Los Angeles Master Chorale and soloists Leah Crocetto, soprano; Ekaterina Gubanova, mezzo-soprano; David Lomelí, tenor; and John Relyea, bass; perform

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009, AT 8 PM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2009, AT 8 PM

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2009, AT 8 PM

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2009, AT 2 PM

Media Sponsor for Thursday, November 5: KUSC

Media Sponsor for Saturday, November 7: Los Angeles Magazine

Shortly following his historic inaugural concerts, Music Director Gustavo Dudamel continues his debut season with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in four performances of Verdi’s Requiem at Walt Disney Concert Hall, November 5 – 8, 2009. Featured soloists are Leah Crocetto, soprano; Ekaterina Gubanova, mezzo-soprano; David Lomelí, tenor; and John Relyea, bass, who are joined by the Los Angeles Master Chorale for this monumental work.

The Requiem Mass that Verdi composed in 1873 was in memory of Alessandro Manzoni, an author whom he idolized as much for his championing of Italian independence as for his literary excellence. When Verdi wrote the Requiem, he was, at 60, the composer of some 25 remarkably vivid operas, with only Otello and Falstaff to come. The dramatic impulses that gave life (and death) to La traviata, Il trovatore, Aida, and the rest could not be diluted or stilled when directed toward this work honoring a man whom Verdi revered.

Emotionally the Requiem covers every shade of operatic expression that Verdi ever conjured, from the most inward and fragile to the most extrovert and violently passionate. Expectedly, the vocal elements in the work, both solo and choral, are masterful. The severely conservative Brahms said, “Verdi’s Requiem is a work of genius.” Succeeding generations have echoed that judgment unreservedly.

American soprano Leah Crocetto is a first-year Adler Fellow with the San Francisco Opera, where she recently appeared as Estelle in Hugo Weisgall’s The Stronger. As a 2008 member of the Merola Opera Program, Crocetto performed scenes as Norina (Don Pasquale) and the title role of Manon in the Schwabacher Summer Concert, where she was praised for her work by San Francisco Classical Voice: “In thirty years of exciting discoveries, listening to each group of Merolini for the first time, I have never experienced a singer as complete and awesome as Crocetto.” Her other credits include The Baker’s Wife/The Witch (Into the Woods) and Flower Girl (Naughty Marietta), and she was a recent soloist with the Adrian Symphony Orchestra. She has previously worked with Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony on the Verdi Requiem. She recently won First Place, People’s Choice, and the Spanish prize in the José Iturbi International Music Competition in Los Angeles.

At age 23, Russian mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova became a member of the Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and sang several roles for the company, including Suzuki in Madame Butterfly and The Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte. Following her studies, in 2005 she sang to immense critical success Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde at the Paris Opera in Peter Sellars’ renowned production. She reprised this role in concert at the Festpielhaus Baden-Baden, at the Rotterdam Festival under Gergiev and once again this season in Paris, conducted by Semyon Bychkov. Her American debut came with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen, as soloist in Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky cantata. In summer 2009 she toured to Tel Aviv with La Scala to sing Verdi’s Requiem and Amneris in Aida under Daniel Barenboim’s direction. She returns to the Metropolitan Opera in 2009 for a new production of Les Contes d’Hoffmann with Maestro James Levine.

Tenor David Lomelí is quickly gaining prominence for the great beauty of his voice. A first-prize winner in Plácido Domingo’s 2006 Operalia, Lomelí is the first Mexican tenor ever to have won the First Prize, and the first singer ever to win both the opera and zarzuela divisions in the world-renowned singing competition. In 2006 he was the first-prize winner at the national tenor competition Nicolas Urcelay in Mérida, Mexico and a winner of the Palm Beach Opera Competition, Montserrat Caballé Competition, Zachary Foundation and Jose Iturbi Voice Competition. Lomelí begins the 2009–2010 season as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi for San Francisco Opera. He will be heard in an opera aria concert with soprano Nuccia Focile at University of California, Berkeley and will make his debut in Dijon, France as the Duke in Rigoletto. He will make his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic in Verdi’s Requiem followed by a gala concert in Prague. He will complete the season as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, for his debut with Michigan Opera Theater.

