Itzhak Perlman to headline Cincinnati Symphony 21/22 season
Itzhak Perlman headlines as a recitalist in Cincinnati Symphony’s 2021/2022 season (Photo credit: Jaren Wilkey)
Music Hall returns to full capacity for new CSO/Pops season. Here's the plan
By David Lyman
Cincinnati Enquirer
June 8, 2021
The Cincinnati Pops 2021-2022 season will celebrate the 10th anniversary of John Morris Russell as its conductor. He is seen here in 2012, his second season leading the Cincinnati Pops (Photo Credits: Provided by Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
It’s always big news when Cincinnati’s two largest professional music ensembles, the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops orchestras, announce their new seasons.
That was definitely the case on Monday, as the groups announced a full slate of 2021-2022 season performances stretching from this October to July of next year. As we have come to expect, the season is packed with a generous complement of new and familiar guest soloists and conductors, along with nearly a dozen world premieres and an encyclopedic repertoire ranging from Beethoven to Ravel and a pair of special event recitals; pianist Daniil Trifonov (Nov. 10) and violinist Itzhak Perlman (April 10).
But in some ways, the biggest news is that when they return in the fall, the orchestras will be performing in a Music Hall operating at full capacity. That’s a huge leap from the 300 seats that have been available since the orchestra became one of the few in the nation to resume live performances last fall. Even then, the orchestra played with only half of its musicians onstage at any given time. In the fall, it will be a return to a full orchestra, as well.
“This coming season will be special,” said music diirector Louis Langree in a prepared statement. “It celebrates our return to life and to each other with music and performances filled with the emotion and energy that have been suppressed for so long ... The musicians and I cannot wait!”
The CSO will present violinist Itzhak Perlman in recital on April 10, 2022 (Photo Credit: Drew Gurian)
In addition to a full schedule of the subscription concerts, the orchestras announced the Pops’ traditional “Red, White and Boom!” July 4 concert at the Riverbend Music Center and several “Classical Roots” concerts in August:
Aug. 3 – at Zion Baptist Church.
Aug. 6 – at Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church.
Aug. 12 – at Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church.
Aug. 20 – 20th anniversary “Classical Roots” concert at Music Hall.
Despite the inclusion of many notable guest conductors, including Roderick Cox, James Conlon and Karina Canellakis, Langree is scheduled to conduct eight of the CSO’s 15 subscription concerts. He’ll also lead the world and U.S. premieres of 8 of 10 CSO commissions and co-commissions and 1 of 2 CSO Proof programs, the Orchestra’s incubator for experimental experiences.
On the Pops side of things, the season celebrates the 10th anniversary of conductor John Morris Russell with programs featuring a return of “Cirque de la Symphonie” and vocalists Tamika Lawrence, CoCo Smith and CCM graduate Blaine Krauss in a tribute to Aretha Franklin.
Damon Gupton, Pops principal guest conductor, will return to lead a tribute to John Williams on the occasion of the composer’s 90th birthday.
For a complete list of the seasons, along with ticket prices and venues, go to the CSO website, cincinnatisymphony.org. Subscription packages are already on sale, while single tickets will be available beginning Sept. 27.
Guest conductor Karina Canellakis returns to the CSO in March 2022 to lead a program including the Elgar “Cello Concerto” and Sibelius’ “Lemminkainen Suite” (Photo Credit: Masataka Suemitsu)
Some of the season’s other highlights:
Oct. 7-8; “CSO Proof – Anno: The Four Seasons,” Anna Meredith and Antonio Vivaldi, composers; Louis Langree, conductor; with electronics by Anna Meredith, video by Eleanor Meredith and sound design by Simon Hendry.
Oct. 29-30; Brahms “F-A-E Sonata, Scherzo,” Andrew Norman “Suspend,” a fantasy for piano and orchestra, Brahms “Symphony No. 3”; Louis Langree, conductor, Drew Petersen, piano, Stefani Matsuo, violin.
Nov. 19-20; Beethoven “Symphony No. 8,” Haydn “Concerto in D Major,” Sebastian Currier “Track 8” (CSO Commission, World Premiere)’ with pianist Emanuel Ax; Louis Langree, conductor.
Nov. 26-27; Debussy “Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune,” Ravel “Piano Concerto in G,” Mendelssohn “Symphony No. 3” (“Scottish”); Conrad Tao, piano; Roderick Cox, conductor.
Jan. 28-29; Matthias Pintscher “Violin Concerto” (CSO Commission, World Premiere), Rachmaninov “Symphonic Dances”; Leila Josefowicz, violin; Matthias Pintscher, conductor.
April 29-30; “JMR’s Greatest Hits,” celebrating Pops conductor John Morris Russell’s decade leading the Cincinnati Pops, with special guests and a new work commissioned from Grammy Award-winning composer Eric Whitacre.
May 6-8; Guillaume Connesson “Oboe Concerto” (CSO Commission, World Premiere), Rachmaninoff “Symphony No. 2”; Dwight Parry, oboe; Louis Langree, conductor.
May 14-15; Gabriela Ortiz “New Work” (CSO Commission, World Premiere), Bruckner “Symphony No. 7”; Louis Langree, conductor.
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