LOVE IN FULL SCORE: COUPLES DALIA STASEVSKA & LAURI PORRA AS WELL AS ORLI SHAHAM & DAVID ROBERTSON PERFORM WITH THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY
ENJOY TWO MUSIC-POWERED COUPLES’ CONCERTS FEATURING SIBELIUS SYMPHONY NO. 5 AND MAHLER SYMPHONY NO. 5
Seattle, WA — Experience two unique Seattle Symphony concerts taking place at Benaroya Hall in November, each starring remarkable musician couples. On November 16, 17 & 18, audience favorite Dalia Stasevska returns to conduct music from Scotland and Finland in Sibelius Symphony No. 5, which includes an exciting performance by her husband, Lauri Porra, on electric bass. Then on November 30 and December 2 & 3, renowned conductor David Robertson and highly sought-after pianist Orli Shaham star in Mahler Symphony No. 5, featuring the Seattle Symphony premiere of Light Forming, a brilliant composition crafted for Shaham by Robertson, her husband. Experience the power and beauty of two matches made in musical heaven at Benaroya Hall.
The Sibelius No. 5 program begins with Nautilus, a work from Scottish composer and sound artist Anna Meredith that has been described as a “composition of pure maximalist mayhem” (GQ). Then Porra, whose family traces their roots back to Sibelius, lights up the stage with his own composition, Entropia Concerto for Electric Bass. Rounding out the program is Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony, which is amongst his most admired works. Stasevska and Porra, who arrive shortly after welcoming their first baby into the world, are sure to captivate the audience with their shared vigor and passion.
Mahler’s Fifth Symphony scales triumphant heights, from its beginnings in a dramatic funeral march to the sublime love letter to his wife Alma in the famous Adagietto and a finale of victorious grandeur. The love kicks off with David Roberton’s work, Light Forming, which he wrote for his wife. Local audiences are in for an extraordinary treat: Robertson commanding the podium and Shaham gracing the piano.
Ticket Information
For more information on tickets for Sibelius Symphony No. 5 and Mahler Symphony No. 5, please visit seattlesymphony.org or contact the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office. The Seattle Symphony Ticket Office is located in Benaroya Hall, at Third Avenue and Union Street. The Ticket Office can be reached by phone at 206.215.4747 during the following times: Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
DALIA STASEVSKA | CONDUCTOR
Dalia Stasevska’s charismatic and dynamic musicianship has established her as a conductor of exceptional versatility. Currently Chief Conductor of Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Artistic Director to the International Sibelius Festival and Principal Guest Conductor of BBC Symphony Orchestra, Stasevska also has a busy schedule guest conducting a range of orchestras. In the 2023/2024 season, she joins Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Berner Symphonieorchester and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, among others. She’s made several appearances at the BBC Proms, including the First Night of the Proms in 2023. Other recent engagements: the New York and Los Angeles philharmonics, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra and Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra at the Concertgebouw Hall, Amsterdam. Last season, she embarked on a six-concert tour to Japan with BBC Symphony Orchestra. Her debut solo album, Dalia’s Mixtape with BBC Symphony Orchestra, will be released in spring 2024.
LAURI PORRA | ELECTRIC BASS
Lauri Porra, a Finnish composer and musician, has deep roots in classical and rock music. An award-winning artist, Porra has considerable experience of different contemporary, popular and ethnic styles of music and a long and successful track record of international collaborations. To date Lauri has released five critically acclaimed instrumental albums. Alongside composition work for orchestras, films and other media, Porra is the bassist in the renowned Finnish power metal band Stratovarius. Lauri ́s music has been performed by the Finnish Radio Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, The Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera among many others. Lauri works as artistic director of Vantaa Orchestra and Unelmien Heinola festival.
