INTEGRAL OF SCHUMANN'S SYMPHONIES IN TWO EVENINGS
James Conlon, conductor
Teatro Comunale di Bologna Orchestra
James Conlon, one of today’s most versatile and respected conductors, has cultivated a vast symphonic, operatic and choral repertoire. He has conducted all the major American and European symphony orchestras since his debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1974. With tours around the world, an extensive discography and videography, numerous essays and commentaries, frequent television appearances and lectures, James Conlon is one of the most recognized performers of classical music.
SATURDAY MAY 15 | H 19.30
Program
Robert Schumann
Symphony No. 1 in B flat major Op.38 “Spring”
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major op. 97, “Renana”
WEDNESDAY 19 MAY | H 19.30
Program
Robert Schumann
Symphony No. 2 in C major op. 61
Symphony No. 4 in D minor op. 120
Saturday 15 May 2021 | H 19.30
Auditorium Manzoni
Wednesday 19 May 2021 | H 19.30
Auditorium Manzoni
| SINGLE SEATS valid for all scheduled concerts. | |||||||||||
| The seats in the hall are spaced in order to ensure distance. | |||||||||||
| PRICES | |||||||||||
| FULL TICKET PARTERRE AND GALLERY | € 25 | ||||||||||
| REDUCED TICKET FOR SEASON TICKET HOLDERS* | € 20 | ||||||||||
| REDUCED TICKET FOR UNDER 30* | € 15 | ||||||||||
| *Titles that give the right to the reduction must to be shown in case of verification by the staff or personnel. | |||||||||||
MAIN PARTNER
Composer
Robert Schumann
Symphony No. 1 in B flat major Op.38 “Spring”
Year of composition: 1841
First performance: March 31, 1841
Movements:
1.Andante un poco maestoso – Allegro molto vivace
2.Larghetto
3.Scherzo: Molto vivace – Trio I: Molto più vivace – Trio II
4.Allegro animato e grazioso
1841 was the year of the drafting of the first large, unitary and complete Schumannian symphonic picture, which was accompanied by creative gestures which equally underlie the conscious intention to produce original and exemplary works. Symphony No. 1 in E flat major, performed under the direction of Mendelssohn, seems to be one of the primary objectives of the approach and contamination between symphony and characteristic piece.
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major op. 97, “Renana”
Year of composition: Düsseldorf, 1850
First performance: Düsseldorf, February 6, 1851
Movements:
1.Vivace
2.Scherzo, molto moderato
3.Non presto
4.Solenne
5.Vivace
Defined by Schumann himself as «a picture of life on the Rhine» the Symphony No. 3 in E belolle major was born in 1850, in an atmosphere of joy and serenity. In fact, the musician had moved that year to Düsseldorf on the Rhine, thus coming into contact with an environment very different from that of Lipsia and Dresda, simpler and at the same time more peaceful and welcoming. The whole Symphony is imbued with this joyful atmosphere.
Symphony No. 2 in C major op. 61
Year of composition: 1847
Movements:
1.Sostenuto assai – Allegro, ma non troppo
2.Scherzo: Allegro vivace
3.Adagio espressivo
4.Allegro molto vivace
Schumann writes of the Symphony No. 2 in C major: «I composed it while I was still sick and it seems to me that listening to it you should realize it; it reflects the resistance of the spirit against my physical condition. The first movement is full of this struggle and its capricious and obstinate character … I felt reborn only in the last part: in fact, once the symphony was completed I felt better, but it reminds me of a dark era. Nonetheless, painful accents can arouse some interest».
Symphony No. 4 in D minor op. 120
Year of composition: 1841
First performance: Gewandhaus di Lipsia, December 6, 1841
Movements:
1.Moderatamente lento, Vivace
2.Romanza: Moderatamente lento
3.Scherzo (Vivace), Trio
4.Lento, Vivace, Più presto
The Fourth Symphony in D minor was born second, Schumann had composed it ten years earlier, in Lispsia in 1841. Hailed by a modest success at the time, he decided to leave it aside, returning to take an interest in it only ten years later. This Fourth is the Symphony that most differs from classical models and that in a certain way best testifies to the incessant musical and expressive research of the German composer.