John Relyea continues to distinguish himself as one of today's finest bass-baritones. He remains in high demand throughout the concert world, where he appears regularly with orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Met Chamber Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony, Monnaie Orchestra, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, and the Berlin Philharmonic. He has also appeared at the Tanglewood, Ravinia, Blossom, Vail, Lanaudiere, Salzburg, Edinburgh, Lucerne and Mostly Mozart Festivals, and in the BBC Proms.

The concerts are preceded by Upbeat Live pre-performance discussions which are free to ticket-holders, and occur one hour prior in BP Hall. Asadour Santourian, Artistic Advisor and Administrator of Aspen Music Festival and School, hosts.

Gustavo Dudamel’s upcoming performances in November include:



Thursday, November 12, 2009, at 8 PM

Saturday, November 14, 2009, at 8 PM

Sunday, November 15, 2009, at 2 PM



Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

Dawn Upshaw, soprano



SCHUBERT (arr. BERIO) Rendering

BERIO Folk Songs

SCHUBERT Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished”



Friday, November 13, 2009, at 8 PM (Casual Friday performance)



Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

Dawn Upshaw, soprano



BERIO Folk Songs

SCHUBERT Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished”



Thursday, November 19, 2009, at 8 PM

Saturday, November 21, 2009, at 2 PM

Sunday, November 22, 2009, at 2 PM


Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

Gil Shaham, violin



MOZART Symphony No. 38, “Prague”

BERG Violin Concerto

MOZART Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”



Friday, November 20, 2009, at 8 PM (Casual Friday performance)



Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

Gil Shaham, violin



BERG Violin Concerto

MOZART Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”



WEST COAST LEFT COAST FESTIVAL

Friday, November 27, 2009, at 8 PM

Saturday, November 28, 2009, at 8 PM

Sunday, November 29, 2009, at 2 PM



Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

Marino Formenti, piano



SALONEN L.A. Variations

HARRISON Piano Concerto

ADAMS City Noir (LAPA co-commission)

The Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Master Chorale, currently celebrating its 46th season, has been cited as a national leader for its innovative and dynamic programming. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Chorale “has become the most exciting chorus in the country under Grant Gershon.” Since its founding in 1964, LAMC has presented more than 450 concerts, including choral music from the earliest writings to the most recent contemporary compositions. In 2003 the Chorale became one of two resident companies in Walt Disney Concert Hall, launching a period of incredible artistic and organizational growth. The Chorale has commissioned 21 and premiered 51 new works, and has recorded 6 CDs. The Chorale’s most recent recording with Gershon, Daniel Variations, was released on Nonesuch in spring 2008. LAMC performs a season of seven concerts at Walt Disney Concert Hall, plus two performances of the Messiah Sing-Along; and the family-friendly Holiday Wonders concert in December; and also performs regularly with the L.A. Philharmonic. The Los Angeles Master Chorale has more than 1,000 subscribers, serves over 40,000 audience members of all ages, and provides education outreach to approximately 13,000 children each year. In 2008, one of the Chorale’s highly successful outreach programs, “Voices Within,” earned the coveted Chorus America Education Outreach Award.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under the vibrant leadership of Gustavo Dudamel, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable locations 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 concerts, children's programming and community concerts, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, AT 8 PM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, AT 8 PM

SATURDAY, NOVEBMER 7, AT 8 PM

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, AT 2 PM

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL

111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles


VERDI Requiem



LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

GUSTAVO DUDAMEL, conductor



LEAH CROCETTO, soprano

EKATERINA GUBANOVA, mezzo-soprano

DAVID LOMELÍ, tenor

JOHN RELYEA, bass

LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE

GRANT GERSHON, music director



Media Sponsor for Thursday, November 5: KUSC

Media Sponsor for Saturday, November 7: Los Angeles Magazine



The concerts are preceded by Upbeat Live pre-performance discussions, which are free to ticket-holders, and occur one hour prior in BP Hall. Alan Chapman, KUSC-FM radio host, composer-lyricist and pianist hosts.

Tickets ($42 - $160) 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. 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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