Intown Arts March 2024
Here we are, nearly spring, and it is time for the 2023-2024 classical music to have its final activities in Houston and there are a variety of really exceptional opportunities for all of us.
Houston Ballet
Beginning on March 7, 2024, Houston Ballet offers a trio of one act ballets with contrasting music styles. The entire evening is entitled, Bespoke.
The first act is the title piece, “Bespoke,” danced to the music of various Bach violin concertos. Next is “Overgrown Path” to the music of the great Czech composer, Leoš Janåček. The evening concludes with “Filigree and Shadow” with more modern music by 48nord.
There are six presentations beginning on March 7 at 7:30pm, March 9, 7:30pm, a matinee on March 10, 2:00pm, March 15 and 16, each at 7:30pm, with a concluding matinee on March 17, 2:00pm.
In late May, Houston Ballet presents “Mayerling” a chilling tale with music by Franz Liszt. Performances are May 23, 25, and 31, 7:30pm a matinee on May 26, 2:00pm, and two June dates, June 1, 7:30pm and a final matinee, June 2, 2:00pm.
The season ends with “Four Seasons” featuring “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux”,
“Elapes” with music by Zeng Xiaogang, “World Premiere” to music by Dwight Rhoden, and “Four Seasons”, music by Antonio Vivaldi. Again there are six performances, June 6, 8, 15, 15 at 7:30pm and matinees on June 19 and 16, at 2:00pm.
All performances are held at the Wortham Center, Brown Theater. For tickets and further information – www.houstonballet.org
Houston Grand Opera
HGO presents the ever popular “Don Giovanni” by Mozart. The opera was presented initially in Prague in October 1787 conducted by Mozart himself. A year later it was presented in Vienna, again conducted by the composer. The story is, of course, well known – Don Giovanni, more commonly known as Don Juan, and calling him a rogue is probably too tame.
This production features Luca Pisaroni as the Don, Ryan McKinny as his faithful companion, Leporello, Adrianna Churchman as Donna Anna, Sasha Cooke at Donna Elvira, Kang Wang as Don Ottavio and Erika Baikoff as Zerlina. But, for me, the big draw of this production is the conductor, the famed Mozart interpreter, Dame Jane Glover. Her conducting should be stunning.
Don Giovanni will be performed on April 19, 27, May 1, and May 3 at 7:30pm one matinee, Sunday, May 21, 2:00pm. Don Giovanni runs 3 hours and 20 minutes with one intermission.
The season concludes with a production of the Rogers and Hammerstein hit, “The Sound of Music.” Set to the true story of the Von Trapp family in Austria during the lead up to World War 2 and their escape to the United States. This will be conducted by Robert Bado, the Chorus Master of HGO (for over 35 years!).
There are five performances – April 26, 30 and May 4 at 7:30pm and two matinees, April 28 and May 5 at 2:00pm.
All performances at the Wortham Center, Brown Theater. For tickets and further information – www.houstongrandopera.org
Houston Symphony Orchestra
The final concerts of HSO are, in my humble opinion, some of the best scheduling of great and important music in a three month period that rarely comes along.
Mahler has always been a favorite of mine. The first Mahler symphony that I ever heard live was his 6th in New York in 1978 with Claudio Abbado conducting the “Tragic” and it remains my favorite. HSO Music Director Juraj Valčula conducts three performances – March 15 and 16 at 8:00pm, and Sunday, March 17, 2:30pm. As is usually the case, the symphony is presented alone on the program, and runs approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Kindly forgive me for getting a little into the weeds on the M6. There is continued controversy regarding the order of the movements that has been raging since Mahler composed it in 1904. Originally, the second movement was entitled “Scherzo” and the third movement, “Andante.” Then Mahler had second thoughts and reversed the movements. He even went so far as to have his publisher insert errata slips in each unsold copy to inform the buyer of the switch. After Mahler’s death in 1911, various scholars began the great debate about the order of the movements. If one looks at the very many recordings available, one would find about a 50-50 split as to which order the conductors preferred.
