1. My list of highlights includes our tribute to the great composer-conductor Gustav Mahler — a former Philharmonic music director — whose memory we will honor with five programs, beginning with his Sixth Symphony later this month (this season is the 150th anniversary of his birth and 100th anniversary of his death and final Philharmonic concert). Mahler is one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, and his unique connection to the Philharmonic should make for some wonderful performances.
2. I am also really looking forward to “Kraft,” which we are performing in October, by Magnus Lindberg, the Philharmonic’s composer-in-residence. This is a wild, crazy piece that Magnus wrote back in 1985, and I think it is really a big deal that we are getting to give the work’s New York premiere. It calls for a huge orchestra, huge percussion section — including scrap we’ll be collecting at a local junkyard!
3. I am also extremely excited about performing Janácek’s “The Cunning Little Vixen” to conclude our season in June. We’ll be doing a fully staged version of the opera — teaming again with Doug Fitch, who directed and designed last season’s sold-out Philharmonic hit, “Le Grand Macabre.” We’re pulling out all the stops for this production!
