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  • Pablo Heras-Casado Conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall for Three Performances of Works by Mendelssohn and Mahler
  • Mar. 20, 2009
  • Soloist Kate Royal Makes Her Los Angeles Philharmonic Debut

    Program Update: Heras-Casado replaces Yuri Temirkanov who was originally scheduled to conduct

    FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2009, AT 8 PM

    SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2009, AT 8 PM

    SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2009, AT 2 PM

    The March 20 Concert is Generously Sponsored by Breguet, The Official Timepiece of the Los Angeles Philharmonic

    Spanish conductor Pablo Heras-Casado leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall in three concerts featuring works by Mendelssohn and Mahler, Friday and Saturday, March 20 and 21, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, March 22, at 2 p.m. The concerts mark Heras-Casado’s U.S. symphonic debut as well as the LA Phil debut of soprano Kate Royal.

    Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90, “Italian” was inspired by an October 1830 trip through Italy during which he witnessed Rome’s Holy Week festivities (the week leading up to Easter) and the coronation of Pope Pius VIII. Like the series of watercolors and sketches the amateur artist made to record his trip, his “Italian” opus strives to convey a series of impressions of the country – Mediterranean sunshine, religious solemnity, monumental art and architecture, and open countryside.

    Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 in G major is arguably Mahler’s best loved and one of his most frequently played symphonies. It is about a child’s vision of heaven, full of dancing and playing, good music and food, and saints and martyrs. Unlike Mahler’s other symphonies, the Fourth has a directness and charm without any formidable thunderbolts or tense musical arguments.

    The performances mark London-born soprano Kate Royal’s Los Angeles Philharmonic debut. Her Walt Disney Concert Hall debut takes place earlier in the week, on March 17, in a chamber music program with members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Heras-Casado recently made his Walt Disney Concert Hall debut in December of 2008 conducting the LA Phil New Music Group in music of Stockhausen and Ligeti.

    An opportunity to learn more about the program is free to all ticket holders at Upbeat Live, which takes place in BP Hall one hour prior to each concert. Russell Steinberg, Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra and composer, conductor and performer, hosts.

    Although only 31 years old, Spanish-born PABLO HERAS-CASADO already enjoys a multi-faceted conducting career of unusual breadth and variety. Born in Granada in 1977, and with extensive conducting experience already during his 20s in Spain, including as Principal Conductor of the Girona City Orchestra, Heras-Casado now balances an international schedule of operatic and orchestral engagements, ranging from historically-informed classical repertoire to the most contemporary scores. English National Opera have invited him for "L'Elisir" in Spring 2010; and he will also be invited annually by Teatro Real Madrid and Canadian Opera Company from 2010/11; as well as regularly by Opera National de Bordeaux. Forthcoming orchestral guest conducting engagements include BBC Symphony; Tonhalle Orchestra Zuerich; Danish Radio; Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France; Orchestre National de Bordeaux Aquitaine; Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic; SWR Freiburg; NHK Symphony Tokyo – while he also looks forward to contemporary programs with Klangforum Wien, Collegium Novum Zuerich and Ensemble intercontemporain. He made his U.S. debut in June 2008 in a program of Bach, Adès and Carter with Ensemble ACJW at Carnegie Hall; his UK debut in August 2008 with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain; his debut with Opèra de Paris followed in October 2008 in the world premiere performances of Marc-Olivier Dupin’s “Les Enfants du Paradis.”

    KATE ROYAL, a native Londoner and former student at the Guildhall School of Music and the National Opera Studio, won the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Award and the John Christie Award in 2004 and the 2007 Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist Award. She made her Glyndebourne Festival debut in 2004 when, as the understudy, she was called on at the last moment to perform the role of Pamina in Die Zauberflöte. Glyndebourne subsequently booked her to sing the Countess (Le nozze di Figaro) and Governess (The Turn of the Screw) for Glyndebourne on Tour and Helena (A Midsummer Night's Dream) and Micaela (Carmen) for the Glyndebourne Festival. Royal has also sung the roles of Miranda (Adès: The Tempest) and Pamina at the Royal Opera House, Helena for Teatro Real, Madrid, Poppea for English National Opera and Countess Almaviva for the Aix-en-Provence Festival. Royal has appeared in concert with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment/Simon Rattle, the Bach Akademie Stuttgart/Helmut Rilling, National Symphony Orchestra (Washington)/Rilling, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic/Vassily Petrenko and the Berliner Philharmoniker/William Christie, as well as in recital throughout Europe and North America. Royal signed an exclusive contract with EMI Classics in 2006. Her first, eponymous CD for the label was released the following year to unanimous critical acclaim. Kate also performed the solo in Paul McCartney's oratorio Ecce Cor Meum, both on the EMI Classics recording and in concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Upcoming 2009 engagements include Haydn's Die Schöpfung with the BBC Philharmonic/Noseda, Die Zauberflöte (Pamina) and Carmen (Micaela) with the Bayerische Staatsoper, the title role in Handel's Susanna with Les Arts Florissants/Christie in the U.K., Spain, Romania, Austria, France and Holland and recitals in London (Wigmore Hall), Barcelona, Bilbao, Santiago del Compostela and Geneva.

    The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable places anywhere to experience music – Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the Association’s involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational programs, community concerts and children's programming, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.

    EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

    FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2009, at 8 PM

    SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2009, at 8 PM

    SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2009, at 2 PM


    WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL

    111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles



    LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

    PABLO HERAS-CASADO, conductor

    KATE ROYAL, soprano



    MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4, “Italian”

    MAHLER Symphony No. 4



    The March 20 concert is generously sponsored by Breguet, The Official Timepiece of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.




    Tickets ($42 - $147) are on sale now at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office, online at LAPhil.com, or via credit card by phone at 323.850.2000. When available, choral bench seats ($17), will be released for sale to selected Philharmonic, Colburn Celebrity Recital and Baroque Variations performances beginning at noon on the Tuesday of the second week prior to the concert. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For information, please call 323.850.2000.

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  • Contact:

    Sophie Jefferies, sjefferies@laphil.org, 213.972.3422; Lisa Bellamore, lbellamore@laphil.org, 213.972.3689; Photos: 213.972.3034