“Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony will use their 2016-17 season to celebrate landmark years for three innovative American composers: John Adams’ 70th birthday, Steve Reich’s 80th, and the centennial year of the late Lou Harrison,” writes Joshua Kosman in Tuesday’s (3/1) San Francisco Chronicle. “Other highlights of the season include premieres by Thomas, Robin Holloway and Bright Sheng, a semi-staged performance of Mahler’s early cantata ‘Das Klagende Lied,’ and a season-ending performance of Berlioz’s choral symphony ‘Roméo et Juliette.’ ” In September “Thomas will lead a [Reich] birthday celebration for a composer whose work he has championed for more than 40 years…. Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Music Director Joana Carneiro will make her Symphony debut leading Adams’ ‘Gospel According to the Other Mary.’ The season’s penultimate program will feature music of Ives, Harrison and George Antheil, as well as the West Coast premiere of ‘Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind,’ Thomas’ setting of Carl Sandburg’s poem for mezzo-soprano Measha Brueggergosman…. Holloway will be represented by ‘Europa and the Bull,’ a work for tuba and orchestra with Symphony principal Jeffrey Anderson as soloist. Other Symphony musicians with prominent solo appearances include oboist Eugene Izotov, trumpeter Mark Inouye and concertmaster Alexander Barantschik.”
Posted March 1, 2016
