OREGON SYMPHONY LAUNCHES 2018/19 SEASON WITH SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCES FROM RENÉE FLEMING, LILY TOMLIN, GUITAR DUO RODRIGO Y GABRIELA, AND FOLK SINGER-SONGWRITER GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV, PLUS STAR WARS IN CONCERT AND MUCH MORE!

August 6, 2018

 

SATURDAY, SEP. 1

OREGON SYMPHONY AT THE ZOO

When and Where: Sep. 1 at 7 pm at the Oregon Zoo.

The Performers: The Oregon Symphony, with Music Director Carlos Kalmar and Associate Conductor Norman Huynh

The Program:

Wagner: Die Meistersinger Prelude
Bizet: Carmen Suite
Humperdinck: Evening Prayer from Hansel and Gretel
Gershwin: An American in Paris
Smetana: Polka and Dance of the Comedians from The Bartered Bride
John Williams: Harry’s Wondrous World from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Massenet: Meditation from Thaïs 
Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture

What’s So Special About This Concert:

• Enjoy favorite classical works in a gorgeous natural setting with the Oregon Symphony.
• Special activities and entertainment include Metropolitan Youth Symphony’s Jazz Ensemble and an instrument petting zoo.
• Concert ticket prices include zoo admission good for the day of the concert.

More Background Info and Photos:

On the Oregon Symphony: orsymphony.org

On the Oregon Zoo: oregonzoo.org

Tickets begin at $35, include free admission to the Oregon Zoo on Sep. 1, and can be purchased through the Oregon Zoo at zooconcerts.com or in person at the Oregon Zoo box office located at 4001 SW Canyon Road, Portland, OR 97221 or by phone at 877-435-9849. (Mon–Sun) 9:30 am to 6 pm

 

WEDNESDAY, SEP. 5

RODRIGO Y GABRIELA

When and Where: Sep. 5 at 7:30 pm at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

The Performers: The Oregon Symphony, with Associate Conductor Norman Huynh; Rodrigo y Gabriela, guitars

The Program: A night of epic riffs and intimate instrumentals to be announced from the stage. Rodrigo y Gabriela will perform two sets – one solo and one accompanied by the Oregon Symphony. 

What’s So Special About This Concert:

• A Mexican classical guitar duo whose music is influenced by a number of genres including nuevo flamenco, rock, and heavy metal. The duo's recordings consist largely of instrumental duets on the flamenco guitar. Currently residing in Mexico City, they began their career in Dublin, Ireland, during an eight-year stay. They have released five studio albums, three live albums and one EP. In 2011 they collaborated with Hans Zimmer on the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides soundtrack while also contributing to the soundtrack for the Shrek prequel Puss in Boots. 
• Expect to hear brand new songs from Rodrigo y Gabriela’s forthcoming studio album alongside orchestral arrangements of some of Rodrigo y Gabriela’s best known songs.

More Background Info and Photos:

On the Oregon Symphony: orsymphony.org

On Rodrigo y Gabriela: rodgab.com

Tickets begin at $35.

 

FRIDAY, SEP. 7
SATURDAY, SEP. 8
SUNDAY, SEP. 9

STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE IN CONCERT 

When and Where: Sep. 7 and 8 at 7:30 pm and Sep. 9 at 2 pm at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

The Performers: The Oregon Symphony, with Associate Conductor Norman Huynh

The Program: Full HD screening of Star Wars: A New Hope with John Williams’ film score performed live by the Oregon Symphony. 

What’s So Special About This Concert:

• There’s no better way to begin the 2018/19 Popcorn Package than experiencing the film that launched a whole new era in both movies and movie scores.

• It earned $461 million in the U.S. and $314 million overseas, totaling $775 million. It surpassed Jaws (1975) to become the highest-grossing film of all time until the release of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). When adjusted for inflation, Star Wars is the second-highest-grossing film in North America, and the third-highest-grossing film in the world. It received ten Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture), winning seven. It was among the first films to be selected as part of the U.S. Library of Congress' National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
• The film was met with critical acclaim upon its release. In his 1977 review, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called the film “an out-of-body experience,” compared its special effects to those of 2001: A Space Odyssey, and opined that the true strength of the film was its “pure narrative.” Vincent Canby of The New York Times called the film “the movie that's going to entertain a lot of contemporary folk who have a soft spot for the virtually ritualized manners of comic-book adventure” and “the most elaborate, most expensive, most beautiful movie serial ever made.”
• The film garnered numerous accolades after its release. Star Wars won six competitive Academy Awards at the 50th Academy Awards: Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects. 

