Published Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 11:15 AM
The Philadelphia Orchestra is hosting three different events/ programs through Saturday night.
Today, at 5:30 PM in the Kimmel Center’s Commonwealth Plaza, there will be a free, open-to-the-public program in which Musical Director Designate Yannick Nézet-Séguin will discuss highlights of his inaugural season with the Orchestra. This program will feature happy hour specials at the Wolfgang Puck PECO Bar (right in Commonwealth Plaza), as well as live entertainment by PhilOrch Jazz.
Additionally, at this program, Nézet-Séguin and others will unveil details of the upcoming season. It will be possible to watch this unveiling live on the Orchestra's website, at 5:30 PM, via this link.
Tomorrow night at 8 PM, as well as Friday night at 8 PM, Nézet-Séguin will conduct a concert at the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall, featuring Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, followed by Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 6.
Related to the contrasting works in the concert, the Orchestra website says:
Did Mahler foresee the personal tragedy that was about to sweep across his life amid a successful career? The dramatic and fateful music of his Sixth Symphony--depicted by forceful hammer blows and large brass chorales--eerily portends the heartbreak that would soon enter his world. Yannick contrasts the scope of this impressive symphony with the intimate setting of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, which he will lead from the harpsichord.
Before each of the two concerts, at 7 PM, Cristian Macelaru, the Orchestra’s Assistant Conductor, will hold a "PreConcert Conversation" on the Commonwealth Plaza stage (alternatively, in Verizon Hall).
Tickets to the Bach/Mahler are available online, via this link for Thursday night and this link for Friday night.
Perhaps most significantly, Saturday night, at 8:30 pm, the Orchestra will return to its former home, the Academy of Music, for its 155th Anniversary Concert.
Nézet-Séguin will be making his Academy of Music debut at that concert, which he will conduct. The concert will feature not only the Orchestra, but special guests including multiple Grammy-winning singer/pianist Diana Krall, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and host David Morse.
The program will be a mix of orchestral repertoire and popular music.
The Anniversary Concert is produced by Wayne Baruch and Charles F. Gayton, who have produced the Academy Anniversary concerts since 2007.
The Anniversary Concert will be preceded by the "President’s Cocktail Party and Dinner" at the Hyatt at the Bellevue Grand Ballroom. The Cocktail Party will take place from 5-6 PM, and dinner will be from 6-8 PM. Music there will be provided by The Ward Marston Quartet.
At 10:00 PM, following the Anniversary Concert, the Anniversary Ball will be held, in the Academy of Music. The Anniversary Ball will feature dance bands, champagne, cocktails, post-concert fare, dessert and coffee. The featured musical performers will be Harper Blynn (Academy Stage), Bucky Scott (Rehearsal Hall Night Club) and The Ward Marston Dance Orchestra (Ballroom at the Academy).
Concert-only tickets are available at $200 and are located in the Amphitheatre level. Concert-only tickets can be purchased by calling Ticket Philadelphia at 215.893.1999 or via this link.
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