Rossen Milanov and the Columbus Symphony Announce 2019-20 Masterworks Season

The Columbus Symphony and Music Director Rossen Milanov today announced the 2019-20 Masterworks series and unveiled its new aspirational initiative—Putting the Star in Columbus.

“We believe that music is a universal form of human expression that creates a broader frame for teaching us empathy. By broadening the art form, we can be inclusive of the many ways of presenting orchestral music; not only to be respectful of established traditions but also to innovate and reimagine the concert format and eliminate the boundaries that prevent us from bringing our art to everyone in the community,” stated Milanov. “I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to be part of the upward trajectory of the Columbus Symphony and to be at the helm as our wonderful musicians play such an important part of the success of our organization, not only through their performances on our stages but also through their impact on the community with the Symphony’s educational and outreach activities.”

Putting the Star in Columbus is a new, multi-year initiative that connects the Columbus Symphony’s mission to strive for artistic excellence with a deeply rooted commitment to community service and audience development. The CSO will present internationally acclaimed artists; create programs with breadth and unique vision; form artistic partnerships with performers, composers, and creative artists; and focus on diversity and collaboration with other local arts and cultural organizations to follow and artistically reflect the trajectory of innovation in our vibrant, dynamically growing city and region. 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• The CSO will present 12 Masterworks programs in the 2019-20 season as well as two special, add-on programs—Handel’s Messiah and the Columbus Symphony Benefit Concert. Subscribers can purchase tickets to these concerts prior to them going on sale to the general public.

• As part of the new Putting the Star in Columbus initiative, the CSO will welcome such world-class artists as cellist Pablo Ferrandez, prizewinner of Moscow’s prestigious Tchaikovsky Competition; internationally acclaimed organist Cameron Carpenter; cellist and composer Joshua Roman; Galician bagpiper Cristina Pato; and Columbus audience favorite, pianist Natasha Paremski.

• The CSO will feature the Ohio Theatre’s “Mighty Morton” theatre organ in a performance of the Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony and Jongen’s Sinfonia Concertante.

• The CSO’s 2019-20 Masterworks season will present six festivals that combine music with art, knowledge, and thematically related events. Each will be enhanced with a variety of educational and interactive offerings, enabling patrons to become immersed in the festival’s focus across multiple disciplines.

• The American Festival will feature five guest soloists and the Columbus Symphony Chorus in the performance of Paul Moravec’s monumental oratorio Sanctuary Road based on the writings of William Still, a conductor on the Underground Railroad who helped almost 800 slaves escape to freedom. The program also includes a concert version of Gershwin’s American classic, Porgy and Bess.

• The Russian Winter Festival will showcase the works of Russian composers over two separate programs. In the first program, pianist Natasha Paremski will perform Rachmaninoff, and in the second, Rossen Milanov will conduct works by Tchaikovsky, Rimski-Korsakov, Borodin, and Prokofiev.

• In the Chihuly Festival, the CSO will perform Bartók’s opera Bluebeard’s Castle in concert format and feature Metropolitan Opera artists Nancy Maultsby and Mark Schnaible with sets designed by celebrated glass artist Dale Chihuly.

• Beethoven at 250 includes two separate programs devoted to the celebration of Ludwig van Beethoven in the year of his 250^th On March 20 and 21, the CSO will perform his unique Symphony No. 7, and will then conclude the 2019-20 Masterworks season on April 17 and 18 with his Ninth Symphony complimented with Verdi’s final work, Stabat Mater.

• In the highly anticipated collaboration of the CSO, BalletMet, and Opera Columbus, Twisted 3 will present a highly innovative and original version of Stravinsky’s ballet Petrushka featuring puppets and involving the musicians and conductor as actors.

ACCOMPANIMENTS

Preludes – Prior to each Masterworks performance, the CSO will offer a 30-minute, informational talk about the works or composers to be performed that evening hosted by WOSU’s Christopher Purdy or CSO Music Director Rossen Milanov.

Postludes – Patrons are invited to stay after the concert and enjoy a variety of Postlude events following select performances. Postlude events could include the performance of an additional, related work for a smaller ensemble, a post-performance discussion with Maestro Milanov and/or the featured guest soloist(s), drink samplings, or the opportunity to meet CSO musicians.

