September 21, 2024 | 4:00pm
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) is prepared to perform its 40th concert season under the direction of principal conductor Maestro Grzegorz Nowak.
Carrying the theme “Forte,” the 40th season will see the PPO pay tribute to Filipino culture and the universal spirit of celebration through a diverse repertoire that takes audiences on a “journey through life’s emotional spectrum.”
The “Forte” season begins with “Concert I: Fiesta!” on September 27, where the resident orchestra of the Cultural Center of the Philippines will perform Richard Strauss’s “Ein Heldenleben” and premiere the composition of resident composer Jeffrey Ching, “Fiesta Contrapuntistica.”
Guest violin virtuoso Shlomo Mintz will additionally join the PPO for a special performance of Max Bruch’s “Violin Concerto No. 1, op. 26, G minor.”
Two months later, “Concert II: Triumph” will take place on November 15 featuring the participation of Grammy-winning cellist Sara Sant’ Ambrogio for performances of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Capriccio Espagnol, op. 34,” Edward Elgar’s “Cello Concerto, op. 85, E minor,” and Robert Schumann’s “Symphony No. 2, op. 61, C Major.”
The holiday offering “Concert III: Fantasy” on December 6 will see the PPO perform Gioacchino Rossini’s “William Tell Overture,” Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Violin Concerto no. 3, op. 61, B minor,” and Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony no. 5,” featuring violin prodigy Andrea Obiso.
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The season continues in the new year with “Concert IV: Europa” on January 17 as the Philippines’ leading orchestra performs Zoltán Kodály’s “Dance of Galanta,” Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto No. 1,” and Dvo?ák’s “Symphony no. 8, op. 88, G Major” with Cleveland concertmaster David Radzynski.
“Concert V: Hope,” the Valentine offering on February 14, will see a collaboration of the PPO with music from the Manila Peace Tribute, visuals by Adam Ustynowicz, singer Malgorzata Trojanowska, and pianist Konrad Binienda.
The Valentine concert includes Richard Addinsell’s “Warsaw Concerto,” Andrzej Panufnik’s “Heroic Overture and Tragic Overture,” Roxanna Panufnik’s commissioned work “Wings of Hope,” Chopin’s “Allegro de concert,” and Henryk Górecki’s “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs.”
On March 14 during “Concert VI: Homecoming,” the PPO and pianist Rowena Arrieta will pay tribute to Lithuanian composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis who marks his 150th anniversary with “Miške (In The Forest)” as well as perform Franz Liszt’s “Totentanz” and Johannes Brahms’ “Symphony no. 4, op. 98, E minor.”
The finale concert of the season, aptly called “Concert VII: Finale,” will include Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Violin Concerto No. 1,” Witold Lutoslawski’s “Concerto for Orchestra,” and another commissioned work by Ching, plus the participation of violinist Diomedes Sazara Jr., who serves as the PPO’s Concertmaster and Artiste-in-Residence.
All the concerts will take place at 7:30 p.m. at Makati’s Samsung Performing Arts Theater, except the Valentine concert, which will be at Manila’s Metropolitan Theater.
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