A-list artists headline KZN Philharmonic’s Early Spring Season

The KZN Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2023 Early Spring Season, which runs from Thursday August 24 till Thursday September 7 at the Playhouse Opera Theatre in Durban, will feature a line-up of national and international talents.

Bongani Tembe, chief executive and artistic director of the KZN Philharmonic said they were looking forward to engaging with their loyal community of music lovers for the three-concert Early Spring Season.

“As ever, we have honoured the long-standing traditions of our World Symphony Series. We have assembled a guest roster of A-list artists, who join our dedicated orchestral musicians to bring our audience hours of musical enrichment. The season goes hand-in-glove with our commitment to community engagement and skills transfer among new generation artists and learners,” said Mr Tembe.

Conductor Arjan Tien opens the season with music by Glinka, Mendelssohn and Schubert, followed by conductors Claudia Patanè and Daniel Boico.

Mr Tembe said Glinka’s rarely heard Valse-Fantaisie makes for an intriguing start to the evening. Mendelssohn’s iconic E minor Violin Concerto offers a wonderful showcase to introduce the renowned French violinist Fanny Clamagirand to Durban concert-goers. Then Schubert’s spellbinding Eighth Symphony, dubbed “the Unfinished”, makes a welcome return to the roster, said Mr Tembe

Responding to the mystery that has long surrounded the famous work’s gestation (the composer completed only two movements, then abandoned it), Alfred Einstein said, “Schubert could never have finished the work, for nothing could approach the originality, power, and skill of the first two movements.”

“Finally, in an inspiring touch of curating, two extracts – the heavenly Nocturne, and the spritely Scherzo - from Mendelssohn incidental music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream offer an exquisite end to the evening’s programme,” said Mr Tembe.

“Italian conductor Claudia Patanè takes the podium for the season’s second concert, opening her programme with Rossini’s William Tell Overture. These works paint a musical picture of life in the Swiss Alps. Then Rossini brings out the big guns with his renowned ultra-dynamic galop, heralded by trumpets and full orchestra in blazing wow-factor mode,” said Mr Tembe.

The final concert of the season sees conductor Mr Boico on the podium for a programme of concert staples by Prokofiev, Schumann, and Beethoven. Japanese pianist, Yeon-Min takes centre stage as the evening’s soloist in Robert Schumann’s A Minor Piano Concerto, one of the world’s best loved concert favourites, said Mr Tembe.

Mr Boico rounds off his programme with Beethoven’s Symphony No 2, one of the young composer’s lesser-known works.

The concerts will be held at 7pm on August 24, 31 and September 7. KZN Philharmonic Season tickets are available through Quicket.

For more information call 031 369 9438, email bookings@kznphil.org.za or visit www.kznphil.org.za