Friday Coffee Dress – Select Masterworks programs in 2019-20 season will offer $10, general admission tickets to Friday morning rehearsals that will include free coffee and pastries.

Mozart to Matisse – The CSO and Columbus Museum of Art (CMA) will collaborate in a series of afternoon lectures that pair chamber music performances by CSO musicians with works from the CMA art collection. The presentations will focus on specific periods being presented in upcoming CSO Masterworks concerts, and explore the common themes and aesthetic influences between music and visual art.  

College Club – This $25 student membership program provides unlimited access to concerts all season long, as well as post-concert events, special member emails, and discounts for the purchase of additional student tickets.   

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2019-20 MASTERWORKS SEASON

 

TWISTED 3

Thursday, September 26, 7:30 pm

Friday, September 27, 8 pm

Saturday, September 28, 8 pm

Sunday, September 29, 2 pm

Ohio Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

BalletMet

Columbus Symphony Orchestra

Opera Columbus

 

Program:

Stravinsky - Petrushka

Puccini - Gianni Schicchi

Riisager – Selections from Études

Stravinsky’s Petrushka is so familiar in the concert hall that it’s easy to forget that it was originally conceived as a breathtaking theatrical spectacle—a tale of love and death at a Russian Shrovetide Fair. We place the musicians of the Columbus Symphony inside the fairground, turn conductor Rossen Milanov into a magician, and with puppets, performers, and live filmmaking, make Petrushka and his fellow-marionettes come startlingly alive.

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AMERICAN FESTIVAL
Friday, October 11, 7:30 pm

Saturday, October 12, 7:30 pm

Ohio Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

Laquita Mitchell, soprano

Zoie Reams, mezzo-soprano

Joshua Blue, tenor

Malcolm Marrieweather, baritone

Dashon Burton, bass

 

Program:

Moravec - Sanctuary Road

Gershwin - Porgy and Bess: A Concert of Songs

The American Festival is inspired by two scores that address deeply moving and important moments in this country’s history. Sanctuary Road is an oratorio based on the writings of Underground Railroad conductor William Still who helped nearly 800 slaves escape to freedom and meticulously and compassionately documented their lives. Gershwin embodies the love story of Porgy and Bess with unforgettable tunes and captivating rhythms.

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THE ROMANTIC CELLO

Friday, November 1, 7:30 pm

Saturday, November 2, 7:30 pm

Ohio Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

Pablo Ferrández, cello

 

Program:

Torres - Tres Pinturas Velazqueñas

Elgar - Cello Concerto

Brahms - Symphony No. 3

The intimate voice of the cello finds one of its most glorious and moving embodiments in Elgar’s Cello Concerto. The sparkling orchestration of Torres’ Tres Pinturas Velazqueñas is an aural reflection of three of the most famous paintings by Diego Velázquez. Brahms’ music is timeless and universal, and hearing this rarely performed masterwork will transport you to a world of passion and beauty.

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CHOPIN PIANO CONCERTO AND ENIGMA VARIATIONS

Friday, November 15, 7:30 pm

Saturday, November 16, 7:30 pm

Ohio Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

Fei-Fei, piano

 

Program:

Mendelssohn - Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage

Chopin - Piano Concerto No. 1

Elgar - Enigma Variations

A musical mystery that has not been solved for more than a century is the theme that opens the celebrated Enigma Variations by the British composer known for his grand, yet intimate, style. Each one of the 13 variations paint a portrait of his closest friends. Perhaps one of the solutions of Elgar’s enigmas could be heard in Mendelssohn’s sea-inspired overture that opens the program. Chopin’s Piano Concerto offers great quantities of beautiful writing for the piano.

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RUSSIAN WINTER FESTIVAL I: NATASHA RETURNS

Friday, January 10, 7:30 pm

Saturday, January 11, 7:30 pm

Sunday, January 12, 2 pm

Ohio Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

Natasha Paremski, piano

 

Program:

Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 1

Tchaikovsky - Manfred

Natasha Paremski returns to perform Rachmaninoff’s first piano concerto with guaranteed passion and brilliant technique. The rarely performed and powerful Manfred symphony will reveal the dramatic genius of Tchaikovsky through a dramatic and deeply moving interpretation of Byron’s poem.

