Debussy Prélude à l’après midi d’un faune
A pair of French nineteenth century operatic arias:
Offenbach “Les oiseaux dans la charmille”
(The Doll Song) (from ‘The Tales of Hoffmann’)
Bizet “Me voilà seule dans la nuit”
(from ‘Le Pêcheurs de Perles’)
Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto no. 1 in A minor, Op. 33
Beethoven Symphony no. 7 in A, Op. 92
London Firebird Orchestra’s 2017-18 season gets off to a flying start with champagne-fuelled, flight to nineteenth century Paris in the beautiful setting of St Paul’s Covent Garden.
Fresh from completing his first of two years as Assistant Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, we are delighted to be welcoming back Jonathan Bloxham to conduct this terrific opener for our 2017-18 season.
“Total artistic maturity.”
The Arts Desk on Jonathan Bloxham
Our regular supporters will be thrilled to hear of the return of Aleksei Kiseliov perfoming Saint-Saëns’ impassioned Cello Concerto no. 1. This renowned Belarusian cellist enjoys an international solo career alongside his role as Principal Cello of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
A cheeky pair of French operatic arias is sung by the award-winning Chinese soprano He Wu – making the first of her two appearances with Firebird this season. He Wu was chosen to sing before the First Lady of China, Madam Peng, on her visit to the UK in 2015.
“Kiseliov’s performance was sublime.”
Dame Judi Dench
And what a magnificent programme we have to look forward to with this sizzling french-inspired concert at one of our fabourite venues in the heart of London. Starting with Debussy’s enchantingly colourful Prelude, inspired by Mallarmé’s poem, it depiects a dreamy, panpipe-playing faun flirting with naiads and nymphs in summery woodland.
The dramatic conclusion to this fantastic opening concert will be Beethoven’s ever-popular Symphony no. 7, full of energy and and power, which was premièred at a concert celebrating Napoleon’s defeat by the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo.
