT 29 MTT

Saturday C Package

SEVEN CONCERTS AT 8PM

Sunday Matinee A Package

SEVEN CONCERTS AT 8PM

SIX CONCERTS AT 2PM JAN 15 MTT

conducts Das klagende Lied: A Semi-Staged Event FEB 5 Beethoven’s Ode to Joy MAR 12 Beethoven and Brahms MAR 26 Benedetti plays Bruch MAY 21 Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony JUN 18 Joshua Bell plays Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole

Sunday Matinee B Package

SIX CONCERTS AT 2PM OCT 30 MTT

conducts Brahms Symphony No. 2 Mozart’s Symphony No. 36, Linz FEB 12 Bronfman, Blomstedt, Beethoven, and Brahms APR 2 MTT conducts Mahler Symphonies JUN 11 Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring JUN 25 MTT conducts American Mavericks JAN 22

Sunday Matinee Z Combo Package

TWELVE CONCERTS AT 2PM

Buy all 12 concerts and get a complimentary concert ticket. Combine Sun A + B.

SEP 17 MTT

conducts Beethoven’s Fifth andel’s Messiah H FEB 11 Bronfman, Blomstedt, Beethoven, and Brahms MAR 4 MTT conducts Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich APR 1 MTT conducts Mahler Symphonies APR 22 Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff JUN 17 Joshua Bell plays Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole DEC 17

Saturday D Package

SEVEN CONCERTS AT 8PM

SEP 10

MTT conducts Reich and Copland Heras-Casado conducts Mozart and Dvořák JAN 28 Thibaudet plays Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major FEB 25 MTT conducts Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet MAR 25 Benedetti plays Bruch MAY 6 Berlioz’s Requiem JUN 10 Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring OCT 22

Saturday Combo Packages

FOURTEEN CONCERTS AT 8PM

Buy 14 concerts and get a complimentary concert ticket. Combine any two Saturday packages.

Buy 21 or all 28 concerts and get extra perks—an additional seat upgrade, complimentary concert ticket, and a complimentary drink voucher.

Combine any three or four Saturday packages.

EUGENE IZOTOV, PRINCIPAL OBOE

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TURN TO PAGE 9 FOR PACK AGE SUMMARIES.

PACK AGES

Concerts THU SEPT 22 8PM FRI SEPT 23 7:30PM SAT SEPT 24 8PM

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FRI E SAT D

MTT conducts Beethoven’s Fifth WED SEP 14 8PM THU SEP 15 8PM FRI SEP 16 8PM SAT SEP 17 8PM

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor San Francisco Symphony Haydn Symphony No. 69, Laudon Sibelius Symphony No. 3 Beethoven Symphony No. 5

Experience the exhilaration and visceral intensity of Beethoven’s beloved Fifth Symphony with MTT and the San Francisco Symphony, who ensure “the work’s raw energy and triumphal power sound more explosive than ever.” (San Francisco Chronicle) Buy this concert in:

SEP 28– OCT 1 YUJA WANG

Verdi, who holds one of the most stunning, overarching operatic legacies of all time, is central to this program which features the show-stopping tenor Michael Fabiano with “blazing trumpet-like high notes” (Opera Britannica) as well as Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble The Swingle Singers and SF Symphony Principal Oboe Eugene Izotov.

Buy this concert in:

ADD-ONS

In celebration of “the most original musical thinker of our time,” (The New Yorker) MTT pays tribute to composer Steve Reich alongside American masterworks including a selection of American songs with soprano Susanna Phillips. Grammy Award–winning ensemble Eighth Blackbird joins members of the SF Symphony for Reich’s Double Sextet and the program culminates with the full orchestra in Reich’s Three Movements.

Marcello Oboe Concerto in C minor Berio Sinfonia for Eight Solo Voices and Orchestra Selection of Italian Arias Verdi Te Deum

SPECIAL SERIES

Copland Billy the Kid Suite Selection of American Songs Steve Reich Double Sextet Steve Reich Three Movements

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Michael Fabiano tenor The Swingle Singers vocal ensemble Eugene Izotov oboe San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin director San Francisco Symphony

GRE AT PERFORMER S

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Susanna Phillips soprano Eighth Blackbird ensemble San Francisco Symphony

FRI SEP 9 8PM SAT SEP 10 8PM

Viva Verdi: Italian Masterworks

CONCERTS

Browse concert details here. See pages 9–12 for package summaries.

MTT conducts Reich and Copland

DISCOVER

Concerts: Davies Symphony Hall Classical Series

THU B FRI 7:30 SAT B

Yuja Wang and Stravinsky’s Firebird WED SEP 28 8PM THU SEP 29 8PM FRI SEP 30 8PM SAT OCT 1 8PM

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Yuja Wang piano Mark Inouye trumpet San Francisco Symphony Bright Sheng “Overture” to Dream of the Red Chamber (SFS Commission) Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 Stravinsky Le Chant du rossignol Stravinsky The Firebird Suite (1919 version)

WED D THU A FRI C SAT C

“She is, quite simply, the most dazzling, uncannily gifted pianist in the concert world today.” (San Francisco Chronicle) Experience Yuja Wang with the San Francisco Symphony performing Shostakovich’s sardonic Piano Concerto No. 1, plus music from Stravinsky’s ground-breaking ballet, The Firebird, and his symphonic poem inspired by Hans Christian Anderson’s The Nightingale.

Buy this concert in:

WED C THU C FRI F SAT A

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Concerts: Davies Symphony Hall Classical Series

TURN TO PAGE 9 FOR PACK AGE SUMMARIES.