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RUSSIAN WINTER FESTIVAL II: EXOTIC MASTERPIECES

Friday, January 24, 7:30 pm

Saturday, January 25, 7:30 pm

Ohio Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

 

Program:

Prokofiev - Lieutenant Kije

Borodin - Polovtsian Dances

Rimski-Korsakov - Suite from The Golden Cockerel

Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture

Russia spans multiple time zones and cultures, and Russian composers have always had a special interest in portraying the exoticism of distant lands and delivering an unsurpassed melodic beauty combined with orchestral splendor and virtuosity. The unabridged version of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture will bring the evening to an apotheosis.

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Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony with Cameron Carpenter

Friday, February 21, 7:30 pm

Saturday, February 22, 7:30 pm

Ohio Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

Cameron Carpenter, organ

 

Program:

Jongen - Sinfonia Concertante

Saint-Saëns - Symphony No. 3, “Organ”

Iconic organ soloist Cameron Carpenter will star in Jongen’s impressionist masterpiece. Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 will showcase the Ohio Theatre’s powerful “Mighty Morton” pipe organ - one of the best instruments of its kind in the country.

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Chihuly Festival: Music Frozen in Glass

Friday, February 28, 7:30 pm
Saturday, February 29, 7:30 pm
Ohio Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

Nancy Maultsby, soprano

Mark Schnaible, bass-baritone

Program:

Strauss - Death and Transfiguration

Bartók - Bluebeard’s Castle

Inspired by the legend of Bluebeard, Bartók’s iconic opera thriller fuses with celebrated glass artist Dale Chihuly to reveal seven new glass sculptures on stage that represent each character as they open the secret doors of their past.

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PEAKS OF BEAUTY AND DEVOTION

Friday, March 6, 7:30 pm

Saturday, March 7, 7:30 pm

Ohio Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

Joshua Roman, cello

 

Program:

Roman - Cello Concerto

Bruckner - Symphony No. 7

The music of the Austrian Romantic composer Anton Bruckner is a powerful, spiritual experience encompassing majestic brass chorales, lyrical beauty, and shining climaxes. The mercurial American artist Joshua Roman performs his own evocative Cello Concerto.

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BEETHOVEN AT 250: AN APOTHEOSIS OF ENERGY

Friday, March 20, 7:30 pm

Saturday, March 21, 7:30 pm
Ohio Theatre

Larry Rachleff, conductor

Yoo Jin Jang, violin

Program:

Brahms - Violin Concerto

Beethoven - Symphony No. 7

“Beethoven at 250” is a celebration of the genius of Ludwig van Beethoven and his long-reaching influence on the way we hear music. The Seventh Symphony is a unique work that explores the hypnotic interplay between rhythm and energy, delivering an unmatched effect of musical exuberance. Brahms’ music continues Beethoven’s traditions. His Violin Concerto is a work of extraordinary beauty, intensity, and technical demands on the soloist.

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THE RITE OF SPRING

Friday, March 27, 7:30 pm

Saturday, March 28, 7:30 pm

Ohio Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

Cristina Pato, bagpipes

 

Program:

Mazzoli - Sinfonia

Vasquez - Widows of the Living and the Dead

Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring (McPhee)

The revolutionary ballet The Rite of Spring never fails to inspire with its pagan melodies and

earthy rhythms. Missy Mazzoli, composer in residence with Chicago Symphony, is one of the classical music world’s fastest-rising composing talents. Cristina Pato’s magnetic stage presence and virtuosity showcase the bagpipes as a concert instrument in its own right.

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BEETHOVEN AT 250: THE NINTH SYMPHONY

Friday, April 17, 7:30 pm

Saturday, April 18, 7:30 pm

Ohio Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

Meroë Khalia Adeeb, soprano

Quinn Middleman, mezzo-soprano

Dennis Shuman, tenor

Brent Michael Smith, bass

Columbus Symphony Chorus – Ronald J. Jenkins, chorus director

 

Program:

Verdi – Stabat Mater

Beethoven - Symphony No. 9

The crowning achievement of Beethoven’s symphonic output—a masterpiece like no other in scale, spiritual message, and ability to unite people—the Ninth Symphony will combine the forces of the Columbus Symphony and Columbus Symphony Chorus for a grand season finale. Verdi’s final work, Stabat Mater, depicts the suffering of Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the Cross in a serene and haunting rendition that offers moments both powerful and apocalyptic.

