Friday-Sunday, June 25-27, 2021
Michael Stern, conductor
Yefim Bronfman, piano
BARBER Medea’s Meditation and Dance of Vengeance
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade
It’s season finale time, people! We’re throwing a big party, and you’re all invited.
For our celebration, we’ll have you know that we’ve already received RSVPs from a couple of strong female characters and one of the greatest pianists of our time. Trust us, this is going to be fabulous.
Pianist Yefim Bronfman, or just “Fima” to many, has been playing Beethoven’s concertos since he was a teen, and that lifetime of experience is evident every time he sits at the bench. As one reviewer puts it, “Listening to Bronfman play Beethoven is like being in a crowded room when suddenly a profound conversationalist begins to speak and everyone just steps back to listen with rapt attention” (Chicago Sun Times).
It’ll be a thrill to witness his artistry and athleticism as he takes on Beethoven’s Third Concerto, which is packed with the red-hot passion and fury forever linked to Beethoven.
As for leading ladies, Medea and Scheherazade are two fabled women who used their wits to survive. American composer Samuel Barber’s study of Medea came about from his earlier ballet suite of the same name. This mythical story of a sorceress betrayed by her husband has a bunch of twists and turns, much like the increasing intensity of the music, which culminates in a frenzied dance.
Then, it’s time for last call. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade remains one of the most adored and most programmed works in the orchestral repertoire. The Russian composer, inspired by the fanciful “Tales of the Arabian Nights,” described Scheherazade as a narrative of “varied fairytale wonders.” The solo violin, representing Scheherazade, weaves these colorful stories into a grand tapestry of sound.
