“The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra has announced details of its new concert season,” reports Michael Dervan in Wednesday’s (5/31) Irish Times (Dublin). “French conductor and contralto Nathalie Stutzmann, announced earlier this year as the orchestra’s principal guest conductor, formally takes up her new role on September 29th in a programme that offers the very different first symphonies of two musical giants, Beethoven and Prokofiev. … Stutzmann’s five concerts include more Beethoven” as well as works by Brahms, Elgar, Mozart, and Strauss. “Another development is the orchestra’s Culture Night programme on September 22nd, which this year is conducted by Robert Trevino and includes Grieg’s Piano Concerto, with Paul Lewis as soloist, and Australian composer Matthew Hindson’s 1996 “techno-piece” for orchestra, Speed. … Other firsts include Thai composer Narong Prangcharoen’s Phenomenon on April 27th … An extended version of Deirdre Gribbin’s piano concerto The Binding of the Years, with Finghin Collins as soloist, is at the heart of a concert celebrating the orchestra’s 70th anniversary … One major innovation is a change in starting time. The choice of a 7:30pm starts breaks a tradition that goes back to the mid-20th century … it will be interesting to see what change, if any, the move has on attendances.”
Posted May 31, 2017
