February 19, 2016, 8:00 PM
Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)
Cultural Center of the Philippines
CCP Complex
Pasay, Metro Manila
Featuring:
Denise Beck, soprano
Thomas Storm, baritone
Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
Olivier Ochanine, conductor
Programme:
Carl Nielsen
Overture to
Maskarade
Symphony No. 3, Op. 27 Sinfonia Espansiva
Selected Songs
Phillip Faber
Shattered Song
(Homage to Carl Nielsen)
When Olivier Ochanine assumed his post as the Philippine
Philharmonic Orchestra’s principal conductor/music director, he has made it his
mission to feature the works of his favorite composer, the Danish Carl Nielsen.
Since then, the PPO audience has heard a couple of his works
namely Symphony No. 4, Op. 29 The Inextinguishable and the Aladdin Suite performed on
separate occasions. Come February 19, 2016, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of
the Philippines’ Main Theater, an entire concert will be dedicated to Nielsen
as the PPO in cooperation with the Embassy of Denmark join in The Carl Nielsen
Project, a worldwide celebration of the composer’s 150th anniversary
of his birth.
Almost an all-Nielsen affair, the concert will include performances of the
Overture to Maskarade, Symphony No. 3, Op. 27 Sinfonia Espansiva, and a selection of
songs. The two soloists flying to the country for the concert are two of
Denmark’s finest singers: soprano Denise Beck and baritone Thomas Storm. The concert
will also feature the world premiere of Phillip Faber’s Shattered Song (Homage
to Carl Nielsen), a piece commissioned by the PPO for this special occasion.
Carl Nielsen, considered as Denmark’s national composer and also a leading figure in Scandinavian music, has gone largely unnoticed
outside of Europe during his lifetime. It was through Leonard Bernstein, then music
director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra championing his works back in
the 1960’s that interest in Nielsen started to grow in America. Today, Alan Gilbert, the current music director of the New York Philharmonic, and another ardent fan continues
what Bernstein has started making sure that Nielsen becomes a household name in
classical music circles. The Carl Nielsen concerts, exhibits, recordings, and publications have been underway since 2015 and finally, the Philippines is about to catch up and join in the celebrations this February.
In Asia, Nielsen’s music is even more obscure with his works
almost never played at all. This puts
the PPO in an enviable task of being one of the Asian orchestras performing and
introducing his music at this side of the globe. In order to make this concert
a reality, Olivier Ochanine embarked on a trip to Denmark tracing the life and
musical journey of Carl Nielsen. And with the cooperation of the Embassy of
Denmark and Ambassador Jan Top Christensen, one of Olivier’s dream projects with
the PPO is finally coming to fruition.
Since its official reopening back in January 2015 after
closing in 2002, the Embassy of Denmark, has promoted Danish
culture to Filipinos who are mostly only familiar with the tales of Hans
Christiann Andersen, the popular toy Lego, and of course, the Danish cookies
along with the infamous tin can. Hopefully with The Carl Nielsen Project,
people’s knowledge of Danish music will also expand beyond Michael Learns to
Rock and Aqua. This concert is part of the Embassy of Denmark's celebrations commemorating the 70th year of diplomatic relations between Denmark and the Philippines.
Ticket prices:
P1500 Orchestra Center
P1200 Orchestra Side
P800 Extreme Orchestra Side
P500 Balcony I Center
P400 Balcony I Side
P300 Balcony II
For inquiries:
CCP Marketing Department 832-1125 local 1806
CCP Box Office 832-3704
TicketWorld 891-9999CCP Box Office 832-3704
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