Happy New Year to everyone – or “Auguri” as they say in Venice from where I am writing this post.
Today I have announced the preliminary concert schedule for the ADO’s 2017 season. More details, including dates and venues to be announced shortly. If you haven’t already seen it, tap here.
For the Season opening concert, we’re absolutely delighted to present Lisa Cheney’s evocative The Pool and the Star in a new version for symphony orchestra which the ADO will premiere. The Pool and the Star, originally conceived for chamber orchestra, was first performed as part of the MSO’s Cybec program (under the direction of Brenton Broadstock) at the 2014 Metropolis New Music Festival.
The second work on the concert is the Sibelian-inspired second Symphony No. 2 ‘Romantic’ op. 30 by 20th-Century American composer, Howard Hanson (1896-1981). Probably the best know of his seven symphonies, the work was commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s music director Serge Koussevitsky in 1930 as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations.
This symphony became the subject of some notoriety when one of its most haunting themes was used in the closing credits of the original Alien film without the composer’s consent – much to his displeasure. It’s a marvelous work of great beauty and not performed nearly enough.
The second concert in our season is a 50-minute thrill ride through the ultimate music of ‘love, murder and betrayal’ captured in Giacomo Puccini’s operatic masterpiece, TOSCA. Whereas we’d love to play all of the opera our concerts as you know are only 50 minutes long, so we’ve selected equally the most sensuous and gripping moments to perform for you. But don’t worry, we’re also developing a new 3D immersive game environment around Tosca’s Rome – where the opera is set – for you to explore the complete story in your own time. Our principal conductor, Kevin Purcell, is currently in Rome preparing the media assets for this exciting new audience engagement platform.
The 2017 season kicks off on May 7 with a special version of the ADO performing as part of Independent Schools Victoria’s Arts Learning Festival (May 3- 7). More information about this to be posted shortly.
Lastly, just to note, we are having major issues with our Facebook page and not able to access it properly. Basically we can’t write any posts onto our timeline right now. We don’t know how long this will take to resolve with the ever-charming and helpful folk at Facebook!
Enjoy the remainder of the Summer,
Janine