PERFORMANCES FROM Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, the Philharmonia Orchestra with conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy, Swedish mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter with Concerto Copenhagen and English conductor Sir Simon Rattle are some of the highlights revealed yesterday by the National Concert Hall as part of their 2010/2011 season.
The season, which kicks off in October this year, will also include performances from violinists Julian Rachlin, Joshua Bell, Alina Pogostkina, and Tasmin Little and pianists Murray Perahia, John O’Conor, Paul Lewis and Stephen Hough.
Director of the National Concert Hall Judith Woodworth, who revealed the programme for the celebrity concert series and the international orchestral series, said the announcement of the upcoming programme was an exciting time. “I am delighted to present another great season of musical giants from the international concert stage to perform . . . in the 2010/2011 season. I believe it is a season that will keep Irish audiences enthralled, excited and engaged.”
Bartoli will be performing Sacrificum – La Scuola dei Castratiwith Kammerorchestra Basel, while von Otter will perform Bach and Handel with the Concerto Copenhagen, conducted by Lars Ulrik Mortensen.
The Philharmonia Orchestra will open the international orchestral series with Ashkenazy conducting, as well as guest violinist Alina Pogostkina. The programme also includes the return of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra with conductor Mariss Jansons and guest soprano Miah Persson for works by Mahler and Shostakovich, and the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra who will perform extracts from Tchaikovksy's Eugene Oneginand Prokofiev's Cinderellawith members of the Bolshoi Opera, conducted by Alexander Lazarev.
Concluding the season, Sir Simon Rattle will lead the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in a programme of Hayden and Mozart, featuring the pianists and sisters Katia and Marielle Labèque.
Cellists Natalia Clein and Steven Isserlis, pianists Julius Drake and Itamar Golan and Academy of St Martin in the Fields also feature on the programme.
Full details of the new season as well as special offers are available on the National Concert Hall website at www.nch.ie.