Rising conductor Karina Canellakis debuts with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in a program featuring works by Beethoven and Schumann

January 18-19 concert includes Beethoven's Leonore Overture No. 3, Schumann's Violin Concerto featuring violinist Renaud Capuҫon, Richard Strauss' Symphonic Fantasy from Die Frau ohne Schatten, and Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis

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(December 13, 2018, St. Louis, MO) – The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra welcomes conductor Karina Canellakis and violinist Renaud Capuҫon for a weekend of performances anchored by works by Beethoven and Schumann. The concerts will be on Friday, January 18, 2019, at 10:30am and Saturday, January 19, 2019, at 8:00pm.

Karina CanellakisAcclaimed by the Los Angeles Times as a "rising conductor," Canellakis (pictured left) – the chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra – makes her SLSO debut conducting a program of Austro-Germanic repertoire. She is one of five conductors making their SLSO debut in the 2018/2019 season, the SLSO's 139th.

Beethoven's Leonore Overture No. 3 opens the program – one of four overtures the composer wrote for his opera, Fidelio. Leonore Overture No. 3 became the most popular of the four Fidelio overtures. Then, violinist Renaud Capuҫon performs with the SLSO in Schumann's Violin Concerto. One of Schumann's last significant compositions, his Violin Concerto is noted for the symphonic nature of its opening movement. Hailed for his "generously warm and forthright style" (The Guardian), Capuҫon returns for his second engagement with the SLSO.

The SLSO premiere of Richard Strauss' Symphonic Fantasy from Die Frau ohne Schatten – translated to The Woman Without a Shadow – opens the second half of the program. Selections of music from the composer's opera of the same name tell the story of a gazelle-turned-empress who must gain a shadow before her husband turns to stone. The piece is one of 12 works added to the SLSO repertoire this year, including two world premieres: Christopher Rouse's Bassoon Concerto (November 16-17, 2018) and Jeff Beal's New Song Cycle (May 3-4, 2019). Closing the program is Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis, a four-movement suite inspired by themes by German composer Carl Maria von Weber.

Friday, January 18, 2019, 10:30am
Saturday, January 19, 2019, 8:00pm
Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO

Karina Canellakis, conductor
Renaud Capuҫon, violin

BEETHOVEN Leonore Overture No. 3
SCHUMANN Violin Concerto
R. STRAUSS Symphonic Fantasy from Die Frau ohne Schatten
HINDEMITH Symphonic Metamorphosis

Audiences can attend the free Pre-Concert Conversation at 9:30am Friday and 7:00pm Saturday in the auditorium. This weekend, the conversations are hosted by pianist Peter Henderson.

Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio on Saturday, January 19, 2019, at 8:00pm for the live broadcast of the performance, along with interviews of Canellakis and Capuҫon 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 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. 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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