Heras-Casado conducts Mozart and Dvožák WED OCT 19 8PM THU OCT 20 2PM FRI OCT 21 8PM SAT OCT 22 8PM

Pablo Heras-Casado conductor Alisa Weilerstein cello San Francisco Symphony

THU DEC 15 8PM FRI DEC 16 8PM SAT DEC 17 8PM

Mozart Symphony No. 29 Schumann Cello Concerto Dvořák Symphony No. 7

Enjoy a blockbuster double bill of symphonies conducted by audience favorite Pablo Heras-Casado: Mozart’s bright Symphony No. 29 and Dvořák’s dramatic and profoundly intimate Symphony No. 7. Alisa Weilerstein brings her “impassioned, intelligent playing” (The New York Times) to Schumann’s poignant Cello Concerto.

The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman.

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Handel’s Messiah

WED C THU M FRI D SAT D

Patrick Dupré Quigley conductor Lauren Snouffer soprano Anthony Roth Costanzo countertenor Zachary Wilder tenor Christian Van Horn bass-baritone San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin director San Francisco Symphony Handel Messiah

Hallelujah! Patrick Dupré Quigley makes his SF Symphony conducting debut and leads Handel’s celebrated Messiah with the Grammy Award-winning Symphony Chorus and SF Symphony. Mark your calendars now to witness one of the Bay Area’s favorite holiday traditions and experience the thundering glory of this joyous music.

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THU C FRI D SAT C

MTT conducts Brahms Symphony No. 2 THU OCT 27 10AM Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal THU OCT 27 8PM FRI OCT 28 8PM SAT OCT 29 8PM SUN OCT 30 2PM

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Rudolph Buchbinder piano Pacific Boychoir, Kevin Fox director San Francisco Symphony Allegri Miserere Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 Brahms Symphony No. 2

Listen for Brahms’ familiar Lullaby in his pensive and joyful Symphony No. 2, composed in a burst of inspiration in the sun-drenched Austrian countryside. Plus, acclaimed pianist Rudolf Buchbinder performs Mozart’s stormy Piano Concerto No. 20, known to be one of Beethoven’s favorite pieces of music.

Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal is a working rehearsal. The pieces rehearsed are at the conductor’s discretion.

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OPEN THU C FRI E SAT B

Yuja Wang plays Chopin WED NOV 2 8PM THU NOV 3 8PM FRI NOV 4 8PM

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Yuja Wang piano San Francisco Symphony

JAN 13–15 JOÉLLE HARVEY

MTT conducts Das klagende Lied: A Semi-Staged Event FRI JAN 13 8PM SAT JAN 14 8PM SUN JAN 15 2PM

Michael Tilson Thomas Agnegram Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 Bruckner Symphony No. 7 “She seems to have everything: speed, flexibility, pianistic thunder, and interpretive nuance.” (The New York Times) Yuja Wang shines alongside Michael Tilson Thomas’ spirited Agnegram, written for the Symphony’s long-time patron and friend Agnes Albert with her initials spelling out the melody. This dynamic program also features Bruckner’s expansive Seventh Symphony.

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WED D THU A FRI C

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Joélle Harvey soprano Sasha Cooke mezzo-soprano Brian Mulligan baritone James Darrah stage director Adam Larsen video designer San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin director San Francisco Symphony Mahler Blumine Mahler Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer) Mahler Das klagende Lied [semi-staged]

Michael Tilson Thomas leads an internationally-renowned cast of singers in Mahler's earliest works. Although Das klagende Lied was conceived as an unstaged cantata, MTT and Stage Director James Darrah expand its scope to incorporate scenic elements, original projections by videographer Adam Larsen, costumes, and lighting to create a dark fairy tale kingdom where two brothers battle for a Queen's love.

Supported by the Barbro and Bernard Osher Staged Production Fund.

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FRI F SAT A SUN A

TURN TO PAGE 9 FOR PACK AGE SUMMARIES.

THU JAN 19 10AM Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal

FRI JAN 20 7:30PM SAT JAN 21 8PM

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OPEN THU B FRI 7:30 SAT B SUN B

SUN FEB 5 2PM

Beethoven Symphony No. 9 Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9—which ends with the unforgettable Ode to Joy and is the first symphony joining the forces of orchestra, chorus, and vocal soloists—is one of the most influential works of all time. Experience this powerful, triumphant masterpiece with Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt and the Grammy Award–winning SF Symphony and Chorus.

The Feb 5 concert benefits the Orchestra’s pension fund.

Buy this concert in:

WED D FRI C SUN A

Bronfman, Blomstedt, Beethoven, and Brahms THU FEB 9 2PM FRI FEB 10 7:30PM SAT FEB 11 8PM

Thibaudet plays Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G THU JAN 26 2PM FRI JAN 27 8PM SAT JAN 28 8PM

SUN FEB 12 2PM

Lionel Bringuier conductor Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano San Francisco Symphony Kodály Dances of Galánta Ravel Piano Concerto in G major Beethoven Symphony No. 4

Lionel Bringuier conducts a vibrant program, from the Hungarian folk music of Kodály’s Dances of Galánta to the sounds of American jazz in Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major. Acclaimed pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet returns to Davies Symphony Hall, bringing “sophistication and suavity, both clarity and a freedom infused by the spirit of jazz.” (The New York Times) The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman.

Buy this concert in:

THU M FRI E SAT D

Herbert Blomstedt conductor Yefim Bronfman piano San Francisco Symphony

ADD-ONS

Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal is a working rehearsal. The pieces rehearsed are at the conductor’s discretion.

FRI FEB 3 8PM

SPECIAL SERIES

James Gaffigan leads an exhilarating program featuring the “absolutely stunning” (Chicago Tribune) violinist Simone Lamsma performing Prokofiev’s passionate Violin Concerto No. 2 and showcasing the Symphony in the original orchestration of Mussorgsky’s A Night on Bald Mountain. Also, hear Mozart’s blazing Symphony No. 36—written in just four days for a surprise concert in Linz—and R. Strauss’ arresting interpretation of Salome’s sensual dance for King Herod.

