Gabel, Saint-Saëns and Tchaikovsky
Thu Nov 16 — Sat Nov 18, 2023
Orchestra Hall
Fabien Gabel returns to Orchestra Hall to lead an evocative, water-themed program. The concert features the picturesque Enchanted Lake that conjures gentle waters under a starry sky; the strife and adventure of wartime at sea in Korngold’s suite from the 1940 film The Sea Hawk, and a classic Shakespearean love story set on a beautiful island surrounded by seascape, Tchaikovsky’s The Tempest, Fantasy-Overture. Plus, pianist Bertrand Chamayou—one of today’s leading interpreters of French music—performs Camille Saint-Saëns’ glittering and dramatic Fifth Piano Concerto.
A Few Things to Know
- In 2019 Bertrand Chamayou won the Gramophone Award for Recording of the Year for his album which included Saint-Saëns’ Violin Sonata No. 1, Cello Sonata No. 1 and Piano Trio No. 2.
- Austrian composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold moved to the United States in 1934 to write music for Hollywood films. In total, he composed 16 film scores, two of which received Academy Awards.
- A regular Minnesota Orchestra guest, conductor Fabien Gabel is also the newly appointed music director designate of the Tonkünstler Orchestra in Austria.
Program
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LYADOV
The Enchanted Lake
1 min noteOne Minute Note
Anatol Lyadov loved writing about “the realm of the non-existing”—here, a magical lake, misty, moonlit and shimmering.
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SAINT-SAËNS
Piano Concerto No. 5, Egyptian
1 min noteOne Minute Note
In his final piano concerto, Camille Saint-Saëns holds back on dazzling the audience until the closing movement. Its wide-ranging sounds include an opening in the tradition of Mozart, a theme the composer heard sung by boatmen on the Nile River, and a glittering finale in which the soloist’s virtuosity finally comes to the fore.
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KORNGOLD
The Sea Hawk Suite
1 min noteOne Minute Note
Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s score to a 1940 adventure film set in the era of Queen Elizabeth I is distilled into an 18-minute suite that summons visions of heroism, romance, battles and other daring feats.
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TCHAIKOVSKY
The Tempest, Fantasy-Overture
1 min noteOne Minute Note
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Tempest, composed on a suggestion from the Russian critic Vladimir Stasov, brings Shakespeare’s story and characters to vivid life. Especially notable is the passionate music depicting the lovers Ferdinand and Miranda, as well as themes illustrating the ship on still waters and the monstrous Caliban.
Artists
Minnesota Orchestra
Fabien Gabel
conductor
Bertrand Chamayou
piano
The Grammy Award-winning Minnesota Orchestra, now in its second century, ranks among America’s top symphonic ensembles, with a distinguished history of acclaimed performances in its home state and around the world; award-winning recordings, broadcasts and educational engagement programs; and a commitment to intentionally build concert programs to feature more works by composers of color, exploring music both contemporary and historic. This past fall, Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård began his tenure as music director.
Fabien Gabel has established an international career of the highest calibre, appearing with orchestras such as London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln Cologne, Tonkünstler-Orchester, Oslo Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, The Cleveland Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Praised for his dynamic style and sensitive approach to the score, he is best known for his eclectic choice of repertoire ranging from core symphonic works to new music to championing lesser-known composers of the 19th and the 20th century.
Gabel begins the 2021-22 season giving the season opening concerts of the Tonkünstler-Orchester in Vienna. Other highlights of the season include his debuts with NDR Radiophilharmonie, Stavanger Symphony, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Malmö Symphony and Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, and his return to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra where he appears regularly. With the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia he gives the Spanish premiere of the complete version of Tomasi trumpet concerto with Håkan Hardenberger. In North America, he continues his established relationships with orchestras such as Minnesota Orchestra, Houston Symphony and Detroit Symphony. He is highly in demand in his native France with Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre Philharmonique du Capitole de Toulouse and Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo.
Plan Your Visit
- Pre-concert activities
- Valet Parking
- Pre-order Beverages
- Directions & Parking
- Helpful Tips
Pre-Concert Interview
When: Thurs - Sat Nov 18 | 45 minutes prior
Where: Follow signage
Know Before You Go
An engaging performance awaits, and the fun doesn’t stop there. Make this visit your own with food and activity options. Browse these helpful tips, and when your concert date arrives, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy.
Directions & Parking
All the information you need to know for getting to and from Orchestra Hall. Parking is just steps away from Orchestra Hall in the city-owned and skyway-connected 11th and Marquette Ramp.
Pre-order beverages
Skip the lines at the bar! Pre-order your intermission beverage via the Minnesota Orchestra App when you arrive at Orchestra Hall.
Accessibility Services
- Armless & Bariatric Chairs
- Assistive Listening Devices
- Large-Print Programs
- Noise-Cancelling Headphones
- Service Animals
- Wheelchair & Accessible Seating
Additional services are available upon request.
Sponsored By
The 2023-2024 Classical Season is presented by Ameriprise Financial.