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In addition, the 2019-20 Masterworks season will include two season add-on performances. The additional concerts are not included in 2019-20 subscriptions, but subscribers receive the opportunity to purchase tickets prior to each going on sale to the general public.

 

2019-20 season add-ons include:

 

HANDEL: MESSIAH

Saturday, November 23, 7:30 pm

Sunday, November 24, 2 pm

Southern Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

Columbus Symphony Chorus – Ronald J. Jenkins, chorus director

 

Program:

Handel – Messiah

CSO Music Director Rossen Milanov, the Columbus Symphony, the Columbus Symphony Chorus, and a host of guest vocalists come together to perform Handel’s deeply spiritual oratorio, Messiah, in its entirety for an unforgettable concert experience at the intimate Southern Theatre.

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THE COLUMBUS SYMPHONY BENEFIT CONCERT

Saturday, February 8, 7:30pm

Ohio Theatre

Rossen Milanov, conductor

Program:

TBD

For the second year, the Columbus Symphony will perform an extraordinary, one-night-only concert to support its education programs. Proceeds directly support the CSO’s education initiatives that share the joy, wonder, and power of classical music with more than 23,000 children, teachers, and their families each year.

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Subscriptions go on sale Monday, April 29, at 10am. The following packages are available:

The Star Package – Includes all 12 Masterworks programs, free parking for one vehicle to each concert, and four free tickets for friends or family to attend any Masterworks performance. Star subscriptions range from $338-$801.

Rossen’s Choice – Includes eight must-see Masterworks programs chosen by Maestro Milanov and two free tickets for friends or family to attend any Masterworks performance. Package includes The American Festival, The Romantic Cello, Chopin Piano Concerto, Russian Winter Festival II, the Chihuly Festival, Peaks of Beauty and Devotion, the Music on the Edge Festival, and Beethoven at 250: The Ninth Symphony. Rossen’s Choice subscriptions range from $216-$528.

Festivals 6 – Includes the six Masterworks festivals— American Festival, Russian Winter Festival I, Russian Winter Festival II, Chihuly Festival, Beethoven at 250: An Apotheosis of Energy, and Beethoven at 250: The Ninth Symphony. Festival subscriptions range from $162-$396.

Snowbird 4 – Includes Twisted 3, the American Festival, The Romantic Cello, and Beethoven at 250: The Ninth Symphony. Snowbird subscriptions range from $119-$273.

Build Your Own – Choose four (or more) of the 12 Masterworks programs. Build Your Own subscriptions start at $108.

Flex Ticket Subscription – Choose your own concerts. Any night, any series. Must purchase a minimum of six Flex tickets. Flex subscriptions start at $300.

College Club – Students that purchase a $25 College Club membership will receive admission for one to all Masterworks concerts in the season. Membership also includes all post-concert events, special membership emails, and the ability to purchase up to four additional student tickets for $8 each.

Subscriptions can be purchased in person at the CAPA Ticket Center (39 E. State St.), by phone at (614) 469-0939, or online at www.ColumbusSymphony.com.

Single tickets will go on sale to the public at 10am on Monday, May 20.

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Programs and artists are subject to change.

www.ColumbusSymphony.com

 

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The 2018-19 season is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. The CSO also appreciates the support of the Greater Columbus Arts Council, supporting the city's artists and arts organizations since 1973, and the Robert W. Stevenson, Preston Davis, and Kenneth L. Coe and Jack Barrow funds of The Columbus Foundation, assisting donors and others in strengthening our community for the benefit of all its citizens.

 

About the Columbus Symphony

Founded in 1951, the Columbus Symphony is the longest-running, professional symphony in central Ohio. Through an array of innovative artistic, educational, and community outreach programming, the Columbus Symphony is reaching an expanding, more diverse audience each year. This season, the Columbus Symphony will share classical music with more than 175,000 people in central Ohio through concerts, radio broadcasts, and special programming. For more information, visit www.columbussymphony.com.