Pianist Marc-André Hamelin plays Beethoven with conductor
Maximiano Valdés on NAC Orchestra May 21-22
May 15, 2003 -
Ottawa, Canada -- Gramophone Award-winning Canadian piano virtuoso
Marc-André Hamelin returns to the National Arts Centre
Orchestra to perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 on
Wednesday, May 21 and Thursday, May 22 at 20:00 in the NAC's
Southam Hall. The Chilean-born conductor Maximiano Valdés
opens this programme with Haydn's invigorating and charming
Symphony No. 65 in A major and then, following the Beethoven,
leads the Orchestra in two works inspired by music of the
18th century: Le Tombeau de Couperin,
Ravel's homage to French music of this era, and
Prokofiev's thoroughly witty and delightful Classical
Symphony, an affectionate tribute to the music of Haydn with
numerous twists and turns.
Winner of the 1985 Carnegie Hall Competition, Marc-André
Hamelin is now well established in both North America and Europe. He
has given recitals in many of the major cities of Europe and North
American and made numerous festival appearances. Under his exclusive
contract with Hyperion, Marc-André Hamelin's eclectic
recordings, which have received a number of Grammy nominations, range
from concertos by Alkan, Bernstein, Bolcom, Henselt, Korngold and
Joseph Marx to solo discs of Godowsky, Liszt, Ornstein, Reger,
Roslavets, Schumann, Villa Lobos, the complete sonatas of both
Medtner and Scriabin and 'The Composer-Pianists' (from
Alkan to Hamelin). His recording of the complete Godowsky Studies on
Chopin's Études won the 2000 Gramophone Instrumental
Award. He was last heard at the NAC in a spectacular recital in May
2002.
Maximiano Valdés is Music Director of the Orquesta
Sinfonica del Principado de Asturias in Spain and also since
September 2002, Chief Conductor of the Opera Teatro Municipal in
Santiago, Chile. He has conducted many of the leading orchestras
throughout Europe and South America. He has recently signed an
exclusive agreement with Naxos to record works by Latin American and
Spanish composers with his orchestra in Asturias. For one of these,
he invited NAC Orchestra principal flute Joanna G'froerer to
perform as soloist. This CD is expected to be released in November
2003.
Tickets for these NAC Orchestra Audi Signature Series concerts at
the National Arts Centre on May 21 and 22 are on sale now at $26.50,
$43.50 and $54.50, with box seats at $68.00 (GST and Facility Fee
included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to
21:00), and through Ticketmaster
(with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed
through the NAC's web-site at www.nac-cna.ca.
Half-price tickets for students in all sections of the hall are on
sale in person at the NAC Box Office upon presentation of a valid
student ID card.
