FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 24, 2024
Media Contacts:Keene Carter, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, kcarter@pittsburghsymphony.org
Cally Jamis Vennare, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, cvennare@pittsburghsymphony.org
Phil Cynar, Allegheny Conference on Community Development, pcynar@alleghenyconference.org
DIGITAL ASSETS → (Honeck, PSO, and Guest Artist Photos)
PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ANNOUNCES 2024 EUROPEAN FESTIVALS TOUR
PSO and Music Director Manfred Honeck begin tour
as the only American orchestra at the prestigious Salzburg Festival
and conclude at Vienna Konzerthaus as the opening concert for its 24/25 season
Guest soloists include Anne-Sophie Mutter, Yefim Bronfman, and María Dueñas
PITTSBURGH, PA — From August 22 through September 7 the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) led by Music Director Manfred Honeck will tour nine cities in Austria, Italy and Germany on its 2024 European Festivals Tour. The tour begins at the Salzburg Festival in Austria, includes two concerts at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, and ends at the Vienna Konzerthaus, where the PSO will open the Konzerthaus season. The orchestra will also play concerts in Grafenegg, Merano, Dortmund, Dusseldorf, Cologne, and Wiesbaden. This tour marks Manfred Honeck’s fifteenth tour with the Symphony. On August 15, before departing, the PSO will perform in Heinz Hall for its home audience to showcase how the Symphony is representing Pittsburgh in Europe. Tickets are on sale now as general admission at pittsburghsymphony.org, by calling (412) 392-4900, or at the Heinz Hall box office.
The tour’s programs feature Mahler’s First and Fifth symphonies, Anne-Sophie Mutter performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, Yefim Bronfman performing Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto, John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine, which the PSO commissioned and premiered in 1986, Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, and María Dueñas playing Bruch’s First Violin Concerto. Full concert information can be found below.
“I look for the depth of originality in a piece,” said Manfred Honeck, Music Director. “This tour has at its center Mahler’s First and Fifth symphonies, and I have looked back to the tradition from which they came to inform our interpretation and performance. I seek to combine the sharp and earnest energy of the Pittsburgh Symphony, one of the best in the world, with an original understanding of the music. The result is not a ‘return’ to some old ideal, but a new way forward — a fresh authenticity — which may even register as irreverent, but which is really truer to the music, and honors it.
“We are extremely fortunate to have as close and regular collaborators the great pianist Yefim Bronfman, the outstanding violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, and rising star violinist María Dueñas. Each is perfect on their instrument — musically wise and truly exciting. They understand deeply the music they are playing, and convey that understanding through the performance. I’m very pleased they’re joining us for this tour, and I look forward to European audiences hearing them together with the Pittsburgh Symphony. I think they may be surprised.”
“I am hugely looking forward to the European tour with my favorite American orchestra: the PSO,” said Anne-Sophie Mutter. “Making music with Manfred Honeck is ever so special to me and I couldn’t be happier to have the glorious Mendelssohn concerto on tour with us. And a surprise encore...”
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has been touring for well over 80 years and is committed to being both a domestic and international cultural ambassador for Pittsburgh in this important way. “The reputation of the orchestra in Europe is incredibly well-regarded, and the invitations to be a part of the world’s premiere venues and festivals is a testament to the caliber and quality of the Orchestra under Music Director Manfred Honeck’s leadership,” said President & CEO Melia Tourangeau.
“We are honored to be the only American orchestra at the Salzburg Festival again this year, which is arguably one of the most prestigious festivals in the world. Additionally, being invited to Europe’s capital cities and showcasing the orchestra on the top stages like the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Cologne Philharmonie, and launching the fall season at the Vienna Konzerthaus is an honor and privilege. The reputation of the orchestra with these invitations is a reflection of the city that supports us, and we are proud to represent Pittsburgh on the international stage.”
The Allegheny Conference on Community Development, which markets the Pittsburgh region for business investment globally through its economic development arm, the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, will join the PSO at tour stops in Germany. “This continues an established partnership to market the region for international business investment by leveraging the orchestra as a renowned asset that epitomizes Pittsburgh’s quality of place and vitality – which are important selling points for the region,” said Allegheny Conference Chief Growth Officer Matt Smith. The partnership is strategic since Germany is the top country for foreign direct investment in the Pittsburgh region. More than 80 German-owned firms — including names like Bayer, Bosch, Covestro, LANXESS, Veka Inc., and Ventana USA — operate in the region, representing some 200 establishments and employing nearly 11,000 people.
