In a 2010-11 season thick with Mozart and Haydn, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra will also stretch into contemporary work with several world premieres. The season includes the debuts of artistic partners Edo de Waart and Thomas Zehetmair as well as guest conductor Matthias Pintscher.
Perhaps the biggest news of all, though, is that the SPCO has lowered ticket prices at all venues to $10, $25 and $40. In the classical music/performing arts world, that is quite significant -- for an organization as well-regarded as the SPCO.
Artistic partner Roberto Abbado opens the season in September, conducting a semi-staged version of Mozart's "Don Giovanni." Christian Zacharias will begin his season contributions with a program that Mozart himself directed and performed in 1783. Just as the composer did, Zacharias will conduct and play piano. He will do two other Mozart programs, and concertmaster Steven Copes is scheduled to perform Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 1.
De Waart, the former music director at Minnesota Orchestra, will conduct works by John Adams, Mendelssohn (Scottish Symphony) and Mahler in his first season in St. Paul. Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke will make her SPCO debut with Mahler's "Das Lied von der Erde" to mark the 100th anniversary of the composer's death. Zehetmair, the celebrated Austrian violinist, will focus on Haydn in his inaugural SPCO season, but will fold in work by such 20th-century composers as Elliott Carter and Frank Martin.
The world premieres include a piece by composer Gabriela Frank, commissioned by the SPCO and presented by artistic partner Dawn Upshaw. Brad Mehldau, the Grammy-nominated jazz pianist and composer, will have his new work, "Highway Rider," performed at Walker Art Center and then again at Carnegie Hall. That is one of two dates the SPCO will play at the New York concert hall.
In addition to Pintscher, guest conductors include Hans Graf and Joana Carneiro. Harry Bicket, Laurence Cummings, Ton Koopman and former artistic partner Nicholas McGegan will lead Baroque programs.
Among the guest artists are three violinists: Gil Shaham, Leila Josefowicz and Pekka Kuusisto.
Graydon Royce • 612-673-7299
