Philadelphia Orchestra’s 2016-17 Season Highlights Diversity of Sound

From opera to E.T.

orchestra preview

Clockwise from upper left: Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Susan Graham, E.T., Simon Rattle

The Philadelphia Orchestra truly remains the city’s only A-list organization so far as attracting world-class classical music talent to the region, and their 2016-17 season, which was announced late yesterday afternoon, solidifies their ability to present diverse and wide-ranging programming… even the entire score of E.T.

In a statement, the Orchestra’s Musical Director, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, suggested that the upcoming season demonstrates the close bond that he has developed with the musicians throughout his tenure with the organization.

“We have built a strong foundation and are expanding upon the themes and threads that carry through the seasons: the great music capitals of the world, music that is uniquely American, sacred and choral music, opera for the concert hall, theatrically rooted works, and championing new music as a part of the Orchestra’s legacy,” he said. “I have felt the closest of bonds to the musicians of the Orchestra since my debut, almost as if we had been working together all our lives. And it is this remarkable relationship that has enabled us to accomplish, with so much joy, all we have done so far and all we will do in the future.”

The season, indeed, presents quite a variety of styles, composers, and themes, and also brings some absolutely astonishing talent to Philadelphia. Some highlights include:

  • Yannick will conduct Mozart’s Mass in C minor with Lucy Crowe, Kate Lindsey, Nicholas Phan, and Philippe Sly (9/29-10/2)
  • The legendary Simon Rattle will conduct Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 (10/6)
  • Stephane Deneve will conduct the entire score to E.T. with live film (1014-10/16)
  • Newly appointed music director of the National Symphony Gianandrea Noseda returns to conduct Beethoven, Ravel, and Petrassi (11/25-11/27)
  • Esteemed Mozart interpreter Jane Glover makes her subscription debut with a program highlighting the musical master (1/5-1/7)
  • A special Paris Festival will feature legendary mezzo-soprano Susan Graham lead by Yannick, followed by Louis Lortie on the piano and Choong-Jin Chang on viola (1/12-1/27)
  • Fabio Luisi will lead a program of Weber, Beethoven, and Franck, with Andre Watts on the piano (2/2-2/4)
  • Opera stars Michelle DeYoung and John Relyea will tackle the dark and brooding Duke Bluebeard’s Castle with Yannick (3/2-3/4)
  • Charles Dutoit, Conductor Laureate, returns to lead the Orchestra in Britten’s War Requiem (3/23-3/25)
  • An April Rachmaninoff Festival will be lead by Stephane Deneve, with Nikolai Lugansky and Haochen Zhang both on the piano (4/27-4/29)
  • Yannick closes the season with Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, featuring Karen Cargill and the American Boychoir (5/18-5/21)

The Orchestra will also present their popular holiday programming and their daytime family concerts throughout the year. For more information, and to get details on the entire 2016-17 season, click here.