Thanks Again, Leif Ove

After a critically acclaimed Opening Night concert with the Philharmonic, pianist Leif Ove Andsnes discussed his Beethoven Journey project in a sold-out event at WQXR’s The Greene Space on Saturday. “This is profound and fresh Beethoven playing from an artist at the peak of his powers,” commented one listener.

Watch the event video here.

lamusiqueetlavie:

Yeah, I can get used to this… Opening week at the #nyphil ! (Taken with Instagram)

Setup for Kurtág’s … quasi una fantasia …, which places piano and timpani on stage, with other musician groups arranged around the hall.

Another Op’nin’, Another Season

The Phil is back. Our new season kicked off Wednesday with a Free Dress Rehearsal, a pre-concert media reception, and finally the big event: the Opening Night concert with pianist Leif Ove Andsnes and Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring.

Check out the slideshow of exclusive photos from our full day of events, plus concert footage.

“ a high point of his tenure to date ”

— 

Anthony Tommasini, in The New York Times, on Alan Gilbert and the Philharmonic’s Opening Night performance.

Of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, he added,”Mr. Gilbert and his players brought alluring restraint, exacting execution, myriad colorings and character to this performance. The result was a ‘Rite’ so lucid and lean it sounded newly wild and ingenious.”

You can catch it yourself, either live, through Saturday, or streamed online on WQXR.org, which broadcast live from the Philharmonic’s Opening Night.

Alan Gilbert talks to WQXR’s Elliott Forrest and fans waiting to attend the Philharmonic’s Free Dress Rehearsal this morning. The Music Director conducts Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring for the first time with the Orchestra at tonight’s Opening Concert. WQXR will broadcast tonight’s concert live, starting at 7:30 p.m.

(Source: blogthoven)

Opening Day!

It’s here. Join in the action even if you can’t make it to Avery Fisher Hall for this morning’s Free Dress Rehearsal or this evening’s Opening Night concert. WQXR will be broadcasting live from the Lincoln Center Plaza all morning, including interviews with Music Director Alan Gilbert, pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, and Philharmonic fans. 

Come nighttime, WQXR will also broadcast the concert live starting at 7:30 p.m., and will carry on a live Twitter conversation during the evening.

And follow the Philharmonic on Twitter throughout the day for live coverage and photos. 

Join us as we kick off an exciting new season!

What are you looking forward to most in the coming Philharmonic season? The Rite of Spring, on tomorrow night’s opening program? The Bach B-minor Mass in March? CONTACT!? Manny’s Mozart, or Rouse’s World Premiere? The all-Stravinsky season finale, with Sara Mearns? Get a sneak peak at Superconductor blogger Paul Pelkonen’s picks in his article that will appear in this month’s Playbill.

“It creates this absolutely surreal feeling, like in a dream.”

Dream a little dream this Wednesday night as pianist Leif Ove Andsnes helps Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic open the 171st season, performing György Kurtág’s … quasi una fantasia …. In this video, the Norwegian pianist takes you through the piece’s sequence of spatial movements.

Here this and more for FREE Wednesday morning at 9:45 a.m. at the annual open dress rehearsal, presented by Credit Suisse. 

The ‘Rite’ Stuff

Stravinsky’s ballet The Rite of Spring did not appear to have the “right stuff” during it’s first performance, when it caused a riot in the concert hall. Quite the contrary. It was a “spectacular flop,” as the The New York Times reports in an extensive feature on the now less-than-shocking work that is poised to turn 100.

We urge concertgoers to leave the rotten tomatoes and boxing gloves at home this Wednesday when the Philharmonic performs The Rite of Spring as part of its Opening Night Concert.