Booking is open for the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra’s season of four Spring Symphonies at the City Hall, which run from August 28 until September 18. With more than a third of the hall under subscriptions, the run on the best seats always begins early!
The season is conducted by Daniel Raiskin and Martin Panteleev, with Charlene Verster conducting the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra in a curtain raiser in the final concert.
This concert features the world premiere of internationally acclaimed Cape Town composer Grant McLachan’s song cycle, The Silence of the Day.
Du Toit, Raiskin
On August 28, the season will open with Francois du Toit performing the Concerto in F by George Gershwin, with the CPO under the direction of Daniel Raiskin, music director or the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in Canada, principal conductor of the Slovak Philharmonic and principal guest conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic.
In an all-American programme, he will conduct Bernstein’s Candide overture, The Cowboys Overture by John Williams, and Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, also by Leonard Bernstein.
In Raiskin’s second concert, on September 4, the award-winning German violinist Tassilo Probst will perform the Wieniawski Violin Concerto. The CPO will perform Beethoven’s Prometheus overture and the Symphony No. 6 in B minor by Shostakovich.
The next two concerts will be conducted by Martin Panteleev, principal guest conductor of the Wurth Symphony Orchestra. The first, on September 11, will feature Spanish guitarist Alvaro Toscana in Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo. On the programme also are De Falla Three Cornered Hat, Suite no 2, and the 4th Symphony by Tchaikovsky.
The final concert of the season features the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Ensemble performing Celebration and Dance by American composer James Swearingen, conducted by Charlene Verster. Martin Panteleev will conduct Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice before giving the world premiere of Grant McLachlan’s song cycle, The Silence of the Day, with baritone William Berger as soloist.
The cycle, a setting of six South African poems, was originally written for baritone, double bass and piano and, following its successful premiere at the Wigmore Hall, has now been orchestrated. The common theme of the poems by Stephen Watson, Mxolisi Nyezwa and Archie Swanson, is the expression of the natural beauty of the two Cape provinces, set against the poignancy and pain of the reality of life for so many in South Africa.
Symphonie fantastique
The concert will conclude with the Symphonie fantastique by Berlioz,
Pre-concert talks will be given by Albert Combrink for the first two and John Woodland for the second two; John will be joined by Grant McLachlan on September 18. There is secure parking on the Grand Parade, with dog patrols.
Tickets are from Artscape Dial-a-Seat 021 421 7695 where subscriptions saving 10 per cent are available, and from Webtickets here. Tickets range from R190 to R450.
What: CPO Spring Symphonies concerts
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