The National Concert Hall yesterday formally announced its 1998/99 season.
Details of seven celebrity concerts and five appearances by visiting orchestras were given by the Minister for Arts and Heritage, Ms ile de Valera. E, but it is one which can be expected to meet fierce resistance.
Mr Egan was unable to provide details of the budget requirements of the new venue, or of the level of activity the NCH aspires to generate in it. However he did reveal that the NCH board has set up an artistic sub-committee to look into these matters.
The NCH/The Irish Times celebrity concert series will open on Tuesday, September 15th, with the Irish debut of the trumpet and organ duo, Ole Edvard Antonsen and Wayne Marshall; and January 17th will bring a first visit from leading violinist Maxim Vengerov.
Also in the series are return visits by pianist Barry Douglas (October 8th), violinist Viktoria Mullova (November 5th), the Labeque sisters piano duo (January 30th), viola-player Yuri Bashmet (March 2nd) and, rounding off the season, a 60th birthday concert by flautist James Galway (May 26th).
The NCH/The Sunday Business Post international orchestral series brings appearances by three orchestras new to Ireland.
Norway's Stavanger Symphony Orchestra under Vasilly Sinaisky opens the series on Wednesday, September 30th; the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra plays under Michael Schn wandt on Sunday, October 18th, and Michael Tilson Thomas conducts the San Francisco Symphony on Wednesday, January 20th.
The London Chamber Orchestra returns under Christopher Warren-Green on Friday, November 27th, and the Royal Philharmonic will give the world premiere of an Overture by Peter Maxwell Davies with the composer conducting on Monday, May 17th. Also scheduled is an autumn series of chamber concerts based around the music of Poulenc, and featuring players from the NSO.
