Carnegie Hall in 2019-20
announcing the 2019-2020 season (c) Bruce Hodges
A major focus at Carnegie Hall in the coming year is a season-long celebration of Beethoven’s 250th birthday, with more than 35 events focusing on his seminal works: all nine symphonies, the complete piano sonatas and string quartets, plus choral and chamber music.
The exploration of the great master leads off on 3 October with The Cleveland Orchestra under Franz Welser-Möst and joined by Anne-Sophie Mutter, Lynn Harrell and Yefim Bronfman in Beethoven’s Triple Concerto. Additional events include two complete symphony cycles – one by Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique on period instruments, and the second by Yannick Nézet-Séguin and The Philadelphia Orchestra.
Among the other groups booked for the 2019-2020 season – in both Beethoven and non-Beethoven concerts – are the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and the San Francisco Symphony. The season concludes with three Mahler symphonies – Nos.5, 7, and 9 – with the Vienna Philharmonic and Daniel Barenboim.
Chamber music, vocal and instrumental recitals also play a large part in the new season, with appearances by – among others – the Brentano String Quartet, the Pacifica Quartet, Ian Bostridge, Renée Fleming, Sir Bryn Terfel, Pretty Yende, Emanuel Ax, Kirill Gerstein, Marc-André Hamelin, Murray Perahia, Sir András Schiff and Mitsuko Uchida.
Other highlights in 2019-2020 include:
Perspectives: Sir John Eliot Gardner, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Joyce DiDonato & Angélique Kidjo
For the 20th season of Perspectives, four renowned artists will curate a season-long series. In addition to all nine Beethoven symphonies, Sir John Eliot Gardner and his early music ensemble will perform Beethoven’s seldom-heard ballet score, The Creatures of Prometheus.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin will conduct all three orchestras with which he is associated: The Philadelphia Orchestra, The MET Orchestra and the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal in their Carnegie Hall debut.
Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato will be joined by Nézet-Séguin at the piano in a recital of Schubert’s Winterreise. She’ll also perform with Il Pomo d’Oro and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and collaborate with friends on an evening of French songs by Ravel, Debussy and others.
Vocalist Angélique Kidjo will bring her unique mix of West African music, jazz, American R&B and funk to a four-concert series. She’ll be joined by the Lionel Loueke Trio, Benin International Musical and others for a journey of African music and culture throughout the world.
Richard and Barbara Debs Composer’s Chair: Jörg Widmann
Conductor, composer and clarinetist Jörg Widmann will take part in 11 events next season, and his music will be featured in nine concerts, some with him conducting or on clarinet. An all-star ensemble led by violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter will give the premiere of his new work for string quartet.
125 Commissions Project
Next year is the fifth and final one of this initiative, which has commissioned more than 125 works. They include solo, chamber and orchestral music by composers such as John Adams, Philip Glass, Nico Muhly, Steve Reich, Caroline Shaw, Gabriella Smith and Tyshawn Sorey.
Highlights next season will include the New York premieres of a piece by pianist Brad Mehldau, with the composer at the piano and sung by Ian Bostridge; and of a work by Julia Wolfe for Sō Percussion.
A Valentine to Isaac Stern
For all of his gifts, violinist Isaac Stern may be best remembered for saving Carnegie Hall from the wrecking ball. To mark the centenary of his birth, the entire season is dedicated to the musician, educator and activist, to thank him for ‘his tireless work in saving the Hall from demolition in 1960 and for his aspirations for what the illustrious concert hall would mean to future generations.’
Susan Metzger
For more information on the 2019-2020 season, please click here.