Herbert Blomstedt conductor San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin director San Francisco Symphony

WED FEB 1 8PM

GRE AT PERFORMER S

SUN JAN 22 2PM

Mussorgsky A Night on Bald Mountain Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2 Mozart Symphony No. 36, Linz R. Strauss “Dance of the Seven Veils” from Salome

Beethoven’s Ode to Joy

CONCERTS

THU JAN 19 8PM

James Gaffigan conductor Simone Lamsma violin San Francisco Symphony

PACK AGES

Mozart’s Symphony No. 36

DISCOVER

Concerts: Davies Symphony Hall Classical Series

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 Brahms Symphony No. 3

At its premiere, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 was hailed as the most singular, artistic, and complex concerto the composer had ever written. Hear celebrated pianist Yefim Bronfman play this master work, followed by the San Francisco Symphony performing Brahms’ beautiful Symphony No. 3, described by critics as “Brahms’ Eroica.”

The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman.

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THU M FRI 7:30 SAT C SUN B

John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary THU FEB 16 8PM FRI FEB 17 8PM SAT FEB 18 8PM

JAN 26 –28 JEAN -Y VES THIBAUDET

Joana Carneiro conductor Kelley O’Connor mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford mezzo-soprano Jay Hunter Morris tenor Daniel Bubeck, Brian Cummings, Nathan Medley countertenors San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin director San Francisco Symphony John Adams The Gospel According to the Other Mary

Social justice, political unrest, miracles, and resurrection. Join the San Francisco Symphony in celebrating John Adams’ 70th birthday with “the most sophisticated, majestic, and moving [music] of his career.” (Los Angeles Times) With a libretto by Peter Sellars built on texts and poems from feminist writers and social activists, Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary will be a powerful, not-to-be-missed event.

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THU A FRI F SAT A

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Concerts: Davies Symphony Hall Classical Series

TURN TO PAGE 9 FOR PACK AGE SUMMARIES.

MTT conducts Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet WED FEB 22 8PM THU FEB 23 8PM FRI FEB 24 8PM SAT FEB 25 8PM

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Leila Josefowicz violin San Francisco Symphony John Adams Scheherazade.2 Prokofiev Selections from Romeo and Juliet

Michael Tilson Thomas and the SF Symphony won their first Grammy together for their exquisite recording of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. Hear the dramatic story unfold paired with John Adams’ imaginative Scheherazade.2, written for violinist Leila Josefowicz as the “wonderfully committed and ferociously intense” (The Guardian) musical heroine in this celebration of female strength.

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WED C THU B FRI D SAT D

Beethoven and Brahms THU MAR 9 10AM Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal THU MAR 9 8PM FRI MAR 10 8PM SAT MAR 11 8PM SUN MAR 12 2PM

WED MAR 1 8PM THU MAR 2 2PM FRI MAR 3 8PM SAT MAR 4 8PM

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Gautier Capuçon cello San Francisco Symphony Gnesin The Jewish Orchestra at the Ball of Nothingtown Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6, Pathétique

Gautier Capuçon’s performances with the SF Symphony are “thoughtful, highly dramatic, and played with precision and grace.” (San Francisco Chronicle) The acclaimed cellist joins Michael Tilson Thomas for Shostakovich’s provocative Cello Concerto No. 1. The orchestra then plays Tchaikovsky’s ardent Pathétique Symphony, known as one of the composer’s proudest achievements.

The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman.

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MAR 9–12 AR ABELL A STEINBACHER

Beethoven Coriolan Overture Hindemith Violin Concerto Brahms Symphony No. 4

This concert pairs two composers’ confrontations with war: the Coriolan Overture, Beethoven’s depiction of a Roman general’s vengeful attack on his homeland, and Hindemith’s raw Violin Concerto, written at the beginning of World War II, performed by captivating violinist Arabella Steinbacher. Brahms’ beloved Symphony No. 4 completes this compelling program.

Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal is a working rehearsal. The pieces rehearsed are at the conductor’s discretion.

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MTT conducts Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich

Marek Janowski conductor Arabella Steinbacher violin San Francisco Symphony

OPEN THU B FRI C SAT A SUN A

Beethoven and Barber, featuring Gil Shaham THU MAR 16 8PM FRI MAR 17 8PM SAT MAR 18 8PM

Juraj Valčuha conductor Gil Shaham violin San Francisco Symphony Schreker Chamber Symphony Barber Violin Concerto Beethoven Symphony No. 7

With its high energy and rhythmic vivacity, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 is part tumultuous, part mysterious, and all joy. Matching its brilliance is violinist Gil Shaham in a performance of Barber’s Violin Concerto sure to showcase his “soulful eloquence and vigor that still [makes] room for unbridled shows of virtuosity.” (San Francisco Chronicle) Buy this concert in:

THU C FRI F SAT B

MTT conducts Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra THU MAR 23 8PM FRI MAR 24 8PM

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Jeffrey Anderson tuba San Francisco Symphony Cage The Seasons [with video] Robin Holloway Europa and the Bull (SFS Co-commission) Bartók Concerto for Orchestra

Showcasing each section of the orchestra in this five-movement masterpiece, Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra utilizes every corner of the symphony to its full potential. On a program also featuring Cage’s The Seasons, written only a few years after Bartók’s work, hear the groundbreaking uses of tonality, form, and expression in mid-century classical music.

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THU A FRI 7:30

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SAT MAR 25 8PM SUN MAR 26 2PM

Cage The Seasons [with video] Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 Bartók Concerto for Orchestra

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SAT D SUN A

WED APR 19 8PM THU APR 20 2PM FRI APR 21 7:30PM

Andrés Orozco-Estrada conductor Denis Kozhukhin piano San Francisco Symphony Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2

Hailed as “leader of the pack of Russian pianists,” (Classical Source) Denis Kozhukhin takes on Prokofiev's fiendishly challenging Piano Concerto No. 2, a work he has performed worldwide to rave reviews: “From the spare chill elegance of the first movement’s opening to the keyboard cascades that followed, Kozhukhin had an absolute free-ranging authority.” (The Guardian) Then, experience Rachmaninoff’s romantic Second Symphony as it moves from brooding restraint to wild energy, and is punctuated by unforgettable moments of utmost beauty.

