Orchestre de Paris Premieres
Saturdays in October
Every Saturday in October, Stingray Classica invites viewers on a journey to the capital of France through four marvelous concert premieres of the Orchestre de Paris. The orchestra, founded in 1967, is led by European conductors in four beautiful performances from its former resident hall, the Salle Pleyel in Paris. On Saturday, October 5, the Orchestre de Paris interprets compositions of French impressionist Maurice Ravel under the baton of Finnish conductor Mikko Franck. The following week, Paavo Järvi leads the orchestra in a 2012 performance featuring the world premiere of Richard Dubugnon's Concert for Two Pianos, ‘Battlefield’. The former Music Director of the Orchestre de Paris returns the following week, leading a performance with soloist Yefim Bronfman. The Orchestre de Paris special comes to an end on October 26, with a celebratory concert on the occasion of the 70th birthday of German conductor and pianist Christoph Eschenbach. He is both soloist and conductor of the Orchestre de Paris in this performance of Mozart’s Piano Concertos No.12 and 23.
Mikko Franck conducts Ravel
Saturday, October 5
Mikko Franck conducts the Orchestre de Paris in an attractive concert prorgramme, exclusively dedicated to compositions of the French impressionist Maurice Ravel (1875-1937). The soloist of this performance is mezzo-soprano Nora Gubisch. Together, they interprete Ravel's ‘Une barque sur l'océan’, ‘Alborada del gracioso’, the Shéhérazade cycle and ballet music from Daphnis et Chloé. This performance was recorded 2012 at the Salle Pleyel in Paris.
Järvi conducts Dubugnon, Bernstein and Prokofiev
Saturday, October 12
Paavo Järvi conducts the Orchestre de Paris during a concert in the Salle Pleyel in Paris, 2012. The programme even features a world premiere: Richard Dubugnon's Concert for Two Pianos, titled ‘Battlefield’. Star soloists are the renowned French sisters Katia and Marielle Labèque. Furthermore, the Orchestre de Paris dares to take on Leonard Bernstein’s Westside Story, based on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The orchestra concludes with an un-American version of this love story, which is embodied in the famous ballet music by Sergey Prokofiev.
Paavo Järvi & Yefim Bronfman: A Russian Night
Saturday, October 19
Paavo Järvi conducts the Orchestre de Paris in a concert dedicated to the works of Russian composers at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, 2013. The programme features Mikhail Glinka's Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla, Piotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky's Concerto No. 1 in b-flat major, Op. 23. and multiple works of Sergei Prokofiev. Soviet-born Israeli-American pianist Yefim Bronfman is the soloist of Tchaikovsky's piece. The grammy-award winning piano virtuoso is known for his excellent interpretations of the works of Russian composers - and this concert is no exception.
Christoph Eschenbach performs Mozart
Saturday, October 26
For his 70th birthday, German conductor Christoph Eschenbach leads the Orchestre de Paris while simultaneously performing on the piano.The concert features Mozart’s Piano Concertos No.12 and 23. Breslau-born Christoph Eschenbach long had ambitions to be a conductor, but began his musical career as a pianist to make a name for himself. As a soloist, he recorded numerous critically acclaimed piano concerts. Even after becoming a renowned conductor, he has continued to perform regularly as a pianist with orchestras, as he does in this special concert. He is known for his vintage conducting style which has occasionally proven controversial among critics preferring a leaner, more modern approach. For some critics however, he pays tribute to an earlier, "golden era of music making", especially in German Romantic repertoire. Recorded in Salle Pleyel in February 2010. Diese Aufnahme entstand bei einem Konzert von 2012 im Salle Pleyel, Paris.