Bruckner Orchestra Comes to The Jorgensen 11/7 For A Concert And A Talk

The Bruckner Orchestra of Linz Brings Bernstein to Jorgensen
Dennis Russell Davies, Conductor
Renaud Capuçon, Violin
Kathryn Handsaker, Mezzo Soprano
Sat, Nov 7, 2009, 8 pm; Concert talk 7:15 pm

The Bruckner Orchestra, conducted by Dennis Russell Davies, has become one of Central Europe's leading orchestras. Fluent in both classical and contemporary genres, the Orchestra will present a full evening of music by the quintessential 20th-century urban American composer, Leonard Bernstein on Saturday, November 7, at 8 pm, with a concert talk beginning at 7:15.

The Orchestra has a history and tradition dating back 200 years. But the New York Times says Ohio-born Davies, its Chief Conductor since 2002, has created "an electricity of his own," drawing out a sound that seems "to cover all the bases."

With its 110 musicians, the Bruckner Orchestra has performed at major European festivals and garnered an international reputation not only for the exceptional quality of its performances, recordings and radio broadcasts, but for its "move.on" orchestra workshop, which has led the way in developing workshop-based concerts for young people. The Orchestra is constantly re-examining Anton Bruckner's symphonic oeuvre and has recorded all of the composer's symphonies in their original versions. During the 2009 European Culture Capital Year, the Bruckner Orchestra has not only been busy at home in Austria, but has acted as an ambassador abroad. Having previously toured in Europe and the Far East, the Orchestra spent part of its 2008-2009 season in Istanbul, Cologne, and Paris.

The Orchestra is now embarking on its second U.S. tour, opening with an all-Bernstein evening at Jorgensen which will will include Bernstein's "Symphonic Dances" from West Side Story, Symphony No. 1 (Jeremiah) with Australian-born mezzo soprano Kathryn Handsaker, and Serenade, featuring solo violinist Renaud Capuçon, playing a 1737 Guarneri del Gesù (the "Panette" that belonged to Isaac Stern). Ken Winters of The Globe and Mail, called a Capuçon performance "note-perfect, pitch-perfect, technically scintillating and deeply engaged."

Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts is located at 2132 Hillside Road on the UConn campus in Storrs. Regular tickets are $33, $37 and $40, with some discounts available. For tickets and information, call the Box Office at (860) 486-4226, Monday through Friday, 11 am-5 pm, or order online at jorgensen.uconn.edu. Convenient free parking is available across the street in the North Garage.