TEATRO COMUNALE DI BOLOGNA ORCHESTRA
With its long-standing tradition, the Orchestra of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna has been led by Musical Directors like Sergiu Celibidache, Zoltán Peskó, Vladimir Delman, Riccardo Chailly, Daniele Gatti, Michele Mariotti. Some of the conductors who have worked with the ensemble include Gary Bertini, Myung-Whun Chung, James Conlon, Pinchas Steinberg, Valery Gergiev, Eliau Inbal, Vladimir Jurowskij, Daniel Oren, Peter Maag, Neville Marriner, Kurt Masur, Riccardo Muti, Mstislav Rostropovič, Esa Pekka Salonen, Georg Solti, Christian Thielemann, Charles Dutoit, Georges Prêtre. The Orchestra of the Teatro Comunale is often invited abroad (The Netherlands, Romania, Spain, France, and Switzerland) and has played in many prestigious festivals (Amsterdam 1987, Parma 1990, Wiesbaden 1994, Santander 2004 and 2008, Aix en Provence 2005, Savonlinna 2006, Macao 2013, Muscat 2015, Guanajuato in Mexico 2017, Paris 2018). A special connection with Japan has brought to several tours, including the tour in June 2019 in Osaka, Tokyo, Yokohama, Fukuoka, with performances of Rigoletto directed by Alessio Pizzech, and of Il Barbiere di Siviglia directed by Federico Grazzini.
Its numerous recordings include La Favorite conducted by Richard Bonynge; Oberto Conte di San Bonifacio conduted by Zoltán Peskó, Il Barbiere di Siviglia conducted by Giuseppe Patané, La Fille du Régiment conducted by Bruno Campanella, Le Maschere and La Bohème conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti, La Scala di Seta conducted by Gabriele Ferro, Macbeth, Manon Lescaut, Rigoletto, La Cenerentola, Messa Solenne, and the video production of Vespri siciliani and Giovanna d’Arco and Werther conducted by Riccardo Chailly, Armide conducted by Daniele Gatti, Simon Boccanegra conducted by Michele Mariotti.
The Orchestra, conducted by Michele Mariotti, has recorded a CD under the label Decca with sacred arias sung by Juan Diego Flórez, and an album under Sony with Romantic arias sung by Nino Machaidze. Under Deutsche Grammophon the Orchestra recorded Le Comte Ory with Flórez, and La Nuit de Mai – a selection or arias and songs by Leoncavallo – with Placido Domingo. Under the label PENTATONE it recently released a CD containing overtures by Rossini, to celebrate 150 years since the death of the composer.
In March 2013 the artistic ensembles of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, led by Michele Mariotti, opened the IV International Festival Mstislav Rostropovich in Moscow, where they performed Verdi’s Messa da Requiem. In October 2015, again with Michele Mariotti on the podium, they opened the Lingotto Music Festival at the Auditorium Giovanni Agnelli in Turin, where they performed Stabat Mater by Rossini, and his Overture and Ballet Music from Guillaume Tell.
After working with the Rossini Opera Festival for nearly thirty years (from 1988 to 2016), the year 2017 brought new collaborations between the Teatro Comunale di Bologna and the Verdi Festival in Parma, where the Orchestra performed, among other productions, the Stiffelio directed by Graham Vick. Staged at the Teatro Farnese, the show was highly appreciated by audience and critics alike and was granted the Special Prize at the 37th edition of the “Franco Abbiati” Critics award. The Orchestra’s engagements with the Verdi Festival for the Fall of 2019 include Luisa Miller at the Chiesa di San Francesco del Prato in Parma, and Aida at the Teatro Verdi in Busseto.
The Teatro Comunale’s 2018 production of La Bohème staged by Graham Vick received the Abbiati Award as best show.