St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performs Brahms' choral masterwork, A German Requiem, and the SLSO premiere of Stravinsky's Funeral Song with conductor Nathalie Stutzmann
Soprano Siobhan Stagg and baritone Stephen Powell join the SLSO and the St. Louis Symphony Chorus for Brahms' A German Requiem
Premiered in 1909, lost for more than 100 years, and re-discovered in 2015, Stravinsky's Funeral Song receives its SLSO premiere in March 9-10 concerts
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(February 15, 2019, St. Louis, MO) – The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performs one of the great choral works in the repertoire, Brahms' A German Requiem, in a concert that features conductor Nathalie Stutzmann and the St. Louis Symphony Chorus, and also includes the SLSO premiere of Stravinsky's Funeral Song. The concerts will take place at 8:00pm, Saturday, March 9, and 3:00pm, Sunday, March 10.
Stutzmann, a conductor/contralto, returns for her second engagement with the SLSO to lead the impressive orchestral and choral work. Brahms' Requiem is unusual in that it is a non-liturgical work meant to offer comfort to the living; the Biblical text, sung in German, includes passages from the Old and New Testaments. The St. Louis Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Amy Kaiser, will be joined by two soloists for the performance. Soprano Siobhan Stagg makes her debut with the SLSO, while baritone Stephen Powell returns to St. Louis for the sixth time, most recently filling in on short notice for a February 2018 performance of Carmina burana.
The concert opens with the St. Louis premiere of Stravinsky's Funeral Song. Written in 1908 to mark the death of Stravinsky's mentor – composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov – and premiered in 1909, the piece was considered lost until the score was re-discovered by archivists at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory in 2015. Since its re-discovery, Funeral Song has been widely performed. It is one of 12 pieces being performed by the SLSO for the first time this season.
Saturday, March 9, 2019, 8:00pm
Sunday, March 10, 2019, 3:00pm
Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO
Nathalie Stutzmann, conductor
Siobhan Stagg, soprano
Stephen Powell, baritone
St. Louis Symphony Chorus | Amy Kaiser, director
STRAVINSKY Funeral Song
BRAHMS A German Requiem
Audiences can attend the free Pre-Concert Conversation at 7:00pm Saturday and 2:00pm Sunday in the auditorium. This weekend, the conversations are hosted by St. Louis Symphony Chorus Director Amy Kaiser, with guests, Chorus Manager Susan Patterson and St. Louis Symphony Chorus member Tracy Baker.
Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio on Saturday, March 9, at 8:00pm for the live broadcast of the performance, along with interviews of Stutzmann and Stagg during intermission. Listen on air (90.7 FM KWMU) or online (http://www.stlpublicradio.org/listen.php).
The 18/19 SLSO Classical Season is presented by World Wide Technology and the Steward Family Foundation and runs through May 12, 2019.
Tickets, including subscriptions for the 2019/2020 season, are on sale now and may be purchased at www.slso.org or by calling the Box Office at 314-534-1700.
About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Celebrated as one of today's most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 139th year with the 2018/2019 season and Music Director Designate Stéphane Denève. Widely considered one of the world's finest, the SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community connections – all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.
In addition to its regular concert performances at Powell Hall, which has been the permanent home of the SLSO for 50 years, the orchestra is an integral part of the diverse and vibrant St. Louis community, presenting free education programs and performances throughout the region each year. It presents St. Louis Symphony Live at the Pulitzer, a four-program series at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. The SLSO also serves as the resident orchestra for Opera Theatre Saint Louis, with this season marking the 42nd year of their partnership.
The Grammy Award–winning SLSO's impact beyond the St. Louis region is realized through weekly Saturday night concert broadcasts on St. Louis Public Radio, acclaimed recordings, and regular touring activity. A sought-after artistic partner by preeminent musicians and composers from across the globe, as well as by local and national organizations, the SLSO enjoys a long history of robust and enduring artistic collaborations that have developed and deepened over the years.
Today, the SLSO builds on the institution's current momentum on all fronts, including artistic, financial, audience growth, and community impact, and looks toward the future with Stéphane Denève. Denève, who has been a frequent guest conductor with the orchestra since 2003, begins his tenure as Music Director with the 19/20 season, following this season as Music Director Designate. For more information, visit slso.org.
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