The Dallas Symphony announced the 2013-'14 season, which is redolent with the standard repertoire with only a hat tip to the present time and one commissioned work. This sad state of affairs is a continuation of this season's reliance on the classical top 100 list. However, change is in the air with the arrival of Jonathan Martin as the new CEO. His broad range of experience in running orchestras, from the great (Cleveland) to the nimble (Charlotte), bodes well for more engaging fare in the future.
But for now, if you are big on Beethoven, this is your year.
There will be a Beethoven festival in May, which is more extensive that this year's two-concert Mozart dust up. Music Director Jaap van Zweden will conduct performances of Beethoven's Fifth, Seventh and Ninth Symphonies. Yefim Bronfman will play the Emperor Concerto and there will be some related chamber music concerts performed by DSO principal musicians and special guests at City Performance Hall. Related activities are planned, so expect some lectures, movies and other social events. A performance of Beethoven's ever-popular Ninth Symphony will anchor the festival.
While it's not our finest hour, Dallas will honor—"celebrate" is hardly the word—the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. On the weekend of Nov. 21-24, the DSO will present its only newly commissioned work, The World is Very Different Now, by the American composer Conrad Tao. This work will share the program with a work composed at the time, Murder of a Great Chief of State by Darius Milhaud. In a most appropriate bit of programming, Beethoven's Eroica symphony will also be on that program.
Other highlights include a most welcome appearance by pianist Alessio Bax playing Barber's Piano Concerto in late September, the return of former Music Director Andrew Litton in October, Dvorák's massive Te Deum in early November, and Verdi's even more massive Requiem in February 2014.
The gala, this year on Sept. 28, always features a big name and this year brings one of the biggest. The black-tie event will feature soprano Renée Fleming, the Metropolitan opera star and three-time Grammy Award winner.
The pops concert series will feature another of our generation's great divas, Bernadette Peters, will appear in February. The traditional Christmas celebration will return, as will the popular New Year's Eve festivities.
Here is the complete schedule, with subscription information at the bottom:
September 19-22, 2013
Tchaikovsky's Fifth
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Annalisa Stroppa, mezzo-soprano
Symphony Orchestra
Berlioz: Les Nuits d'ete
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
September 26-27, 29, 2013
Van Zweden's Mahler
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Alessio Bax, piano
Chen Reiss, soprano
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Barber: Piano Concerto
Mahler: Symphony No. 4
September 28, 2013
2013 Dallas Symphony Orchestra AT&T Gala
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Renée Fleming, soprano
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
PROGRAMMING TBD
October 4-6, 2013
An Evening of Gershwin with the DSO
DSO Pops Series
Jeff Tyzik, conductor
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
October 17-20, 2013
The Firebird
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Andrew Litton, conductor
Karen Gomyo, violin
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Stravinsky: Divertimento from The Fairy's Kiss
Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 3
Stravinsky: The Firebird (1910, complete)
October 25-26, 2013
Hitchcock!
DSO Pops Series
Sean O'Loughlin, conductor
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
October 27, 2013
Thrilling Halloween Adventures
Family Concert Series
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
October 31-November 3, 2013
Dvořák's Te Deum
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Tomáš Netopil, conductor
Twyla Robinson, soprano
Weston Hurt, baritone
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dvořák: Te Deum
Suk: Fairy Tale
Dvořák: Symphony No. 8
November 8-10, 2013
A Night at the Cotton Club with the DSO
DSO Pops Series
Jeff Tyzik, conductor
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
November 14-17, 2013
Van Zweden's Brahms
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Arabella Steinbacher, violin
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem
Brahms: Symphony No. 3
Brahms: Violin Concerto
November 21-24, 2013
President John F. Kennedy Memorial Concert
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Joshua Bell, violin
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Tao: The World Is Very Different Now
(DSO Commission in Memory of John F. Kennedy)
Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Milhaud: Murder of a Great Chief of State
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, Eroica
December 6-8, 2013
Christmas Celebration
DSO Pops Series
Joshua Habermann, conductor
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Chorus: Joshua Habermann, director
Christmas Celebration Children's Choir, Monica Awbrey, director
December 7, 2013
A DSO Family Christmas
Family Concert Series
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
December 9-10, 2013
Michael W. Smith with the DSO
Holidays at the DSO
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
December 31, 2013
New Years Eve with the DSO
Holidays at the DSO
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
January 16-18, 2014
New World Symphony
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Hélène Grimaud, piano
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, From the New World
January 23-26, 2014
Brahms and Mahler
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Matthias Goerne, baritone