SAT APR 22 8PM

Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal is a working rehearsal. The pieces rehearsed are at the conductor’s discretion.

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ADD-ONS

The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman.

SPECIAL SERIES

MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS

WED APR 19 10AM Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal

GRE AT PERFORMER S

Violinist Nicola Benedetti, whose playing emanates “radiant lofty lyricism, touching intimate bluesiness, and furious rhythmic energy,” (The Telegraph) performs Bruch’s First Violin Concerto, a beloved masterpiece of Romantic lyricism, with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony.

Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff

CONCERTS

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Nicola Benedetti violin San Francisco Symphony

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Benedetti plays Bruch

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Concerts: Davies Symphony Hall Classical Series

German Romanticism: Schumann and Strauss THU APR 27 10AM Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal THU APR 27 8PM FRI APR 28 8PM SAT APR 29 8PM

MTT conducts Mahler THU MAR 30 8PM FRI MAR 31 8PM SAT APR 1 8PM SUN APR 2 2PM

Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor R. Strauss Aus Italien

Metropolitan Opera Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leads an intense German program of Schumann and Strauss. “In a class of his own,” (The Telegraph) pianist Igor Levit performs Schumann’s exhilarating Piano Concerto. Then, envision breathtaking Roman ruins and sweeping rural landscapes in Richard Strauss’ first tone poem, Aus Italien, inspired by the young composer’s trip to Italy.

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor San Francisco Symphony

Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal is a working rehearsal. The pieces rehearsed are at the conductor’s discretion.

Mahler Adagio from Symphony No. 10 Mahler Symphony No. 1

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With seven Grammys for recordings of Mahler’s symphonies, Michael Tilson Thomas and the SF Symphony are “the most exciting Mahler combination anywhere.” (Los Angeles Times) You won’t want to miss the thrilling combination of the poignant Adagio from Mahler’s Tenth alongside the storied First Symphony, which is infused with enchanting melodies, stormy episodes, and glorious, final bursts of light.

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Fabio Luisi conductor Igor Levit piano San Francisco Symphony

THU B FRI D SAT C SUN B

OPEN THU A FRI D SAT A

Berlioz’s Requiem THU MAY 4 8PM FRI MAY 5 8PM SAT MAY 6 8PM

Charles Dutoit conductor Paul Groves tenor San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin director San Francisco Symphony Berlioz Requiem

Witness 400 musicians performing one of the most extraordinary works ever written. Don’t miss the theatrical flair, fervent passion, and staggering power of Berlioz’s epic Requiem, led by preeminent conductor Charles Dutoit with the SF Symphony and Chorus.

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Concerts: Davies Symphony Hall Classical Series

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Emanuel Ax plays Mozart WED MAY 10 10AM Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal WED MAY 10 8PM THU MAY 11 8PM FRI MAY 12 8PM SAT MAY 13 8PM

Shostakovich with Matthias Goerne and Tchaikovsky’s Fifth

Charles Dutoit conductor Emanuel Ax piano San Francisco Symphony Sibelius Karelia Suite Mozart Piano Concerto No. 22 Falla Three Dances from The Three-Cornered Hat Debussy La Mer

Seven-time Grammy Award-winner Emanuel Ax joins internationally renowned conductor Charles Dutoit for Mozart’s sparkling Piano Concerto No. 22. Then, La Mer, one of Debussy’s most famous works, offers a dazzling symphonic impression of the composer’s childhood visits to the ocean.

Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal is a working rehearsal. The pieces rehearsed are at the conductor’s discretion.

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THU MAY 25 10AM Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal THU MAY 25 8PM FRI MAY 26 8PM SAT MAY 27 8PM

Shostakovich Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

A symphony in all but name, Shostakovich’s Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti is a tribute to Mahler’s song cycle Das Lied von der Erde. Hear Shostakovich’s moving depiction of the famous artist’s achievements and struggles through the majestic voice of Matthias Goerne, followed by Tchaikovsky’s soaring Fifth Symphony.

Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal is a working rehearsal. The pieces rehearsed are at the conductor’s discretion.

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MAY 10 –13 EMANUEL A X

Manfred Honeck conductor Matthias Goerne baritone San Francisco Symphony

OPEN THU C FRI F SAT B

Immortal Vivaldi: The Four Seasons WED MAY 31 8PM THU JUN 1 2PM

Alexander Barantschik violinist and leader San Francisco Symphony Vivaldi The Four Seasons Mozart Divertimento No. 11 J. S. Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 2

Vivaldi’s popular Four Seasons is full of musical onomatopoeia that sweep you through the seasons. Dream your way through a year of flowering meadows, merciless summer sun, bountiful harvests, and slippery ice, led by SF Symphony Concertmaster Alexander Barantschik.

The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman.

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Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring FRI JUN 9 10AM Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal FRI JUN 9 8PM SAT JUN 10 8PM SUN JUN 11 2PM

Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony WED MAY 17 8PM FRI MAY 19 8PM SAT MAY 20 8PM SUN MAY 21 2PM

Roberto Abbado conductor Veronika Eberle violin San Francisco Symphony Schumann Violin Concerto Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3, Scottish

Guest conductor Roberto Abbado leads Mendelssohn’s beautiful Symphony No. 3, nicknamed Scottish after the quiet chapel where Mary was crowned Queen of Scotland. Plus, violinist Veronika Eberle brings “introverted intensity and interpretive boldness” (The New York Times) to Schumann’s lyrical Violin Concerto.