DAVID ROBERTSON | CONDUCTOR
Conductor, artist, composer and American musical visionary David Robertson occupies the most prominent podiums in opera, orchestral and new music. He is a champion of contemporary composers, an adventurous programmer, and has served in numerous artistic leadership positions, including Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (2014–2019). In the 2023/2024 season, he returns to the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Seattle Symphony, then travels to Europe to conduct the Royal Danish Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra and Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. In May and June 2024, Robertson conducts John Adams’ El Niño with the Houston Symphony and his Doctor Atomic Symphony with the Minnesota Orchestra. This season also finds him beginning a three-year tenure as the Utah Symphony and Opera’s inaugural Creative Partner. He is currently in his sixth academic year as Director of Conducting Studies, Distinguished Visiting Faculty of The Juilliard School in New York, and continues his role as a member of the Tianjin Juilliard Advisory Council. He conducts the Juilliard Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in April 2024.
ORLI SHAHAM | PIANO
A consummate musician recognized for her grace, subtlety and brilliance, pianist Orli Shaham is in demand for her prodigious skills and admired for her interpretations of both standard and modern repertoire. The New York Times called her a “brilliant pianist” while The Chicago Tribune referred to her as “a first-rate Mozartean.” She has performed with most major U.S. orchestras, on stage internationally from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House and appeared at music festivals around the world. Since 2007, she has been Artistic Director for Pacific Symphony’s chamber music series; and is Artistic Director of the interactive children’s concert series, Orli Shaham’s Bach Yard, which she founded in 2010. Continuing her multi-year Mozart recording project, Orli Shaham releases the final two volumes of the complete piano sonatas by Mozart in the 2023/2024 season. Shaham is on faculty at The Juilliard School, has served on the juries of both the Cliburn and Honens International Piano Competitions, and is co-host and creative for NPR’s From the Top.
SEATTLE SYMPHONY
The Seattle Symphony unleashes the power of music, brings people together and lifts the human spirit. Recognized as one of the “most vital American orchestras” (NPR), the Seattle Symphony is internationally acclaimed for its inventive programming, community-minded initiatives and superb recordings on the Seattle Symphony Media label. With a strong commitment to new music and a legacy of over 150 recordings, the orchestra has garnered five Grammy Awards, 27 Grammy nominations, two Emmy Awards and was named Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year. The Symphony performs in Benaroya Hall in the heart of downtown Seattle from September through July, reaching over 750,000 people annually through live performances and radio broadcasts, and through the Seattle Symphony+ streaming service, the orchestra’s concerts reach audiences at home and around the world.
BENAROYA HALL
Benaroya Hall, the home of the Seattle Symphony, is located in downtown Seattle and surrounded by numerous restaurants, retail stores and parking facilities. Opened in 1998, Benaroya Hall is the most-visited performing arts venue in Seattle. It has received numerous awards, including a 2001 American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Honor Award for outstanding architecture. Benaroya Hall has three versatile performance venues, the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall and Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center, all renowned for their pristine acoustics, luxurious design and prime location. For additional information, including rental information, event listings and public tour schedules, please visit www.benaroyahall.org.
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SIBELIUS SYMPHONY NO.5
MASTERWORKS SERIES
Thursday, November 16, at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 17, at 12 Noon
Saturday, November 18, at 8 p.m.
Dalia Stasevska conductor
Lauri Porra electric bass
Seattle Symphony
Anna Meredith Nautilus
Lauri Porra Entropia Concerto for Electric Bass
Sibelius Symphony No. 5
MAHLER SYMPHONY NO. 5
MASTERWORKS SERIES
Thursday, November 30, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 2, at 8 p.m.
Sunday, December 3, at 2 p.m.
David Robertson conductor
Orli Shaham piano
Seattle Symphony
David Robertson Light Forming a piano concerto
Mahler Symphony No. 5
Dalia Stasevska’s performances are generously sponsored by Mel and Leena Sturman.
Lauri Porra’s performances are generously sponsored by the James D. and Sherry Raisbeck Foundation.
David Robertson’s performances are generously sponsored by Grant and Dorrit Saviers.