More Background Info and Photos:

On the Oregon Symphony: orsymphony.org

On Star Wars – A New Hope: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star Wars (film)

Tickets begin at $35.

 

SATURDAY, SEP. 15

THE MUSIC OF U2

When and Where: Sep. 15 at 7:30 pm at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

The Performers: The Oregon Symphony, with guest conductor Brent Havens; Tony Vincent, vocals

The musicians for this show are:
Brent Havens, conductor, arranger
Tony Vincent, vocals/guitar
Dan Clemens, bass/background vocals
Powell Randolph, drums/background vocals 
George Cintron, guitar/background vocals
Justin Avery, keyboards/background vocals

The Program: A spectacular Oregon Symphony tribute to U2 with the help of a blazing hot rock band and vocalist Tony Vincent. Take a musical journey spanning four decades of unforgettable hits including “With or Without You,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “Pride (In the Name of Love),” “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Desire,” “One,” and many more. 

What’s So Special About This Concert:

• Formed in 1976 in Dublin, Ireland, U2 quickly climbed the rock charts and became one of the premiere rock bands of all time. U2 have released 12 studio albums and are among the all-time best-selling music artists, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band, and in 2005, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. 

More Background Info and Photos:

On the Oregon Symphony: orsymphony.org

On The Music of U2: windbornemusic.com/show_u2.php

Tickets begin at $35.

 

SATURDAY, SEP. 22

LILY TOMLIN

When and Where: Sep. 22 at 7:30 pm at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

The Performers: Lily Tomlin. Note: The Oregon Symphony does not perform.

The Program: An unforgettable night of fun and sidesplitting laughter with the incomparable Lily Tomlin.

What’s So Special About This Concert:

• Lily Tomlin, one of America’s foremost comediennes, continues to venture across an ever-widening range of media, starring in television, theater, motion pictures, animation, video, and social media. Throughout her extraordinary career, Tomlin has received numerous awards, including:  seven Emmys; a Tony for her one woman Broadway show, Appearing Nitely; a second Tony for Best Actress, a Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics’ Circle Award for her one woman performance in Jane Wagner’s The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe; a CableAce Award for Executive Producing the film adaptation of The Search; a Grammy for her comedy album, This is a Recording as well as nominations for her subsequent albums Modern Scream, And That’s the Truth,  and On Stage; and two Peabody Awards – the first for the ABC television special, Edith Ann’s Christmas (Just Say Noël),  and the second for narrating and executive producing the HBO film, The Celluloid Closet.  In 2003, she received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and, in December 2014, was the recipient of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors in Washington DC.

More Background Info and Photos:

On the Oregon Symphony: orsymphony.org

On Lily Tomlin: lilytomlin.com/wordpress2/

Tickets begin at $40.

 

SUNDAY, SEP. 23

OPENING NIGHT WITH RENÉE FLEMING

When and Where: Sep. 23 at 7:30 pm at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

The Performers: The Oregon Symphony with Music Director Carlos Kalmar; Renée Fleming, soprano

The Program:
Richard Strauss Don Juan
Kevin Puts Letters from Georgia
Samuel Barber Overture to The School for Scandal
Leonard BernsteinOverture to Candide
Licinio ReficeOmbra di Nube
Friedrich von Flotow “Tis the Last Rose of Summer” from Martha
Harry Warren/Arr. Desplat You’ll Never Know
Aaron Copland “Party Scene” and “The Promise of Living” from Suite from The Tender Land
Meredith Willson “Till There Was You” from The Music Man
Kander and Ebb “Love and Love Alone” and “Winter” from The Visit
Sting “August Winds” from The Last Ship
Stephen Sondheim“The Glamorous Life” from A Little Night Music

What’s So Special About This Concert:

• The timeless Renée Fleming returns to transfix the audience with her legendary voice and spellbinding artistry.
• In addition to classical works this program showcases Renée Fleming’s exploration of musical theater. In April, 2018, Ms. Fleming made her Broadway musical debut in a major revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, her performance earning a 2018 Tony Award nomination.
• In a rare double-header for a classical vocalist, Ms. Fleming was featured on the soundtrack of two Best Picture and Best Soundtrack nominees at the 2018 Academy awards, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and The Shape of Water, which won both prizes, as well as the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival. She will be heard as the singing voice of Roxane, played by Julianne Moore, in the upcoming film of Ann Patchett’s best-selling novel Bel Canto.