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Susanna Mälkki conductor Garrick Ohlsson piano San Francisco Symphony Debussy Printemps, Suite symphonique Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 Stravinsky Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring)

Head into spring with a musical burst of color and excitement, from Stravinsky’s revolutionary Le Sacre du printemps to Debussy’s charming take on new life in spring. Conductor Susanna Mälkki returns following rave reviews last season for bringing out “serenity and wit, lyricism and rawness, whispering delicacy and harrowing abandon” (San Francisco Classical Voice) in the orchestra, along with pianist Garrick Ohlsson, longtime SF Symphony favorite, whose artistry combines “strength, sensitivity and stylistic insight” (San Francisco Chronicle) in Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto.

Katharine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal is a working rehearsal. The pieces rehearsed are at the conductor’s discretion.

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OPEN FRI C SAT D SUN B

TURN TO PAGE 9 FOR PACK AGE SUMMARIES.

FRI JUN 16 8PM SUN JUN 18 2PM

Vasily Petrenko conductor Joshua Bell violin San Francisco Symphony

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FRI E SAT C SUN A

MTT conducts American Mavericks FRI JUN 23 7:30PM SUN JUN 25 2PM

“Joshua Bell is the greatest American violinist active today.”

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Measha Brueggergosman mezzo-soprano San Francisco Symphony

ADD-ONS

SAT JUN 24 8PM

SPECIAL SERIES

Don’t miss your chance to see Grammy Award winner and classical music superstar Joshua Bell, alongside acclaimed guest conductor Vasily Petrenko. Hailed as “imaginative, technically gifted and altogether extraordinary,” (The Washington Post) Bell plays Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole, followed by the SF Symphony performing Rachmaninoff’s exquisite Symphony No. 1.

JUN 23–25 MEASHA BRUEGGERGOSMAN

GRE AT PERFORMER S

Glinka Capriccio brillante on the Jota Aragonesa Lalo Symphonie espagnole Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 1

CONCERTS

SAT JUN 17 8PM

PACK AGES

Joshua Bell plays Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole

DISCOVER

Concerts: Davies Symphony Hall Classical Series

Ives From the Steeples and the Mountains Ives The Unanswered Question Michael Tilson Thomas Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind (West Coast Premiere) Harrison Suite for Symphonic Strings Antheil Jazz Symphony

THE BOSTON HER ALD

Join Michael Tilson Thomas for a special, all-American program, including radical works by Charles Ives and Lou Harrison, as well as MTT’s own tumultuous setting of Carl Sandburg’s poem, Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind, featuring “glowing soprano Measha Brueggergosman.” (Opera) Then, enjoy a rare and exciting performance of Antheil's Jazz Symphony in a blend of music, imagery, and dance that infuses the orchestral palette with Creole and New Orleans jazz.

The Jun 25 concert benefits the Orchestra’s pension fund.

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FRI 7:30 SAT B SUN B

MTT conducts Berlioz’s Romeo and Juliet WED JUN 28 8PM THU JUN 29 8PM FRI JUN 30 8PM SAT JUL 1 8PM

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Sasha Cooke mezzo-soprano Nicholas Phan tenor Luca Pisaroni bass-baritone San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin director San Francisco Symphony Berlioz Roméo et Juliette

Berlioz’s interpretation of the world’s greatest romance brings the star-crossed lovers into the very fabric of the orchestra, with the warring families represented by the Grammy Award-winning SF Symphony Chorus. Internationally acclaimed opera singers Luca Pisaroni, Nicholas Phan, and Sasha Cooke complete the cast to bring Shakespeare’s tragedy to life like you’ve never experienced it before, all led by Michael Tilson Thomas.

JUN 16 –18 JOSHUA BELL

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23

Great Performers Series

GUSTAVO DUDAMEL

“Infectious emotional energy” T H E N E W YO R K E R

GUSTAVO DUDAMEL AND THE LOS ANGELES PHILHAR MONIC

Great Performers T

he San Francisco Symphony presents the Great Performers Series, bringing orchestras and artists from across the globe to Davies Symphony Hall.

GPS A

Great Performers A Package SIX EVENING CONCERTS

NOV 6 Warsaw

Philharmonic plays Beethoven Perlman at Davies MAR 13 András Schiff in Recital MAR 20 Saint Petersburg Philharmonic plays Shostakovich APR 2 Deborah Voigt and the Danish National Orchestra APR 25 Murray Perahia in Recital JAN 16 Itzhak

COMBO

GPS B

Great Performers B Package SIX EVENING CONCERTS

OCT 31 Dudamel

conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic Philharmonic and Dvořák’s New World Symphony JAN 29 Prague Philharmonia with Gautier Capuçon MAR 19 Saint Petersburg Philharmonic plays Prokofiev MAR 26 Exquisite Violin: Anne-Sophie Mutter

APR 3 The Danish National Orchestra featuring Arabella Steinbacher DEC 4 China

Great Performers Z Combo Package TWELVE EVENING CONCERTS

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Presenting Sponsor

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DISCOVER

Great Performers Series

Itzhak Perlman at Davies MON JAN 16 8PM

Gustavo Dudamel conductor Los Angeles Philharmonic Andrew Norman Play Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 GPS B

Warsaw Philharmonic plays Beethoven

SUN NOV 6 7PM

Prague Philharmonia with Gautier Capuçon Travel along the Moldau river and through the picturesque Czech countryside with the Prague Philharmonia in a concert featuring two of the country’s most beloved composers, Dvořák and Smetana. Plus, experience internationally renowned and “stirringly eloquent” (San Francisco Chronicle) cellist Gautier Capuçon as he performs Dvořák’s stunning Cello Concerto.