The other point of contention is that Mahler wrote three hammer blows in the final movement depicting “fate.” These culminated with the terrifying third and final hammer blow at the very end of the symphony. Mahler himself wrote of the final hammer blow, “brief and mighty, but dull in resonance and with a non-metallic character (like the fall of an axe).” There has been again much controversy as to question whether Mahler eventually decided to cut the third hammer blow. Generally nearly all performances and recordings nowadays include the third blow. Enough of the weeds!
I have no idea of the order of the movements HSO will use but my guess is that they will include the third hammer blow. Unfortunately, I will be out of town at a wedding so someone will have to inform me. Bad timing for me as the work is seldom performed.
If you go, however, try not to have a heart attack at the huge thunder-strike of fate at the conclusion!
The following week brings the return of one of the great pianists of our generation, Emanuel Ax performing the Mozart Piano Concerto, No. 25. Also on the program is the Beethoven Symphony 3, the “Eroica.” Valčula conducts. March 22 and 23 at 8:00pm and the Sunday matinee May 24 at 2:30pm.
One week later HSO presents the Dvorak Cello Concerto, with Principal Cellist, Brinton Averil Smith as the soloist on this familiar work. Also on the program are selections from Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Zian Zhang guest conducts. Note that there are only two performances, Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30, both at 8:00pm.
Near the end of April, another hugely popular work is featured, this time for four performances in one weekend! Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” will be featured on Friday, April 26 at 8:00pm, Saturday, April 27 at 2:30pm and 8:00pm as well as Sunday, April 28, at 2:30pm. Along with the Orff, J. López Bellido’s Symphony 4. Conducted by former HSO Music Director, Andrés Orozco-Estrada.
May begins with also popular works, the Grieg Piano Concerto and two works by Ottorino Respighi, “The Fountains of Rome” and the thrilling “Pines of Rome.” Romanian pianist Alexandra Dariescu solos with the Grieg and Fabian Gabel guest conducts.
Memorial Day weekend finds HSO performing “El Nîno” by John Adams. David Robinson guest conducts on May 25, 7:30pm and Sunday, May 26, 2:30pm.
The two concluding concerts represent a new and very exciting programming format for HSO with two presentations of important works of Richard Strauss, “An Alpine Symphony” and a concert performance of the composer’s opera, “Salome.” Both are conducted by Music Director Juraj Valčula as he begins his commitment to full opera performances in Houston. Very exciting stuff.
The “Strauss Festival” begins with “An Alpine Symphony” on Saturday, June 1, at 8:00pm and Sunday, June 2, at 2:30pm. Also on the program are Strauss’s “Symphonic Interlude – Trǎumerei am Kamin from Intermezzo” as well as the extraordinary “Four Last Songs,” written at the conclusion of the composer’s life, with soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen.
The 2023-2024 season concludes with “Salome” featuring soprano Jennifer Holloway in the title role of Salome, tenor John Daszak as Herodes, mezzo-soprano as Herodias and baritone Mark S. Doss as Johakanaan.
This is big time stuff and the Houston Symphony should be congratulated. These concerts are very highly recommended.
All performances are held in Jones Hall and for ticketing and further information please go to www.houstonsymphony.org.
Opera in the Heights (Oh!)
Finally, I want to mention Opera in the Heights (Oh!). In a coming issue I will be interviewing the creative staff of Oh!
In April they will be performing Pucinni’s “La Boheme” at their Lambert Hall facility in the Heights, 1703 Heights Boulevard. There will be four performances – Friday, April 5, 7:30pm, Sunday, April 7, 2:00pm, Friday and Saturday, April 12 and 13, 7:30pm. Eiki Isomura conducts. Isomura is the Artistic and Interim General Director who received his doctorate in orchestral conducting at the University of Michigan.
For tickets and further information please go to www.operaintheheights.org
It has been an eventful cultural season in Houston and I anxiously await the opportunity to showcase 2024-2025.
Let me continue to hear from you at classicalmusicberquist@gmail.com