by Peter Feher
This article was originally published on Cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Classical musicians have exhausted just about every attempt to complete Franz Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony in the two centuries since the composer’s death at age 31.
But the Cleveland Orchestra doesn’t give in easily to creative despair. With guest conductor Antonello Manacorda, the ensemble has fashioned an effective, elegant substitute for the “missing” movements of Schubert’s score.
by Mike Telin
“I absolutely love the beautiful playing of the Cleveland Orchestra,” violinist Augustin Hadelich said, “and every time I have returned has been a real highlight.”
On Thursday, February 5 at 7:30 pm, Hadelich will return to Severance Music Center to join The Cleveland Orchestra in Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. Under the direction of guest conductor Antonello Manacorda, the program also includes Arnold Schoenberg’s Second Chamber Symphony, and Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished.”
Although Hadelich’s busy touring schedule prevented a telephone interview, he graciously agreed to answer questions by email.
by Stephanie Manning
This article was originally posted on Cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — “Witold Lutosławski Week” has come early this year, and what a treat it is.
When the Polish composer visited Cleveland in 1988, Mayor George Voinovich designated February 29 through March 6 “Witold Lutosławski Week” in his honor. And this week, The Cleveland Orchestra is revisiting his music at Severance Music Center. On Thursday, January 16, conductor Elim Chan led the ensemble in ambitious concertos by Lutosławski and Brahms, joined by violinist Augustin Hadelich.
by Peter Feher
This article was originally published on Cleveland.com.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — There’s never been a better time to buy a couple of extra tickets to The Cleveland Orchestra.
Not one but four stellar soloists took the stage at Severance Music Center on Wednesday, Nov. 6 — representing about half of the star-studded lineup coming to Cleveland over the next two weeks. The big event of the Orchestra’s fall season, a complete cycle of Beethoven’s piano concertos, is set to feature a different headliner for almost every piece.
This wasn’t the original plan, but with music director Franz Welser-Möst undergoing medical treatment and unable to conduct — and the scheduled soloist for the entire cycle, Igor Levit, withdrawing as a result — the Orchestra had to adapt. The personnel changes were announced on Monday, Nov. 4, including associate conductor Daniel Reith’s stepping in to lead all the performances, which run through Nov. 17.
by Mike Telin
“When I think about playing with the Cleveland Orchestra, it still sounds like a dream,” cellist Julia Hagen said during a recent Zoom conversation. “It still feels surreal, but it’s going to be such an honor to share the stage with an orchestra that has so much history — and I’m very excited to get to meet them and to work with them.”
On Wednesday, November 6 at 7:30 pm, Hagen will make her Cleveland Orchestra debut at Severance Music Center when she joins pianist Orion Weiss and violinist Augustin Hadelich for a performance of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto.
Under the direction of Daniel Reith, the evening will also include Sir Stephen Hough as soloist in the composer’s Piano Concerto No. 3. The program, which will be repeated on November 7 at 7:30 pm, is the first of three that feature all six of Beethoven’s concertos for the instrument. The series runs through November 17. Tickets are available online.
Hagen, the 2024 winner of the UBS Young Artist Award, said that although she has not previously worked with Hadelich, she is a huge fan of his playing. “I can’t wait to meet him and because the two string parts in the Triple Concerto have so many things to work on before we meet with the orchestra, I’m very curious to see how that process will go.”
by Mike Telin
Since making his Cleveland Orchestra debut at Blossom Music Center in 2009, Augustin Hadelich has gone on to become a Cleveland audience favorite. Last November, the violinist was greeted with a standing ovation when he walked on stage to play the Tchaikovsky Concerto.
On Wednesday, November 6 at 7:30 pm, Hadelich will return to Severance Music Center to join pianist Orion Weiss and cellist Julia Hagen for a performance of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto. Under the direction of Daniel Reith, the evening will also include Sir Stephen Hough in the composer’s Piano Concerto No. 3. The program, which will be repeated on November 7 at 7:30 pm, is the first of three that feature all six of Beethoven’s concertos for the instrument. The series runs through November 17. Tickets are available online.
During a recent Zoom call from Stockholm, Hadelich said that he’s excited to return to Cleveland and to collaborate with his colleagues. [Read more…]
by Daniel Hathaway
Originally published on Cleveland.com. Photo by Roger Mastroianni from an earlier Cleveland Orchestra concert
While other organizations are taking time off, The Cleveland Orchestra has continued its admirable tradition of playing concerts on the Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon of Thanksgiving weekend at Severance Music Center.
Those Fridays in particular have seen some memorable performances, and the concert on November 24 was no exception. Played to a capacity, multi-generational crowd enlivened by an enthusiastic influx of families and young listeners, led by the insightful Finnish conductor Pietari Inkinen making his debut with the orchestra, and featuring a defining performance of a beloved concerto by one of the most thrilling violin soloists on the international circuit, the experience was simply overwhelming.
From the ovation they gave when Augustin Hadelich merely appeared onstage, Friday’s audience suggested that he was a major factor that drew them to Severance Music Center. [Read more…]
by Mike Telin
“I am thrilled to be making my debut with this wonderful orchestra,” Pietari Inkinen said. “The Cleveland Orchestra is one of the greatest in the world and for any conductor it is an honor to be invited to conduct in Cleveland.”
On Friday, November 24 at 7:30 pm at Severance Music Center, the Finnish conductor will lead The Cleveland Orchestra in Dvořák’s Othello Overture and Symphony No. 8, as well as Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with Augustin Hadelich as soloist. The program will be repeated on Saturday at 8:00 and Sunday at 3:00. Tickets are available online.
Born in Kouvola, Finland, Inkinen began studying the violin and piano at the age of four. He attended the Sibelius Academy, where he graduated with diplomas in violin in 2003 and conducting in 2005, and also studied violin at the Hochschule für Musik Köln. As a violinist, he has appeared as soloist with many orchestras including the Finnish Radio Symphony and Helsinki Philharmonic, and as a chamber musician he has appeared with the Inkinen Trio at the Wigmore Hall and St. John’s Smith Square.
by Jarrett Hoffman
IN THIS EDITION:
•Today: organist Jonathan Moyer at the Covenant, and Apollo’s Fire’s European tour sendoff concert
•Applications & honors: CIM Young Composers Program, KSU’s Roy Minoff Composition Competition, CityMusic’s Diversity Fellowship open to violinists, and wind ensemble honors for three groups
•Almanac: composer Chen Yi, violinist Augustin Hadelich, and cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason
HAPPENING TODAY:
A freewill offering will get you into the Church of the Covenant at 12 pm to hear organist Jonathan Moyer on the Tuesday Noon Organ Plus series (program to be announced).
And Apollo’s Fire will give its European tour sendoff concert at 7:30 at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Gartner Auditorium. The program, titled “Exile: Music of the Jewish & African Diasporas,” celebrates the connections of Sephardic, Ashkenazy, Palestinian, and African traditions. Jeannette Sorrell (pictured) directs, and the featured soloists include Rachel Weston (mezzo-soprano), Jacob Perry and Haitham Haidar (tenors), Jeffrey Strauss (baritone), and Daphna Mor, (recorder, ney, vocals). Tickets are available here.
by Daniel Hathaway
The original Cleveland Orchestra lineup this month was to have featured former and current New York Philharmonic music directors two weeks in a row, but Jaap van Zweden had to withdraw due to a family medical issue in the Netherlands. He was replaced on the weekend of October 17 by the 23-year-old Finnish conductor Klaus Mäkelä, who had made a sensational debut with the Orchestra last summer at Blossom, and if anything, topped that performance at Severance Hall. [Read more…]