SUN JAN 29 7PM

Jacek Kaspszyk conductor Yulianna Avdeeva piano Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra

Smetana Vltava from Má Vlast (The Moldau) Dvořák Cello Concerto Dvořák Symphony No. 8

Weinberg Polish Melodies Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 Mahler Symphony No. 4 Buy this concert in:

Emmanuel Villaume conductor Gautier Capuçon cello Prague Philharmonia

ADD-ONS

Hear Yulianna Avdeeva, “an artist who can truly make the piano sing,” (Gramophone) play Beethoven’s part raucous, part meditative Piano Concerto No. 3 along with Mahler’s serene Fourth Symphony, led by conductor Jacek Kaspszyk and the Warsaw Philharmonic, one of the oldest and most prestigious orchestras of Europe.

GPS A

SPECIAL SERIES

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GREAT PERFORMERS

MON OCT 31 8PM

One of the most extraordinary masters of the violin, with a spectacular 50-year career, violinist Itzhak Perlman brings his celebrated brilliance to San Francisco, for a recital of thrilling classical works.

CONCERTS

“The classical music world boasts only a handful of real rock stars, and the gifted and charismatic young Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel is one of them.”

(San Francisco Chronicle) Leading the incredible LA Philharmonic, Dudamel brings energy and fire to Tchaikovsky’s glorious Symphony No. 4.

Itzhak Perlman violin Rohan De Silva piano

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Dudamel conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic

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GPS B

GPS A

China Philharmonic and Dvožák’s New World Symphony Experience the China Philharmonic and conductor Yu Long, “the most powerful figure in China’s classical music scene,” (The New York Times) performing one of the most popular of all Dvořák’s symphonies, as well as Mendelssohn’s enchanting Violin Concerto with violinist Julian Rachlin, “a virtuoso with heart and a champion’s bearings.” (Los Angeles Times) SUN DEC 4 8PM

Long Yu music director and conductor Julian Rachlin violin China Philharmonic Orchestra Qigang Chen Enchantments Oubliés Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor Dvořák Symphony No. 9, From the New World Buy this concert in:

Presenting Sponsor Great Performers Series

GPS B

GAUTIER CAPUÇON

András Schiff in Recital MON MAR 13 8PM

Internationally acclaimed pianist András Schiff earned “torrential waves of applause” at his last concerts at Davies (San Francisco Chronicle), and San Francisco Classical Voice calls Schiff’s recitals “among the most memorable in recent SF Symphony offerings… elegant, intimate, now playful, now dramatic, always sincere and honest.” Don’t miss your chance to see this legendary artist up close and personal in recital at Davies Symphony Hall.

Co-presented by the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Performances.

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25

Great Performers Series

Saint Petersburg Philharmonic plays Prokofiev and Shostakovich Experience “the crowning glory of Russian culture,” (Le Figaro) the prestigious Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, in a thrilling San Francisco engagement. These concerts feature some of Prokofiev’s most loved works, including his dark, lyrical Violin Concerto No. 2 and Shostakovich’s monumental Symphony No. 5, a complex reaction to mid-20th century Soviet politics.

SUN MAR 19 8PM

Yuri Temirkanov conductor Sayaka Shoji violin Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra Prokofiev Selections from Romeo and Juliet Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2 Ravel Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2 Buy this concert in:

MON MAR 20 8PM

“Not only has her majestic voice made her fans love her,” DEBOR AH raves The Wall Street Journal, VOIGT “but so has [Voigt’s] profound feeling for texts and subtleties of musical style.” Outstanding American soprano, Deborah Voigt, joins Metropolitan Opera Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi and the Danish National Orchestra for Wagner’s lush Wesendonck Lieder. Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony closes out this powerful program.

SUN APR 2 8PM

Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 GPS A

ANNE-SOPHIE MUT TER

Fabio Luisi conductor Deborah Voigt soprano Danish National Orchestra Nielsen Helios Overture Wagner Wesendonck Lieder Beethoven Symphony No. 3, Eroica

GPS B

Yuri Temirkanov conductor Garrick Ohlsson piano Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra

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Deborah Voigt and the Danish National Orchestra

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GPS A

The Danish National Orchestra featuring Arabella Steinbacher Violinist Arabella Steinbacher, Pentatone’s 2014 Artist of the Season, performs Nielsen’s beautifully sculpted Violin Concerto with the Danish National Orchestra and Metropolitan Opera Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi on a program also featuring the virtuosic Don Juan by R. Strauss.

MON APR 3 8PM

Fabio Luisi conductor Arabella Steinbacher violin Danish National Orchestra Nielsen Violin Concerto, Opus 33 R. Strauss Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche (Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks) R. Strauss Don Juan Buy this concert in:

GPS B

Murray Perahia in Recital TUE APR 25 8PM

Exquisite Violin: Anne-Sophie Mutter From Currier’s rhythmic tension in Clockwork to the playfully charming Introduction and Rondo capriccioso by Saint-Saëns, the violin’s expressive and technical range is put on full display in this performance featuring Anne-Sophie Mutter, the “undisputed queen of the violin.” (The Times of London) SUN MAR 26 7PM

Anne-Sophie Mutter violin Lambert Orkis piano

Join American pianist Murray Perahia at Davies Symphony Hall for an intimate recital. This three-time Grammy Award-winner, who was mentored by legendary pianists Horowitz and Horszowski, performs with “crispness and fire,” and is known for his “poetic, tender playing.” (The New York Times) Buy this concert in:

GPS A

Sebastian Currier Clockwork Mozart Violin Sonata in A major, K.526 Respighi Violin Sonata in B minor Saint-Saëns Introduction and Rondo capriccioso Co-presented by the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Performances.

