By Jeff Britton | SDUN Arts Reporter
You can put away “Deck The Halls” and even Handel’s venerable “Messiah”. That’s so last month last year.
For San Diego Symphony, 2011 kicks off with perhaps their widest array of musical offerings yet, designed to appeal to a variety of music lovers. From the classics to tango, Judy Garland to the family-friendly “Carnival of the Animals,” plus the inimitable Lang Lang, January has something for just about everyone.
The weekend of Jan. 7-9 brings the welcome return of pianist Emanuel Ax in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17. “Manny” Ax is an old school master of the keyboard, one reluctant to tamper with the great composers’ tempi and phrasing. For traditionalists, aside from his occasional self-written cadenzas, you can expect a reading that won’t have Amadeus spinning in his grave.
The Polish-born, Canadian-reared pianist is a regular at the Mostly Mozart festivals around the world and is a Grammy Award-winning interpreter of Haydn’s works. But don’t jump to the conclusion that he is some sort of stick-in-the-mud. He has championed and presented world premieres of many 20th century greats, such as John Adams, Christopher Rouse, Bright Sheng and Penderecki, to name a few.
And if you love chamber music, his Grammy Award-winning recordings of Beethoven and Brahms’ sonatas for cello and piano with Yo-Yo Ma are pure heaven.
In addition to Ax, conductor Jahja Ling will balance the program nicely with Suppe’s brief Overture to “Poet and Peasant,” Stravinsky’s Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra and Richard Strauss’ magnificent tone poem “Ein Heldenleben” (“A Hero’s Life”). The latter is an impressionistic masterpiece that illustrates the possibilities of the tone poem format without the constraints of a traditional symphony.
The following weekend (Jan. 14-16), a very different master of the ivory keys descends upon Copley Symphony Hall: Lang Lang. The pianist invigorates every piece he plays with a youthful exuberance and panache that has superstar written all over him. Indeed, in classical music you would be hard-put to find a more meteoric career trajectory.
This writer first encountered him during his premiere U.S. recital tour at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, Calif. when he was a lad of 18. His dreamy interpretations of a challenging program had him swaying in an almost ecstatic trance, so much so that one feared he might slide off the piano bench at any moment. The audience was spellbound.
Now at 28, he seems to have lost none of his theatrical flair, nor his willingness to play fast and loose with the tempi of some of the world’s most notable piano concertos. His weekend in San Diego offers the chance to hear his unique interpretations of Beethoven’s Fourth, Schumann’s A minor and that old chestnut, Tchaikovsky’s First, each on different days.
Lang Lang gained a strong groupie following outside the sheltered world of classical music after his performance at the spectacular opening ceremonies of the 2006 Olympics in Beijing. Then he collaborated with jazz legend Herbie Hancock at the 2008 Grammy Awards, further expanding his considerable fame.
Love him or hate him for his musical audacity, Lang Lang sells out most concerts worldwide, as he did last year in San Diego. As CBS’s “60 Minutes” noted, “He’s a spellbinding performer with a flair for drama.”
For the following weekend of Jan. 21 and 22, a whole new audience may be headed for Copley Symphony Hall as part of the Winter Pops series. Judy Garland aficionados—and you know who you are—will enjoy the diva on two jumbo video screens while guest conductor Doug Katsaros assays the gifts of one of the greatest divas in show biz.
From “The Trolley Song,” written by Encinitas resident Hugh Martin, to standards such as “The Man Who Got Away” and “Over the Rainbow,” the San Diego Symphony will provide an accompaniment befitting a musical legend. Interspersed will be clips from the Emmy Award-nominated CBS series “The Judy Garland Show” showcasing some of her famous film roles.
The final weekend concludes Jan 23 with a 2 p.m. reduced-price performance of Saint-Saens “Carnival of the Animals” with Summer Pops conductor Philip Mann bringing to life the furry creatures to a new poetry written by Jack Prelutsky. It’s a great way to introduce children to the joys of classical music in a short concert that even a 4-year-old will find captivating.
That evening, the symphony takes a break while Tango Buenos Aires, from—where else—Buenos Aires, spin out irresistible movement tapestries punctuated with tango’s proud postures and sensual couplings. If you love the exotic sounds of the bandoleon, small accordion, and amazingly flashy footwork, this is the show for you. It’s an early primer for Valentine’s Day.
For concert information and ticket sales, visit sandiegosymphony.com or call 235-0804. Or visit the Copley Symphony Hall ticket office located in downtown San Diego at 750 B St.
