French Fairytales: Ravel and Debussy

Rafael Payare, conductor
Isabel Leonard, mezzo-soprano
Liv Redpath, soprano
Lindsay Ammann, mezzo-soprano
Meridian Prall, mezzo-soprano
Tasha Hokuao Koontz, soprano
Angel Raii Gomez, tenor
Elliot Madore, baritone
Christian Simmons, bass-baritone
San Diego Symphony Chorus
   Maurice Boyer, Chorus Master
San Diego Children’s Choir
   Ruthie Millgard, Artistic Director
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Directed by Gerard McBurney
Projection Design by Mike Tutaj
Lighting Design by Paul Miller
Joe Fournier, artist
Creative Producer is Jonathan Gilmer
Mariam Bombrun, repetiteur

DEBUSSY: The Joyful Isle (L'isle joyeuse), L. 106
DEBUSSY (orch. Caplet): The Box of Toys (La boîte à joujoux)
RAVEL: The Child and the Magical Spells: a lyric fantasy in two scenes (L'enfant et les sortilèges: Fantaisie lyrique en deux parties)

A glorious and theatrical celebration of the light and enchantment of France and French music, beginning with Debussy’s evocation of a journey to a mysterious island of love, and his witty and charming ballet score for children about the adventures of a box of toys. The program ends with a brilliantly colorful and delightful semi-staging of Ravel’s immortal and much-loved comic fantasy about a naughty child whose toys come to life to punish him.

In this performance, specially created for San Diego, the many characters portrayed by the singers in this story will be reflected in animated illustrations projected on to the beautiful new walls of Jacobs Music Center. Music, words and images work in harmony to tell the story.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ravel, and our production of L’enfant et les sortilèges is this orchestra’s homage to the man who created one of the most beautiful depictions of childhood in all of music.