Haydn Symphony No.63 (La Roxelane) Matteo D'Amico Flight from Byzantium (world premičre)* Dufay Moribus et genere**; Vergene bella** Dufay Lamentatio sanctae matris ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae** Bartók The Miraculous Mandarin (complete)
Vladimir Jurowski conductor Omar Ebrahim narrator (Flight from Byzantium) The Hilliard Ensemble London Philharmonic Choir
1918, and Béla Bartók encountered the legend of a young girl, forced by three thugs to lure men from the street into their den. When she encounters a magical Mandarin, a wild pursuit ensues before she embraces him and he dies. The story drew from Bartók his most astonishing orchestral creation, a piece that thrusts life into the manic tumult of the chase as the orchestra screws itself towards breaking point before plunging into its final catastrophic chords. Matteo D’Amico’s view of the flight of civilisation from ancient Istanbul receives its world premičre at this concert – a piece for speaker, vocal ensemble and orchestra whose sudden journeying offers a provocative counterpoint to Bartók’s.
Listen to conductor Vladimir Jurowski talking about the selection of music to surround the d'Amico premiere in this programme.
Vladimir Jurowski speaks about the texts by Joseph Brodsky used in Matteo d'Amico's Flight from Byzantium.
*Commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra with the assistance of Sonja Drexler and the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana
**The Hilliard Ensemble only
FREE Pre-concert event | 6.15PM-6.45PM | Royal Festival Hall Members of The Hilliard Ensemble discuss D'Amico's Flight from Byzantium
FREE Barlines Post-concert event | Level 2 Foyer at Royal Festival Hall An informal discussion with Vladimir Jurowski following the evening's performance
Join us for a vintage evening To celebrate the start of the new season, the Orchestra’s wine sponsor, Villa Maria, will be hosting a tasting in our Private Members Bar before the concert joined by one of New Zealand's leading expert winemakers, Alastair Maling MW. Ł35 wine tasting and best available seat offer The special price of Ł35 per person includes the best available seat for the concert and entrance to the Private Members Bar (6.45pm – 7.30pm) to sample a range of Villa Maria wines along with gourmet canapés in the company of fellow concert goers.
