Olivier Ochanine reunites with PPO in February 2017 Concert

Former principal conductor and music director Olivier Ochanine returns to conduct the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra this February 17, 2017, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater). This upcoming concert marks the first time Olivier conducts the PPO since their history making performance at the Carnegie Hall in New York, USA back in June 2016.

Music to be performed in this concert includes Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Marche Slave in B flat minor, Op. 31, Franz Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 88 in G major, Hob. 1/88, and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93.

The Shostakovich’s 10^th Symphony was originally scheduled back in September 2015 but it got replaced by Shostakovich Symphony No. 1 around a couple of weeks before the concert much to my dismay. It looks like they’ve finally ironed out the kinks and it’s all systems go for Symphony No. 10 which I will see and hear live for the very first time.

In preparation for this, I watched again The War Symphonies: Shostakovich Against Stalin, a 1997 documentary by Larry Weinstein, re-released in DVD by EuroArts last year. The film focuses on the symphonies preceding the 10^th, in line with the revisionist view that Shostakovich wrote them in opposition to the Stalin regime.

The film features loads of interviews with Shostakovich’s contemporaries, some disturbing archival footage, and also music performed by the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Kirov Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev. Even if one is not familiar with Shostakovich’s music, the documentary serves as a history lesson on how oppressive regimes attempted to silence and/or manipulate artists and how arts and culture was used to serve their means as propaganda.

Granted that Shostakovich’s music has been closely tied to the history of Russia/Soviet Union and this link has given his work a great deal of mystery, intrigue and excitement. But even as one takes away all the political context, his works can stand on their own greatness, with a musical language that is unmistakably his. And I hope that audiences at the upcoming PPO concert will be able to hear Shostakovich’s musical genius as well.

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra 34th Concert Season 2016-2017

Timeless Classics, New Beginnings Concert VI

February 17, 2017, 8:00 PM | Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)

Featuring:

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Olivier Ochanine, conductor

Program:

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

     Marche Slave in B flat minor, Op. 31

Franz Joseph Haydn

     Symphony No. 88 in G major, Hob. 1/88

Dmitri Shostakovich

     Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93

Ticket prices:

P1500 | P1200 | P800 | P500 | P400 | P300

50% discount for students

20% discount for senior citizens, PWD, government and military personnel

For inquiries:

CCP Marketing Department 832-1125 local 1806

CCP Box Office 832-3704

TicketWorld 891-9999