SØNDERGÅRD CONDUCTS LA MER
Wed Apr 13, 2022 | 7pm CT
Orchestra Hall
Thomas Søndergård conducts the Minnesota Orchestra in music that speaks of the sea, including Benjamin Britten’s Four Sea Interludes and Claude Debussy’s unfolding and enchanting La Mer. At the center of the program is Stravinsky’s powerful Symphony in Three Movements.
Symphony in 60 features beloved classical composers and pieces in about an hour. We can’t wait to share this symphonic masterwork with you.
Things to Know
- Drink a beer, fund the music! Join us before the concert during our happy hour featuring brews from MetroNOME brewery. Proceeds go to funding musical instruments, lessons, and education for students in the Twin Cities Metro Area.
Program
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BRITTEN
Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
1 min noteOne Minute Note
Britten’s suite from the opera Peter Grimes offers glimpses of his masterful opera set in a fishing village on the Suffolk coast, complete with sounds of sea birds, the surf—and church bells, reflecting a deadly conflict between villagers and an outcast.
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STRAVINSKY
Symphony in Three Movements
1 min noteOne Minute Note
Stravinsky’s World War II-era symphony bears the mark of its age—at turns violent, somber, militant and triumphant, with emphasis on solo piano and harp. In the finale, a powerful fugue heralds the fall of the Nazis.
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DEBUSSY
La Mer
1 min noteOne Minute Note
Debussy’s classic oceanic portrait recreates the feeling of a visit to the sea. Two slower movements surround a scherzo as a kaleidoscopic stream of musical fragments eventually builds to a stormy, dissonant close.
Artists
Minnesota Orchestra
Thomas Søndergård
conductor
The Grammy Award-winning Minnesota Orchestra, led by Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård—who is serving as music director designate during the 2022-23 season—is recognized for distinguished performances around the world, award-winning recordings and broadcasts, educational engagement programs, and commitment to building the orchestral repertoire of the future. Founded in 1903, the Orchestra has an extensive history of touring throughout Minnesota, nationally and abroad, including high-profile visits in recent years to Cuba, Europe and South Africa. Recording projects undertaken in the past two decades include complete cycles of symphonies by Beethoven, Sibelius and Mahler, all recorded under Osmo Vänskä, who is now the Orchestra’s conductor laureate.
Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård, the newly announced 11th music director of the Minnesota Orchestra, will serve for the 2022-23 season as the ensemble’s music director designate before beginning his music director role in September 2023. He is the current music director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), following six seasons as principal guest conductor. Between 2012 and 2018, he served as principal conductor of BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW), after stepping down as principal conductor and musical advisor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra.
Your Concert Experience
Join us for Q&A’s, hosted discussions, exhibits and more. All free with your concert ticket!
First Timer Primer
When: Wed Apr 13 | 6:15pm-6:45pm
Where: Target Atrium
New to the world of the orchestra? Minnesota Orchestra's Emily Switzer and Sarah Grimes will provide tips on concert protocol and an overview of tonight's program. Any and all questions are welcome!
Symphony in 60 concert enhancements include:
Pre-concert activity
One-hour performance
Early start time
$5 Happy Hour
Accessibility Services
- Assistive Listening Devices
- Large Print Programs
- Service Animals
- Wheelchair & Accessible Seating
Additional services are available upon request.
Sponsors
