Holiday Music Shows Are Back in Full Holiday Glory
Houston Symphony Orchestra
November 11-13, 2022
November brings some interesting programming. The Houston Symphony will have Gemma New as a guest conductor as well as Camille Thomas as a solo cellist.
Born in New Zealand, Ms. New is the new artistic advisor and principal conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the principal conductor of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. She also is currently the principal guest conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Last year Ms. New received the Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award.
Franco-Belgian Camille Thomas is truly a rising star and will be soloing in the Elgar Cello Concerto. She plays the Stradivarius “Feuermann” cello (1730).
The performances will begin with the U.S. premiere of “Bride of the Wind” by Firsova followed by the Elgar Cello Concerto. The concerts will conclude with “The Planets” by Gustav Holst. The women of the Houston Symphony Chorus, led by Allen Hightower provide the subtle background effect at the work’s conclusion.
November 18-20 2022, 8:00 pm
Next up, also in November, features Thomas Søndergård conducting and Lise de la Salle as piano soloist. Søndergård, from Denmark, has just been named music director of the Minnesota Orchestra and will assume that position next season. French-born de la Salle is another performer bursting on the world’s musical scene. She will perform the Schumann Piano Concerto. The concerts open with “Of a Spring Morning” by Lili Boulanger, and will conclude with Brahms Symphony No. 3.
December 9-11 2022, 7:30 pm
Another holiday tradition continues in December with HSO performing Handel’s Messiah. Conducted by Matthew Halls, with Karina Guavin, soprano, Krisztina Szabo, mezzo-soprano, Lawrence Williforn, tenor, Tyler Duncan, baritone, and the Houston Symphony Chorus, Allen Hightower, director.
All Houston Symphony performances are at Jones Hall.
Houston Grand Opera
December 8-18 2022
HGO begins its winter season with a return of “El Milagro Del Recuerdo” (The Miracle of Remembering) with music by Javier Martinez and libretto by Leonard Foglia. This is a Christmas tale, originally commissioned by Houston Grand Opera, deals with life-altering family decisions to stay in Mexico or to seek a better life elsewhere.
Sung in Spanish with projected English translation. Performances at the Wortham Theater Center, Cullen Theater
Saturday, December 3, 2022, 7:00 pm
A special treat by HGO with its Annual Holiday Celebration at Discovery Green. “The company’s Carols on the Green Sing-Along, Transforming the Human Spirit through Song,” to take place on Saturday, December 3, 7:00 pm, Discovery Green – Hess Deck. It will be led by singers from El Milagro Del Recuerdo featuring holiday songs in English and Spanish.
Discovery Green – Hess Deck – Free
Houston Ballet
Friday, November 25 – Dec. 27 2022
It is the holiday season, so Houston Ballet will perform The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky. Thirty-three times!!
All performances at the Wortham Theater Center, Brown Theater
Final thought – I attended the Sunday, September 25 Houston Symphony performance with Music Director Juraj Valčuha conducting Joshua Bell playing the Sibelius Violin Concerto and the Shostakovich Symphony 5. Bell and the Sibelius were stunning, but Valčuha’s reading and interpretation of the Shostakovich was probably the best that I have ever experienced! His conducting and leadership skills are not to be missed. This is a most exciting new era for the Houston Symphony.
Let me continue to hear from you at classicalmusicberquist@gmail.com.