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GPS B

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Presenting Sponsor Great Performers Series

DISCOVER PACK AGES CONCERTS GRE AT PERFORMER S SPECIAL SERIES ADD-ONS

EDWIN OUT WATER

Music for Families Music for Families Package FOUR SATURDAY CONCERTS AT 2PM

Edwin Outwater conductor Edwin Outwater conductor MAR 18 Christian Reif conductor JUN 3 Christian Reif conductor DEC 3

JAN 28

See price chart on page 19.

Recommended for ages 7 and older.

D

iscover the wonders of live orchestral music at this familyfriendly concert series with members of the San Francisco Symphony.

Half price for kids!

Curated by conductor Edwin Outwater, Music for Families concerts awaken musical curiosity in new and interactive ways. Each concert has a unique theme, from exploring how music makes us feel to telling creative stories that come to life.

Ticket holders receive a free activity guide and materials to enhance musical discovery at home.

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27

Special Family Events E

njoy these family-friendly events that celebrate the traditions and diversity of the Bay Area.

Presented in partnership with

Día de los Muertos Community Concert SAT NOV 5 2PM Festivities begin at 1pm

Bring the entire family to this annual family-friendly concert celebrating Latin-American music and culture for the Day of the Dead. Arrive an hour early for refreshments live music and dancing, colorful altars, traditional crafts, and more.

Upgrade your experience by purchasing the pre-concert Día de los Muertos brunch with premium tickets. Includes an evening Altar tour by the Altar Artists in the Davies Symphony Hall Lobbies. Call the Volunteer Council at 415-503-5500 for more details.

Recommended for ages 7 and older. Group discount not available.

Deck the Hall SUN DEC 4 11AM SUN DEC 4 3PM

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser conductor San Francisco Symphony This festive concert and reception is a San Francisco holiday tradition. Enjoy a concert of holiday favorites and sing-alongs with members of the Symphony and guest artists. Join the fun post-concert celebration with refreshments, arts and crafts, and entertainment for the whole family.

To make the experience even more memorable, order a VIP package that includes premium concert seating plus an exclusive fun-filled pre-concert reception with gourmet treats, holiday crafts, games, and a photo with Santa! Call the Volunteer Council for details at 415-503-5500.

Proceeds support the Symphony’s education and community programs. Ticket exchange and discount not available.

Peter and the Wolf SUN DEC 11 1PM SUN DEC 11 4PM

Christian Reif conductor San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra Prokofiev’s timeless tale of a boy and his animal friends’ bravery is brought to life!

Presented by a special guest narrator, watch and listen as the Youth Orchestra put their talent on display in this classic musical fable.

Lunar New Year Concert and Imperial Dinner SAT FEB 4 4PM Festivities begin at 3pm

Mei-Ann Chen conductor San Francisco Symphony Celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Rooster with the SF Symphony at this family event that draws on both ancient and contemporary Asian traditions. Arrive at 3pm for the activity-filled Festival Reception with Asian instruments, “lucky” red envelopes, lion dancing, and more.

Continue the festivities after the concert by purchasing a ticket to the dramatic and exciting Imperial Dinner. Call the Volunteer Council at 415-503-5500 for more details.

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DISCOVER PACK AGES CONCERTS GRE AT PERFORMER S SPECIAL SERIES ADD-ONS

Youth Orchestra T

he Youth Orchestra Series offers a chance to enjoy the latest generation of young musicians in the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, an ensemble that has earned international recognition. Don’t miss these concerts, performed by more than one hundred of the Bay Area’s most talented young instrumentalists.

Youth Orchestra Package THREE SUNDAY CONCERTS AT 2PM NOV 20 MAR 5 MAY 14

All performances conducted by Christian Reif See price chart on page 19.

Recommended for ages 12 and older.

May 14 supported by

“An astonishing display of group virtuosity” SAN FR ANCISCO CHRONICLE

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29

Chamber Music

T

ake part in the joy of chamber music, where audience members and artists forge a connection through music and performance. These concerts provide a unique glimpse into the personalities of Symphony musicians and invite us to share in their talent and artistry as they play great masterpieces for small ensembles.

Chamber Music Package SIX SUNDAY CONCERTS AT 2PM OCT 23 JAN 29 FEB 19 MAR 19 APR 30 MAY 28

See price chart on page 19.

Organ Concerts H

ear the magnificent 8,264-pipe Ruffatti organ live and feel its extraordinary power in your bones. This three-concert series presents celebrated organists and the works that fill Davies Symphony Hall with awe-inspiring sound.

30

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Organ Concert Package THREE SUNDAY CONCERTS AT 3PM OCT 9

FEB 26

JUN 4

Vincent Dubois James O’Donnell Wayne Marshall

See price chart on page 19.

DISCOVER

CONCERTMA STER ALE X ANDER BAR ANTSCHIK AND MICHAEL TILSON THOMA S DISCUSS THE MUSIC

PACK AGES CONCERTS GRE AT PERFORMER S SPECIAL SERIES ADD-ONS

Open Rehearsals E

xperience the brilliance of a San Francisco Symphony performance in the making. Listen as the conductor weaves together the themes of a symphony with the passion of the performers. This special behind-the-scenes experience begins at 8:30am with coffee and complimentary doughnuts, and a half-hour informative talk at 9am.

Open Rehearsals are working rehearsals. The pieces rehearsed are at the conductor’s discretion.

Open Rehearsal Package EIGHT REHEARSALS AT 10AM OCT 27

MTT conducts Brahms' Symphony No. 2 Mozart's Symphony No. 36 MAR 9 Beethoven and Brahms APR 19 Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff APR 27 German Romanticism: Schumann and Strauss MAY 10 Emanuel Ax plays Mozart MAY 25 Shostakovich with Matthias Goerne and

Tchaikovsky’s Fifth JUN 9 Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring JAN 19

Browse concerts with OPEN on pages 13–23.

See price chart on page 19.

The Open Rehearsals are endowed by a bequest from the estate of Katharine Hanrahan. For information about including the SF Symphony in your estate plans, contact Gift Planning at 415-503-5482 or giftplanning@sfsymphony.org.