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Suite on English Folk Tunes
Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Brahms: Symphony No. 4
February 7-9, 2014
Bernadette Peters with the DSO
DSO Pops Series
Thomas Hong, conductor
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
February 14-16, 2014
Love is in the Air
DSO Pops Series
Alasdair Neale, conductor
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
February 20-23, 2014
Verdi's Requiem
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Hui He, soprano
Marianne Cornetti, mezzo-soprano
David Lomeli, tenor
Orlin Anastassov, bass
Dallas Symphony Chorus: Joshua Habermann, director
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Verdi: Requiem
February 27-28, 2014
Ravel's Bolero
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Louis Lortie, piano
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Fauré: Pelléas and Mélisande
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21
Ravel: Daphnis and Chloé Suite No. 2
Ravel: Bolero
March 1-2, 2014
Ravel's Bolero
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Louis Lortie, piano
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Fauré: Pelléas and Mélisande
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21
Ravel: Daphnis and Chloé Suite No. 2
Ravel: Bolero
March 14-15, 2014
Music of John Denver
DSO Pops Series
Richard Kaufman, conductor
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
March 20-22, 2014
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Anna Fedorova, piano
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Shostakovich: Five Fragments
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2
Copland: Symphony No. 3
March 27-30, 2014
Brahms and Chopin
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jakub Hrůša, conductor
Jan Lisiecki, piano
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Brahms: Tragic Overture
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2
Dvořák: The Water Goblin
Janáček: Sinfonietta
April 3-6, 2014
Handel's Water Music
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Ottavio Dantone, conductor/harpsichord
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Corelli: Concerto grosso Op. 6, No. 4
Gregori: Concerto grosso Op. 2, No. 2
Geminiani: Concerto grosso Op. 3, No. 4
Vivaldi: Concerto for Strings and Continuo in D minor RV128
Handel: Concerto grosso Op. 6, No. 1
Handel: Water Music Suite No. 1
Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks
April 11-12, 2014
Cirque de la Symphonie
DSO Pops Series
Lawrence Loh, conductor
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
April 12, 2014
Play Along Concert
Family Concert Series
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
April 28, 2014
Beethoven and Haydn
Nathan Olson, violin
Christopher Adkins, cello
Alessio Bax, piano
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 1
Haydn: Piano Trio No. 39, Gypsy
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 5, Spring
Bruckner: Symphony No. 8
May 1-3, 5, 2014
Beethoven's Ninth˚†
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Alexander Kerr, violin
Nathan Olson, violin
Pretty Yende, soprano
Kate Aldrich, alto
Frank Lopardo, tenor
Oren Gradus, bass
Dallas Symphony Chorus: Joshua Habermann, director
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Beethoven: Two Romances for Violin and Orchestra
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, Chorale
May 3, 2014
Alessio Bax and Chee-Yun†*
Chee-Yun, violin
Alessio Bax, piano
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 2
Clementi: Keyboard Sonata in F-sharp minor, Op. 26, No. 2
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 6
May 6, 2014
Beethoven and Schubert†*
Alexander Kerr, violin
Christopher Adkins, cello
Alessio Bax, piano
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 4
Schubert: Notturno in E-flat major
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 10
May 8-11, 2014
Bronfman Plays Emperor†
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Yefim Bronfman, piano
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5, Emperor
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
May 10, 2014
Kreutzer Sonata†*
Alexander Kerr, violin
Nathan Olson, violin
Martin Helmchen, piano
Beethoven: Sonata No. 7
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 9, Kreutzer
May 15-18, 2014
Beethoven's Fifth†
Texas Instruments Classical Series
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Alexander Kerr, violin
Alisa Weilerstein, cello
Martin Helmchen, piano
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Beethoven: Egmont Overture
Beethoven: Triple Concerto
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
May 17, 2014
Beethoven's Archduke†*
Alexander Kerr, violin
Nathan Olson, violin
Alisa Weilerstein, cello
Martin Helmchen, piano
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 8
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 3
Beethoven: Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. 97, Archduke
June 6-8, 2014
Hollywood Hits with the DSO
DSO Pops Series
Jeff Tyzik, conductor
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
˚No Choral Terrace seating available for this performance
▲No Front Orchestra seating available for this performance
†This performance is part of the Beethoven Festival
*This performance will take place at City Performance Hall
Several different subscription packages are available for the DSO's 2013-2014 Texas Instruments Classical Series.
All subscriptions will be available for sale to the general public Feb. 8, 2013. For more information and to purchase or renew subscriptions, please call 214.692.0203 or visit www.dallassymphony.com/Subscriptions.
Single tickets will go on sale in August, 2013.
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