The Hampton Roads-based Virginia Symphony will stage 17 classical programs next season, with performances of the Verdi Requiem, Holst’s "The Planets," Beethoven’s "Eroica" Symphony, Berlioz's "Symphonie fantastique," Bartók's Concerto for
Orchestra and "The Ring without Words," Lorin Maazel’s orchestral arrangement of themes from Wagner’s "Ring" cycle of music dramas.Soloists for the season include Awadagin Pratt in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, Elmar Oliveira in Brahms’ Violin Concerto, Jennifer Koh in Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 3, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet in Rodrigo’s "Concierto andaluz," Michael Ludwig in Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, Susan Starr in Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Franck's Symphonic Variations and Vahn Armstrong, the Virginia Symphony's concertmaster, in Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 1.
JoAnn Falletta, the orchestra’s music director, will conduct 10 of the programs and share performances of Handel's "Messiah" with Robert Shoup, director of the Virginia Symphony Chorus. Guest conductors include Robert Moody, music director of the Winston-Salem (NC) Symphony; Larry Rachleff, music director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Symphony II in Chicago and the orchestral program at Rice University in Houston; and David Amado, music director of the Delaware Symphony.
Falletta will conduct two pieces she has recorded in recent years, Paul Schoenfield's "Four Parables," with pianist Andrew Russo, and Kenneth Fuchs' "Canticle to the Sun," with French horn player David Wick. Other contemporary works on next season's schedule are "Rusty Air in Carolina" by the Richmond-bred composer and electronica artist Mason Bates, "Musica Celestis" by Aaron Jay Kernis and "Commedia" by William Bolcom.
Venues for the orchestra’s concerts are Chrysler Hall in Norfolk, the Ferguson Arts Center at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, St. Bede Catholic Church in Williamsburg and Regent University Theatre and the Sandler Arts Center, both in Virginia Beach.
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The Virginia Symphony’s 2008-09 classical programs:
* Sept. 13 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall), Sept. 14 (2:30 p.m., Sandler Center), Sept. 19 (8 p.m., Ferguson Center) – JoAnn Falletta conducting. Copland: "El Salón Mexico;" Dohnanyi: Suite in F sharp minor; Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Ian Parker, piano).
* Sept. 18 (8 p.m., St. Bede Catholic Church), Sept. 20 (8 p.m., Regent University Theatre) – JoAnn Falletta conducting. Rossini: "The Barber of Seville" Overture; Kenneth Fuchs: "Canticle to the Sun" (David Wick, French horn); Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 ("Italian").
* Sept. 27 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall), Sept. 28 (2:30 p.m., Ferguson Center) – Robert Moody conducting. Mason Bates: "Rusty Air in Carolina" (Mason Bates, electronica); Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 3 (Jennifer Koh, violin); Berlioz: "Symphonie fantastique."
* Oct. 25 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall) – JoAnn Falletta conducting. Morton Gould: "Spirituals for Orchestra;" Paul Schoenfield: "Four Parables" (Andrew Russo, piano); Brahms: Symphony No. 2.
* Nov. 1 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall), Nov. 2 (2:30 p.m., Sandler Center) – Larry Rachleff conducting. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 (Awadagin Pratt, piano); Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 ("Eroica").
* Nov. 13 (8 p.m., St. Bede Catholic Church), Nov. 15 (8 p.m., Sandler Center) – Matthew Kraemer conducting. Schumann: Symphony No. 2; works by Mozart and Beethoven.
* Nov. 22 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall) – David Amado conducting. Mendelssohn: "Hebrides" Overture; Debussy: Nocturnes (women of Virginia Symphony Chorus); Holst: "The Planets" (women of Virginia Symphony Chorus).
* Dec. 7 (2:30 p.m., Ferguson Center) – JoAnn Falletta conducting. Handel: "Messiah" (soloists TBA, Virginia Symphony Chorus).
* Dec. 10 (8 p.m., St. Bede Catholic Church), Dec. 16 (8 p.m., Regent University Theatre) – Robert Shoup conducting. Handel: "Messiah" (soloists TBA, Virginia Symphony Chorus).
* Dec. 18 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall), Dec. 19 (8 p.m., Ferguson Center) – JoAnn Falletta conducting. Holiday program, featuring Todd Rosenlieb Dance.
* Jan. 9 (8 p.m., Ferguson Center), Jan. 10 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall), Jan. 11 (2:30 p.m., Sandler Center) – JoAnn Falletta conducting. "The Ring without Words," Lorin Maazel’s orchestral arrangement of themes from Wagner’s "Ring" cycle.
* Feb. 27 (8 p.m., Ferguson Center), Feb. 28 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall), March 1 (2:30 p.m., Sandler Center) – JoAnn Falletta conducting. Verdi: Requiem (Jonita Lattimore, soprano; Charlotte Paulsen, mezzo-soprano; Fernando del Valle, tenor; Kevin Deas, bass; Virginia Symphony Chorus).
* March 7 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall), March 8 (2:30 p.m., Ferguson Center) – Matthew Kraemer conducting. Ravel: "Rapsodie espagnole;" Rodrigo: "Concierto andaluz" (Los Angeles Guitar Quartet); Falla: "The Three-Cornered Hat."
* March 19 (8 p.m., St. Bede Catholic Church), March 20 (8 p.m., Regent University Theatre) – Wes Kenney conducting. Mozart: "The Magic Flute" Overture; Haydn: Symphony No. 94 ("Surprise"); William Bolcom: "Commedia for 18th Century Orchestra;" Beethoven: Symphony No. 2.
* March 27 (8 p.m., Ferguson Center), March 28 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall) – JoAnn Falletta conducting. Kodály: "Morosszek Dances;" Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Brahms: Violin Concerto (Elmar Oliveira, violin).
* April 3 (8 p.m., Sandler Center), April 4 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall), April 5 (2:30 p.m., Ferguson Center) – JoAnn Falletta conducting. Berlioz: "Roman Carnival" Overture; Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Susan Starr, piano); Franck: Symphonic Variations (Susan Starr, piano); Puccini: "Preludio Sinfonico;" Respighi: "Feste Romane."
* April 24 (8 p.m., Ferguson Center), April 26 (2:30 p.m., Sandler Center) – JoAnn Falletta conducting. Schumann: “Manfred” Overture; Dvořák: Romance for violin and orchestra (Michael Ludwig, violin); Dvořák: “Czech Suite;” Beethoven: Violin Concerto (Michael Ludwig, violin).
* May 14 (8 p.m., St. Bede Catholic Church), May 15 (8 p.m., Regent University Theatre), May 17 (7:30 p.m., Ferguson Center) – JoAnn Falletta conducting. Mozart: Symphony No. 31 ("Paris"); Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 (Vahn Armstrong, violin); Aaron Jay Kernis: "Musica Celestis;" Poulenc: Gloria (Virginia Symphony Chorus).