News from Primo Artists | Summer 2022
Itzhak Perlman makes much-anticipated festival appearances at the Ravinia Festival where he performs Mendelssohn Violin Concerto on August 18 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Peter Oundjian conducting, and returns to the Tanglewood Music Festival on August 21 to perform Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Dima Slobodeniouk conducting. On September 13, Perlman returns to the Hollywood Bowl to play/conduct the LA Phil in a program of Bach and Tchaikovsky.
Randall Goosby made his Aspen Music Festival debut performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with Nicholas McGegan on July 8. He performed Florence Price's Violin Concerto No. 2 on July 21 and 22 at the Colorado Music Festival and at Interlochen on July 31. On August 6, Goosby performed Price's Violin Concerto No. 1 at the Brevard Music Festival, and on August 11, he me makes his Philadelphia Orchestra debut with Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1.
Gemma New made an impressive L.A. Opera debut on June 18 with Renée Fleming and Rodney Gilfrey on Kevin Puts’ “Brightness of Light”. In July, she led programs at the Chautauqua Festival and Caramoor Center with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and conducted a fully-staged performance of Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore at Festival Napa Valley. From August 5 to 14, New leads the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in her first appearances as Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor in their 2022 Winter Festival featuring guest artists Hilary Hahn and Paul Lewis.
In June, Cristian Măcelaru was announced as Artistic Director of the George Enescu Festival and Competition. Following his return to Interlochen’s World Youth Symphony Orchestra as Principal Conductor and Artistic Director, Măcelaru led the Orchestre National de France on July 14 in his first ever “Le Concert de Paris” Bastille Day celebration in a concert that was broadcast around the globe to millions of viewers. From July 29 to August 7, Măcelaru led his 6th season as Music Director of the Cabrillo Festival, and on August 14, he makes his Boston Symphony Orchestra debut at the Tanglewood Music Festival with Yo-Yo Ma as soloist.
Joshua Bell and soprano Larisa Martínez have been touring their “Voice and the Violin” duo program at festivals coast to coast this summer from Saratoga Performing Arts Center and Brevard Music Festival to National Repertory Orchestra and Festival Napa Valley. Bell returned to Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival on August 2 and 3 and to Tanglewood Music Festival on August 6. He caps off his summer season with the LA Philharmonic on August 12 and 13 as part of the Hollywood Bowl’s Centennial season.
After closing the Orchestre Métropolitain’s season in Montréal with Yannick Nézet-Séguin on June 20, Seong-Jin Cho joined the New York Philharmonic and Jaap van Zweden at the Bravo! Vail Music Festival to perform Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto on July 20. Shortly after, Cho performed Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons at the Tanglewood Music Festival on July 24 before concluding his U.S. Festival Tour at the Hollywood Bowl where he performed with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil on July 26.
In June, James Gaffigan made a “rousing” and “memorable” appearance (PBS’ WTTW) with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. From July 23 to August 23, Gaffigan has been leading the much talked-about production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde at the Santa Fe Opera, directed by Zack Winokur and Lisenka Heijboer Castañón, featuring a cast that includes Simon O’Neill, Tamara Wilson, Jamie Barton and Eric Owens. The New York Times said Gaffigan “sparked up a feisty intensity, pushing the drama hard. His take was muscular and swift.”
In July, Christian Reif made his Houston Symphony Orchestra debut and stepped in on two days’ notice to lead concerts at the Colorado Music Festival. In his 2nd season as Music Director of Minnesota’s Lakes Area Music Festival, Reif leads ten performances this summer between July 29 and August 21. Programs feature Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, newly commissioned works by Elizabeth Ogonek and Isaac Santos, a world premiere by Jimmy López Bellido, and a fully-staged production of Strauss’ Ariadne Auf Naxos.
Primo Artists’ new Vice President of Public Relations, Katy Salomon, was featured in Classical Music Magazine as the classical music management agency launched its Public Relations division in May. Salomon's decade of experience in public relations, brand strategy and album promotion include work with the late Lois Cohn, Christina Jensen PR/Jensen Artists and Morahan Arts and Media.
Salomon said: “I’m thrilled to join the illustrious Primo Artists and look forward to adding my public relations and marketing expertise to the company’s superlative offerings. Charlotte Lee and I share many values, and I’m excited to embark on this collaboration with the company so we can change the landscape of arts promotion.”
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