Unfortunately pianist Maria João Pires is unable to come to Geneva for health reasons, but gladly Kit Armstrong will be stepping in at short notice. The concert program remains unchanged.
Piano & Orchestral Suite
A voiceless opera
Thursday
30.11.2023
19:30 — Victoria Hall
Series S
World premiere
Mécène

Wednesday
29.11.2023
19:30 — Victoria Hall
Series O
World premiere
programme
Jonathan Nott
conductor
Kit Armstrong
piano
Claude Debussy
Pelléas and Mélisande, symphonic suite (created by Jonathan Nott)
Ludwig van Beethoven
Concerto for piano and orchestra No. 4 in G major Op. 58
the music
Due to health reasons, Maria João Pires is unable to perform with OSR on November 29th and 30th in Geneva. Gladly pianist Kit Armstrong will be stepping in at short notice. The concert program remains unchanged.
The orchestral interludes that Debussy composed hastily to facilitate the changes of scenery in his opera Pelléas et Mélisande are among his best instrumental works. They made several conductors in love with the score want to amplify them by orchestrating entire parts of the opera in the form of a symphonic suite. After Leinsdorf, Constant, Monteux, Barbirolli and, more recently, Abbado and Altinoglu, Jonathan Nott presents his own work as a world premiere. This new arrangement will make it possible to hear the drama thanks to a careful selection of instruments taking up the leitmotifs sung by the various characters of Maurice Maeterlinck's drama. For her return to our concerts, Maria João Pires has chosen Beethoven's Concerto No. 4, which blends so well brio and secret revolt with its contemplative and emotional andante.
Streaming
This concert is broadcast on the 06.12.23 on Espace 2 in the radio program Plein Jeu (8pm), produced by Mitsou Carré and Daniel Rausis, and is available for streaming after broadcast on
Recording
Jonathan Nott's recording of the Suite Symphonique from Pelléas et Mélisande can be found on Spotify or AppleMusic, at your usual record store or at Pentatone label.