This summer, the PSO is also expected to release its fifteenth recording in its highly acclaimed Pittsburgh Live! Series on the FRESH! Imprint from Reference Recordings. This release follows their recording of Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 & Schulhoff: Five Pieces which received critical acclaim from New Yorker, New York Times, Gramophone, and other publications around the world as a Best Recording of 2023, as well as a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Engineered Album, Classical.
European Sendoff Concert (Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, USA)
Thursday, August 15, 7:00 PM
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Yefim Bronfman, piano
Sergei Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 3
Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 5
2024 EUROPEAN FESTIVAL TOUR CONCERTS
Grosse Festspielhaus, Salzburg (Austria)
Thursday, August 22, 8:00 PM
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Yefim Bronfman, piano
Sergei Rachmaninoff - Concerto No. 3
Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 5
Wolkenturm, Grafenegg (Austria)
Sunday, August 25, 7:30 PM
Manfred Honeck, conductor
María Dueñas, violin
John Adams - Short Ride in a Fast Machine
Max Bruch - Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor
Igor Stravinsky - Suite from The Firebird (1919)
Giacomo Puccini (orch. Honeck/Ille) - Symphonic Suite from Turandot
Kurhaus, Merano (Italy)
Thursday, August 29, 8:30 PM
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Yefim Bronfman, piano
Sergei Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 3
Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 1
Konzerthaus Dortmund (Germany)
Saturday, August 31, 7:30 PM
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
Felix Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E minor
Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 5
Tonhalle, Dusseldorf (Germany)
Sunday, September 1, 8:00 PM
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
Felix Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E minor
Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 5
Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg (Germany)
Tuesday, September 3, 8:00 PM
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
Felix Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E minor
Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 5
Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg (Germany)
Wednesday, September 4, 8:00 PM
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Yefim Bronfman, piano
John Adams - Short Ride in a Fast Machine
Sergei Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 3
Igor Stravinsky - Suite from The Firebird (1919)
Giacomo Puccini (orch. Honeck/Ille) - Symphonic Suite from Turandot
Cologne Philharmonie, Cologne (Germany)
Thursday, September 5, 8:00 PM
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
John Adams - Short Ride in a Fast Machine
Felix Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E minor
Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 1
Das Kurhaus, Wiesbaden (Germany)
Friday, September 6, 8:00 PM
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
John Adams - Short Ride in a Fast Machine
Felix Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E minor
Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 1
Vienna Konzerthaus, Vienna (Austria)
Saturday, September 7, 7:30 PM
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
John Adams - Short Ride in a Fast Machine
Felix Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E minor
Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 1
WITH GRATITUDE
International touring is made possible, in part, by the Hillman Endowment for International Performances, with additional support from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, and the 2024 Tour Sponsor, Audia Group.
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is grateful for overall support provided by local and state government entities: the Allegheny Regional Asset District, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development, and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
· Diehl Automotive Group is the official auto dealer of the Pittsburgh Symphony.
· Fairmont Pittsburgh is the official hotel of the Pittsburgh Symphony.
· Delta Air Lines is the official airline of the Pittsburgh Symphony.
· WQED 89.3 FM is the official media sponsor of the Pittsburgh Symphony.
ABOUT THE PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Now in its 128th season, the internationally acclaimed Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) engages audiences of all ages through unparalleled live musical experiences, community collaborations, and educational programming that enrich every life with great music.
The GRAMMY® Award-winning symphony has been led by worldwide acclaimed Music Director Manfred Honeck since 2008. Past music directors have included many of the greats, including Fritz Reiner, William Steinberg, André Previn, Lorin Maazel, and Mariss Jansons. The Pittsburgh Symphony has a long and illustrious history in the areas of recordings and live radio broadcasts dating back to the 1930s. Lauded as the Pittsburgh region’s international cultural ambassador, PSO has been invited to be part of premiere venues and festivals throughout the world and has toured domestically and internationally since 1896. Heinz Hall, PSO’s home located at 600 Penn Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh, is also owned and operated by the Pittsburgh Symphony. Follow the Pittsburgh Symphony online at pittsburghsymphony.org, on Facebook, on Instagram, and on YouTube.
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