Contact: Public Relations Department San Francisco Symphony

Contact:
Public Relations Department
San Francisco Symphony
(415) 503-5474
[email protected]
www.sfsymphony.org/press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / December 17, 2012
(Images of Renée Fleming, Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas, and Susan Graham are available for download in the
Photo Library)
MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS LEADS RENÉE FLEMING AND THE SAN FRANCISCO
SYMPHONY IN WORLD PREMIERE OF NEW ARRANGEMENT OF DEBUSSY’S C’EST
L’EXTASE (SETTINGS OF PAUL VERLAINE) BY ROBIN HOLLOWAY JANUARY 10, 12 AND
13 AT DAVIES SYMPHONY HALL
Fleming also performs duo recital with Susan Graham on January 16
SAN FRANCISCO, December 17— Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) leads the San
Francisco Symphony (SFS) and soprano Renée Fleming in the world premiere of Robin Holloway’s
arrangement, commissioned by the SFS, of Debussy’s C’est l’extase. Fleming also performs
selections from Canteloube’s Chants d’Auvergne, and the Orchestra performs Debussy’s Jeux, La
Plus que lente, and La Mer. Fleming returns to Davies Symphony Hall on January 16 to perform a
duo recital of works by Chausson, Debussy, and Fauré with mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and
pianist Bradley Moore.
C’est l’extase is a new orchestration by Robin Holloway of Debussy’s settings of the poems of Paul
Verlaine; the cycle includes the six Debussy titled Ariettes oubliées. An SFS commission, the work
receives its world premiere in these performances. Previously, the San Francisco Symphony and
Michael Tilson Thomas have commissioned and premiered three works by composer Robin
Holloway, including Clarissa Sequence (1998), the Fourth Concerto for Orchestra (2007), and
2004’s En blanc et noir, an orchestration of a Debussy work for two pianos that the Orchestra
performed on tour in the US and Europe. Holloway taught music at Cambridge University for 32
years, and his students included Judith Weir and Thomas Adès.
One of the foremost sopranos of her time, Renée Fleming has appeared in all of the major opera
houses around the world. In 2012, she was named Singer of the Year by Germany’s Echo awards,
and sang at the inaugural concert for President Barack Obama at the Lincoln Memorial. On
December 5, she was nominated for Best Classical Vocal Solo for her album Poèmes, released in
March 2012. Featuring music by Dutilleux, Ravel, and Messiaen, the album was recorded with
Alan Gilbert and the Orchestra Philharmonique de Radio France and Seiji Ozawa and the
Orchestre National de France.
Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham is featured on SFS Media’s 2010 release Mahler Songs with
Orchestra, singing selections from Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder. In October 2012, Graham released her
first solo album since 2008, a compilation on Onyx titled Virgins, Vixens & Viragos, featuring music
by Purcell, Berlioz, and Poulenc, among others. This duo recital with Fleming, part of a month-long
tour, is Graham’s only Bay Area performance in the 2012-2013 season.
Calendar Editors, Please Note:
SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY
Davies Symphony Hall
Thursday, January 10 at 8 pm
Saturday, January 12 at 8 pm
Sunday, January 13 at 2 pm
Michael Tilson Thomas conductor
Renée Fleming soprano
San Francisco Symphony
Debussy Jeux
Debussy (arr. Robin Holloway) C’est l’extase (Settings of Paul Verlaine) (SFS Commission, world
premiere)
Debussy La Plus que lente
Canteloube Selections from Chants d’Auvergne
Debussy La Mer
PRE-CONCERT TALK:
Peter Grunberg will give an “Inside Music” talk from the stage one hour prior
to each concert. Free to all concert ticket holders; doors open 15 minutes
before.
AUDIO PROGRAM
NOTES:
A free audio podcast about Debussy’s La Mer will be downloadable
from sfsymphony.org/podcasts and from the iTunes store.
BROADCAST:
These concerts will be broadcast on Classical 89.9/90.3/104.9 KDFC and
kdfc.com on Tuesday, January 22 at 8 pm.
TICKETS:
Tickets: $15-$150. Tickets are available at sfsymphony.org, by phone at
415-864-6000, and at the Davies Symphony Hall Box Office, on Grove Street
between Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street in San Francisco.
RENÉE FLEMING AND SUSAN GRAHAM
Davies Symphony Hall
Wednesday, January 16 at 7 pm
Renée Fleming soprano
Susan Graham mezzo-soprano
Bradley Moore piano
Saint-Saëns Pastorale, “Viens! Une flute invisible,” and “El desdichado” (Ms. Fleming, Ms. Graham)
Fauré “Piusqu’ici-bas tout âme”, Opus 10, no.1, “Pleurs d’or”, Opus 72, Pavane, Opus 50, and
Tarentelle, Opus 10, no.2 (Ms. Fleming, Ms. Graham)
Debussy Claire de lune (Mr. Moore)
Debussy “Mandoline” “Beau soir” (Ms. Fleming)
O. Straus “Je t’aime quand meme” from Trois valses (Ms. Fleming)
Hahn “Le Rossignol” “Infidélité” “Fêtes galantes” “Le Printemps” (Ms. Graham)
Berlioz “La mort d’Ophélie”, Opus 18, no.2 (Ms. Fleming, Ms. Graham)
Messager “Blanche-Marie et Marie-Blanche” from Les p’tites Michu (Ms. Fleming, Ms. Graham)
Offenbach Barcarolle from Les contes d’Hoffmann (Ms. Fleming, Ms. Graham)
Delibes Duo des fleurs from Lakmé (Ms. Fleming, Ms. Graham)
TICKETS:
$15-$118. Tickets are available at sfsymphony.org, by phone at 415-8646000, and at the Davies Symphony Hall Box Office, on Grove Street between
Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street in San Francisco.
CD SIGNINGS:
Renée Fleming and Susan Graham will sign their CDs in the Symphony
Store immediately following the performance.
The Great Performers Series is made possible through the generosity of Chevron.
Emirates is the Official Airline of the San Francisco Symphony.
William Hill® Estate Winery is the Official Wine of the San Francisco Symphony.
San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate.com is the Official Media Partner of the San Francisco Symphony.
-SFS-