Biss Plays Beethoven

Bernard Labadie, conductor
Jonathan Biss, piano
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

MOZART: Overture to Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), K. 620
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
MOZART: Overture to La clemenza di Tito, K. 621
HAYDN: Symphony No. 103 in E-flat Major, Paukenwirbel (Drum Roll)

Bernard Labadie marks his first performances with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra in this program of life-affirming energy, grandeur and strength with works by three giants of Western classical music, all written in the influential last decade of the 18th century. A pair of glorious and masterful operatic overtures open each half of the program, both written by Mozart within weeks of one another in the fall of 1791, and just a couple of months before his untimely death. Beethoven’s first piano concerto is performed by Jonathan Biss (“one of today's foremost Beethoven exponents” – Chicago Tribune), and the program closes with Haydn’s Symphony No. 103 – his second to last – nicknamed the “Drum Roll” for its powerful and mysterious opening.

Come enjoy a pre-concert talk covering highlights and backstories of this program, one hour before concert-time.

Guest speaker for this weekend: Eric Smigel, SDSU Professor of Musicology.

Ace Parking has provided a DEDICATED JACOBS MUSIC CENTER PARKING PRE-PURCHASE PAGE for upcoming events at JMC.