London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Simon Rattle, conductor
| BERLIOZ | Le Corsaire |
| HANNAH KENDALL | The Spark Catchers |
| SIBELIUS | Symphony No. 7 |
| BARTÓK | The Miraculous Mandarin Suite |
| RAVEL | La Valse |
A world-class orchestra! A legendary conductor! The renowned London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), under the direction of its esteemed music director Sir Simon Rattle, visits in its Cal Performances debut with a breathtaking program centered on three riveting 20th-century masterworks. Composed within a handful of years of each other, Sibelius’ sublime Seventh Symphony, Bartók’s energetic suite from The Miraculous Mandarin, and Ravel’s ecstatic La valse explore a kaleidoscope of orchestral color and feeling, exploiting the unique musical rapport between this stunning orchestra and its brilliant leader; a pairing the New York Times has praised for its “transparent, lean, passionate” performances.”
Resident Orchestra at London’s Barbican Centre, the LSO—a 2022 Grammy nominee for Best Opera Recording—“is regularly ranked as one of the world’s best, and is known for its work ethic and versatility (The New York Times),” and upon his appointment several seasons ago, Rattle expressed his enthusiasm for the orchestra’s vision and relevance, remarking “in terms of musical excellence, it is clear that the sky’s the limit. But equally important, in terms of philosophy, they constantly strive to be a 21st-century orchestra.” Berlioz’s virtuosic and crowd-pleasing Le Corsaire Overture and British composer Hannah Kendall’s intricate and imaginative The Spark Catchers, commissioned by the BBC in 2017, round out the program.
The run time for this performance is approximately 90 minutes, with intermission.
The London Symphony Orchestra’s 2022 North American Tour is made possible through an intercontinental partnership with the Music Academy of the West.
Patron Sponsor: Diane B. Wilsey and Beth DeAtley