More Background Info and Photos:

On the Oregon Symphony: orsymphony.org

On Renée Fleming: reneefleming.com

 

SATURDAY, SEP. 29
SUNDAY, SEP. 30
MONDAY, OCT. 1

BRAHMS’ FOURTH SYMPHONY

When and Where: Sep. 29 at 7:30 pm, Sep. 30 at 2 pm, and Oct. 1 at 7:30 pm at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

The Performers: The Oregon Symphony with guest conductor Jun Märkl; *Inon Barnatan, piano

The Program:

            Katherine Balch: Chamber Music (World premiere commissioned by the Oregon Symphony)

            Haydn: Symphony No. 83, “Hen”

            *Copland: Piano Concerto

            Brahms: Symphony No. 4

What’s So Special About This Concert:

• This concert marks the first Classical Subscription concert of the 2018/19 Season.
• “One of the most admired pianists of his generation” (The New York Times), Inon Barnatan is celebrated for his poetic sensibility, musical intelligence, and consummate artistry. He is the recipient of both a prestigious 2009 Avery Fisher Career Grant and Lincoln Center’s 2015 Martin E. Segal Award, which recognizes “young artists of exceptional accomplishment.” He was recently named the new music director of the La Jolla Music Society Summerfest, beginning in 2019. 
• “…a complete artist: a wonderful pianist, a probing intellect, passionately committed, and a capable contemporary-music pianist as well.” – Alan Gilbert, music director, New York Philharmonic
• Jun Märkl has long been known as a highly respected interpreter of the core Germanic repertoire from both the symphonic and operatic traditions, In 2012 he was honoured by the French Ministry of Culture with the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in recognition of his achievements in Lyon, notably his hugely successful nine-disc Debussy cycle with the orchestra on Naxos.

More Background Info and Photos:

On the Oregon Symphony: orsymphony.org

On Jun Märkl: junmarkl.com

On Inon Barnatan: inonbarnatan.com

 

Tickets for all concerts except Oregon Symphony at the Zoo can be purchased online at orsymphony.org; or in person at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office located at 909 SW Washington St., Portland, OR 97205.

Ticket Office Hours

July–August: (Mon–Fri, 10 am–6 pm); by phone at 503-228-1353 (Mon–Fri, 10 am–9 pm)

September–June (Mon–Sat, 10 am–6 pm); by phone at 503-228-1353 (Mon–Fri, 10 am–9 pm, Sat 10 am–6pm); and at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall starting two hours before every performance.

Season subscriptions, including the popular Choose Your Own packages and Gift Cards, are available through the Symphony Ticket Office at 503-228-1353

 

ABOUT OREGON SYMPHONY The multi-Grammy-nominated Oregon Symphony ranks as one of America’s major orchestras. Led by Music Director Carlos Kalmar, it serves over 300,000 people annually through more than 110 performances and award-winning education and community engagement programs. Now in its 123rd year, the Oregon Symphony is the oldest orchestra west of the Mississippi.

The Symphony’s ground-breaking 2017/18 Season set box office and fundraising records and was marked by an initiative to connect more deeply with the Portland community. The organization embarked on the year-long Sounds of Home series, which revolutionized the role of the arts in addressing three of the most critical social issues of the day: immigration, the environment, and homelessness. This series made a powerful impact in the community through innovative art, cross-sector partnerships with 37 organizations, and civic leadership. Sounds of Home community concerts hosted in venues across the city reached nearly 3,000 attendees and were viewed by thousands more through live streaming on social media.

The Symphony reached over 15 million radio broadcast listeners in the 2017/18 Season via All Classical Portland as well as American Public Media’s SymphonyCast and Performance Today. The season additionally featured three world premieres, including the first-ever play commissioned by an American orchestra.

Photos for media use are available at orsymphony.org/newsroom.

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