Doubt Thou the Tsars

April 23 serves as an auspicious date, as it marks the birth-anniversary of both William Shakespeare and Sergei Prokofiev (the latter of whom performed as a piano soloist with the Philharmonic six times). Why choose between celebrating one or the other when you can fête both? As a birthday gift for all from the Digital Archives, we have the score for Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, marked by maestro Andre Kostelanetz.

Meanwhile, our inspiration from the Bard will play on next year when our Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow plays Korngold’s Much Ado About Nothing Suite as part of his farewell season. More immediately, we explore Prokofiev’s two violin concertos in June, the first performed by Lisa Batiashvili, the second spotlighting Leonidas Kavakos.

Et Tu, Schumann?

Beware the Ides of March, they say. But Robert Schumann embraced the 15th of the month with his Overture to Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, which portrays the piercing downfall of the star-crossed statesman. You can browse both individual parts and the Overture’s full score, as conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos in 1954, courtesy of the New York Philharmonic Digital Archives.

“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember.”

Those words are spoken by Ophelia during her mad scene in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This was role famously portrayed by Harriet Smithson (above), an early 19th-century Irish actress and the inspiration for Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, which the Philharmonic is performing October 18–23. 

Pained by his then unrequited love for her, Berlioz composed the work to depict an artist tormented by love. Read more about their tragic tale in this week’s program notes.

“ O! for a Muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention!
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene. ”

— William Shakespeare, Henry V Prologue (Chorus)

Agincourt Song from William Walton’s score for the 1944 Laurence Olivier film of Shakespeare’s Henry V. 

For those who won’t brave the line at Shakespeare in the Park, join us at Avery Fisher Hall on September 17, when Christopher Plummer narrates Henry V: A Shakespeare Scenario, featuring music from the Oscar-nominated score performed by the New York Philharmonic led by Music Director Alan Gilbert.

O! Get them whilst they are hot!

Tickets to the New York Philharmonic’s performance of Henry V: A Shakespeare Scenario are ON SALE NOW!

It’s the summer of Shakespeare, and we don’t want you to go through withdrawal after the final “anon.” On September 17, hear the Orchestra play William Walton’s score for the Laurence Olivier film of Shakespeare’s Henry V, narrated by Christopher Plummer and conducted by Music Director Alan Gilbert….  Would I were in Avery Fisher Hall.

Happy Birthday to Sir William Walton!

Coincidentally, we just announced a new date for Henry V: A Shakespeare Scenario, with music from Walton’s score for the Laurence Olivier film of Shakespeare’s Henry V, conducted by Music Director Alan Gilbert, The Yoko Nagae Ceschina Chair, and narrated by Christopher Plummer, Saturday, September 17, 2011, at 8:00 p.m.