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31

Amazing Add-ons RENÉE FLEMING

Opening Night Gala WED SEP 7 8PM

P

opular concerts will sell out!

Purchase advance tickets to these concerts with your subscription package for the best seat at the best price.

SUSAN GR AHAM

It’s the biggest, brightest, most glamorous party of the season! Toast sparkling wine and walk the red carpet in luxurious style—then sit back and enjoy a spectacular concert conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas featuring Renée Fleming, whose “dazzling technique and glamorous persona make her the complete package,” (St Paul Star Tribune) and “America’s favorite mezzo” (Gramophone) Susan Graham. End the night dancing to live music on the streets of San Francisco with drinks, treats, and more!

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Renée Fleming soprano Susan Graham mezzo-soprano San Francisco Symphony Steve Reich Three Movements Selection of American Songs Rossini Overture from William Tell Rossini Ballet music from William Tell Selection of Italian Songs

Upgrade your Opening Night Gala experience by purchasing one of four dinner package options. Call the Volunteer Council at 415-503-5500 for further details.

2001: A Space Odyssey Feature film with live orchestra THU OCT 13 8PM

Experience the gripping story of a not-so-distant future in Kubrick’s Academy Award–winning masterpiece. The stunning visuals are in perfect counterpoint with the epic score, featuring music by R. Strauss, Strauss Jr., and Ligeti.

Brad Lubman conductor San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin director San Francisco Symphony

Presented in association with Warner Bros., Southbank Centre London, and the British Film Institute.

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LANG LANG

GRE AT PERFORMER S

THE GUARDIAN

CONCERTS

“Exhilirating brilliance”

SPECIAL SERIES ADD - ONS

Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Simon Rattle

SIMON R AT TLE

TUE NOV 22 8PM

Boulez Éclat Mahler Symphony No. 7

WED NOV 23 8PM

Schoenberg 5 Pieces for Orchestra Webern 6 Pieces for Orchestra Berg 3 Pieces for Orchestra Brahms Symphony No. 2

The Berlin Philharmonic is hailed as one of the best orchestras in the world. Hear two thrilling programs, led by eminent conductor Simon Rattle, which highlight Brahms’ joyful Symphony No. 2 and Mahler’s victorious Symphony No. 7, both superb instances of German and Austrian symphonic writing.

Dudamel conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic TUE NOV 1 8PM

Itzhak Perlman at Davies One of the most extraordinary masters of the violin, with a spectacular 50-year career, Itzhak Perlman brings his celebrated brilliance to San Francisco, for a recital of thrilling classical works.

MON JAN 16 8PM

Lang Lang in Recital TUE FEB 7 8PM

Albéniz Selections from Suite española Debussy Ballade Granados Selections from Goyescas Liszt Piano Sonata in B minor

International piano phenomenon Lang Lang brings his trademark showmanship and heartfelt artistry to Liszt’s emotionally charged Piano Sonata in B minor, considered one of the composer’s greatest works for solo piano.

Mahler Symphony No. 9

Experience Gustavo Dudamel’s artistry as he leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Mahler’s Symphony No. 9. Composed after the painful loss of his young daughter, Mahler’s Ninth and final symphony is an immense mediation on mortality and a tremendous expression of his love for life.

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SFS Media T

he latest releases from Michael Tilson Thomas and the 15-time Grammy Award–winning San Francisco Symphony.

SAN FR ANCISCO SY MPHON Y MICHAEL TILSON THOM AS

MASON BAT ES: WORKS FOR ORCHESTR A

Mason Bates: Works for Orchestra

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 & Mass in C major

John Adams: Absolute Jest & Grand Pianola Music

MTT and the SF Symphony release an exhilarating album of composer Mason Bates’ large-scale works for orchestra and electronica. Hear the first-ever recordings of his colossal Liquid Interface and the SFS-commissioned The B-Sides alongside his supercharged work, Alternative Energy. One of the most creative and ingenious synthesists of our time, these works show Bates reimagining the dimensions of symphonic music by integrating jazz, techno, and drum & bass.

Own two of the works that helped cement Beethoven’s reputation as a creative genius like none other.

Internationally acclaimed pianist Emanuel Ax joins Michael Tilson Thomas and the SF Symphony in a dynamic performance of Beethoven’s robust Piano Concerto No. 3. Then, MTT leads the Grammy-winning SF Symphony Chorus and musicians in a rarely performed work: Beethoven’s Mass in C major.

MTT and the SF Symphony join forces with America’s most-performed living composer, John Adams, in a colossal album featuring Adams’ Absolute Jest and Grand Pianola Music. Hear Adams’ inspired and witty take on Beethoven’s spirited scherzos in this first-ever recording of his SFS-commissioned Absolute Jest. Also featured is Grand Pianola Music, with its tongue-in-cheek allusions to Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto, written for and premiered by the SF Symphony.

“New music as you always hoped it would be”

“One of the finest recent additions to the Symphony discography”

“Wildly inventive, as only Adams can be” SAN FR ANCISCO CL A SSIC AL VOICE

SAN FR ANCISCO CHRONICLE

SAN FR ANCISCO CHRONICLE

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id you know that 60% of the Symphony’s annual costs are met by contributions just like yours? A tax-deductible contribution to the San Francisco Symphony helps bring great music to the Bay Area, and will keep the music playing for generations to come.

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MTT conducts Beethoven’s Fifth Yuja Wang with the SF Symphony Itzhak Perlman in recital Simon Rattle with the Berlin Philharmonic And more!

Featured photography by Spencer Lowell and Terrence McCarthy Additional photography by Stefan Cohen and Kristen Loken On the cover: Michael Tilson Thomas, music director

AMY HIR AGA , VIOLIN

@sfsymphony