The National Symphony Orchestra heralds an exciting new era as Music Director Designate Christoph Eschenbach conducts his first concerts since his appointment in September 2008. The program is Verdi’s powerful “Requiem,” composed to mark the first anniversary of the death of Italian writer Alessandro Manzoni.
Onstage with the orchestra are the Washington Chorus, its music director, Julian Wachner, and four soloists with whom Eschenbach has worked previously. Soprano Twyla Robinson is joined by mezzo-soprano Mihoko Fujimura, tenor Nikolai Schukoff and bass-baritone Evgeny Nikitin making their NSO debuts.
If you go
Verdi’s ‘Requiem’
Music Director Designate Christoph Eschenbach conducts the National Symphony Orchestra
Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Info: $20 to $85; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
AfterWords, a free discussion with Christoph Eschenbach and NSO Director of Artistic Planning Nigel Boon, follows the Friday concert.
Nigel Boon, NSO director of artistic planning, said Maestro Eschenbach wanted to start with a big, dramatic piece that requires a chorus. This particular work has meant a great deal to him throughout his career and is one he heard often while working with his mentor, Herbert von Karajan. Eschenbach’s reputation as one of the world’s greatest musicians reflects his deep repertoire focused on the central core of the classics as well as new works. During his 11-year tenure as music director of the Houston Symphony, he commissioned at least two new orchestral works and a new opera annually. His discography includes more than 80 recordings as piano soloist, conductor or both.
His childhood was heartbreaking. Born in Breslau, Germany, he never knew his mother, who died at his birth, and soon lost his father during World War II. The trauma prevented him from speaking for a year, consoled only by the opportunity to study music. After being adopted by a relative, he began piano lessons and proved to be so gifted that he was a church organist by the age of 10.
There followed many first-place piano competition prizes, his first recording and a contract with Deutsche Grammophon. His conducting studies with George Szell led to his appointment as principal guest conductor of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich in 1981, becoming its chief conductor from 1982 to 1986. Among his many posts are chief conductor of the NDR Symphony Orchestra and music director of the Ravinia Festival, the Orchestre de Paris and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Eschenbach has planned a wonderfully eclectic 2010-11 season. It begins with the Season Opening Ball Concert, featuring music by Richard Strauss, Johann Strauss Jr. and Liszt with pianist Lang Lang and soprano Renee Fleming. Next is the NSO debut of “Herodiade-Fragmente” by German composer Matthias Pintscher featuring soprano Marisol Montalvo, along with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 to open a season-long focus on Beethoven.
Other highlights are “Fanfare for the Inauguration of John F. Kennedy” and other works by Bernstein, the maximum INDIA festival with sitar player Anoushka Shankar, soprano Dawn Upshaw performing the NSO debut of Golijov’s “She Was Here,” and NSO members violinist Nurit Bar-Josef, cellist David Hardy and pianist Lambert Orkis performing Beethoven’s Triple Concerto. The two commissions are a new work by Peter Lieberson and Augusta Read Thomas, Violin Concerto No. 3, a premiere NSO co-commission, performed by violinist Jennifer Koh.
“The NSO audiences will discover how well Maestro Eschenbach works with the orchestra to improve the level of performing and how passionately he cares,” Boon said. “He and I look forward to our conversation with the audience following the March 12 concert and answering their questions. They will learn that music is completely his life and means of expression.”
