2019-09-16 Bloomberg Businessweek

59

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STEPHANIE

BERGER.

THIS

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TRISTRAM

KENTON

LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

SEASON OPENING

Barbican Hall, London, Sept. 14

The LSO starts things off with a bang with

a world premiere by British composer Emily

Howard, conducted by the orchestra’s

music director, Simon Rattle. The rest

of the evening also consists of music by

English composers—Colin Matthews’s Violin

Concerto and the late William Walton’s

sweeping four-movement Symphony No. 1

from 1935.

PORGY AND BESS

Metropolitan Opera, New York,

Sept. 23–Feb. 1

George and Ira Gershwin’s 1935 opera, which

is filled with now-famous songs (Summertime

might be the English language’s most popular

operatic tune of all time), will be performed

on the Met stage for the first time in almost

30 years. Bass-baritone Eric Owens and

soprano Angel Blue lead the cast in a

season-opening production co-produced

with the Dutch National Opera and the

English National Opera.

BEETHOVEN’S SYMPHONY NO. 1 AND

SYMPHONY NO. 3

Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago,

Sept. 26-28

In honor of Beethoven’s 250th birthday, the

CSO will perform all nine of the composer’s

symphonies as part of a season-long

celebration. Conductor Riccardo Muti will

begin with the first and third symphonies.

In the following weeks and months, stars

including Anne-Sophie Mutter, Mitsuko

Uchida, and András Schiff will play pieces

from the canon in a rousing program

delivered by an orchestra famed for its

smooth, virtuosic execution.

TRIFONOV AND BABAYAN

IN RECITAL

Carnegie Hall, New York, Oct. 16

Daniil Trifonov, 28, is one of the

hottest pianists on the recital scene; Sergei

Babayan—a generation older—is a fixture

in the world’s most prestigious concert halls

and, not coincidentally, Trifonov’s former

teacher. To call reviews of their 2018 joint

recital at Carnegie Hall “ecstatic” would be

underselling it. Now they’re returning as part

of the celebrated “Keyboard Virtuosos” series,

a seven-month program that includes some

of the world’s best pianists. The duo will play

works by Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, and Ravel.

MADONNA: MADAME X TOUR

BAM, Brooklyn, N.Y., Sept. 17–Oct. 12

Traditionally, Madonna concerts have been

all about spectacle—lights, pyrotechnics,

massive disco balls. Her concert series at

BAM celebrating the release of her album

Madame X will be a more modest affair. The

album—a collection of 15 songs influenced by

Lisbon, where she mostly resides now—will

make its debut in a so-called theater tour. In

the announcement video, Madonna explains

why: “I want to have an intimate experience

with my fans,” she says, sharing a margarita

with DJ Diplo.

(^) A scene from Porgy Bloomberg Pursuits September 16, 2019
and Bess, opening
the season at the Met
Opera in New York
A Monumental
Intimacy
MUSIC
BW
PICK
59
PREVIOUS
PAGE:
STEPHANIE
BERGER.
THIS
PAGE:
TRISTRAM
KENTON
LONDONSYMPHONYORCHESTRA
SEASONOPENING
BarbicanHall,London,Sept. 14
The LSO starts things off with a bang with
a world premiere by British composer Emily
Howard, conducted by the orchestra’s
music director, Simon Rattle. The rest
of the evening also consists of music by
Englishcomposers—ColinMatthews’sViolin
ConcertoandthelateWilliamWalton’s
sweepingfour-movementSymphonyNo. 1
from 1935.
PORGYANDBESS
MetropolitanOpera,NewYork,
Sept.23–Feb. 1
George and Ira Gershwin’s 1935 opera, which
is filled with now-famous songs (Summertime
might be the English language’s most popular
operatictuneofalltime),willbeperformed
ontheMetstageforthefirsttimeinalmost
30 years. Bass-baritone Eric Owens and
soprano Angel Blue lead the cast in a
season-opening production co-produced
with the Dutch National Opera and the
English National Opera.
BEETHOVEN’SSYMPHONYNO. 1 AND
SYMPHONYNO. 3
ChicagoSymphonyOrchestra,Chicago,
Sept.26-28
InhonorofBeethoven’s250thbirthday, the
CSO will perform all nine of the composer’s
symphonies as part of a season-long
celebration. Conductor Riccardo Muti will
begin with the first and third symphonies.
In the following weeks and months, stars
including Anne-Sophie Mutter, Mitsuko
Uchida, and András Schiff will play pieces
from the canon in a rousing program
delivered by an orchestra famed for its
smooth, virtuosic execution.
TRIFONOVANDBABAYAN
INRECITAL
CarnegieHall,NewYork,Oct. 16
Daniil Trifonov, 28, is one of the
hottest pianists on the recital scene; Sergei
Babayan—a generation older—is a fixture
in the world’s most prestigious concert halls
and, not coincidentally, Trifonov’s former
teacher. To call reviews of their 2018 joint
recital at Carnegie Hall “ecstatic” would be
underselling it. Now they’re returning as part
of the celebrated “Keyboard Virtuosos” series,
a seven-month program that includes some
of the world’s best pianists. The duo will play
works by Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, and Ravel.
MADONNA:MADAMEX TOUR
BAM,Brooklyn,N.Y.,Sept.17–Oct. 12
Traditionally, Madonna concerts have been
all about spectacle—lights, pyrotechnics,
massive disco balls. Her concert series at
BAM celebrating the release of her album
Madame X will be a more modest affair. The
album—a collection of 15 songs influenced by
Lisbon, where she mostly resides now—will
make its debut in a so-called theater tour. In
the announcement video, Madonna explains
why: “I want to have an intimate experience
with my fans,” she says, sharing a margarita
with DJ Diplo.
A scene from Porgy BloombergPursuits September 16, 2019
and Bess, opening
the season at the Met
Opera in New York
A Monumental
Intimacy
MUSIC
BW
PICK