THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY BEGINS THE 2023/2024 SEASON WITH TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKENDS OF CELEBRATORY EVENTS AT BENAROYA HALL
THE 2023/2024 SEASON MARKS TWO SEATTLE SYMPHONY MILESTONES — THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF BENAROYA HALL AND THE SYMPHONY’S 120TH SEASON
CONDUCTOR EMERITUS LUDOVIC MORLOT TAKES THE PODIUM FOR RAISE THE CURTAIN, A HISTORIC CONCERT PROGRAM ON SEPTEMBER 21 & 23
Seattle, WA — The Seattle Symphony marks both the 25th anniversary of Benaroya Hall and the orchestra’s 120th season with two consecutive weekends of musical celebrations to open the 2023/2024 banner anniversary season. This year, Seattle Symphony patrons looking to further their season opening experience have several options with the Raise the Curtain concert program, the Silver Anniversary Gala and the Silver Anniversary Concert, featuring Lang Lang with the Seattle Symphony, immediately followed by the Silver Anniversary Party.
On September 21 & 23, Raise the Curtain opens the 2023/2024 Masterworks Series with historic recreations of the Symphony’s 1903 debut concert and its 1998 opening performance in the then-newly built Benaroya Hall. The Symphony is joined by Conductor Emeritus Ludovic Morlot at the podium and soprano Alexandra LoBianco, a frequent star of Seattle Opera. This historic program features Massenet’s Phèdre Overture and Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony in addition to selections from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung and Arthur Honegger’s Pastorale d'Été. Plus, Raise the Curtain will be livestreamed on Seattle Symphony+ for free as well as broadcast live on KING FM 98.1.
On September 28, the Silver Anniversary Gala kicks off the second weekend of the 2023/2024 season, honoring 25 iconic artists, philanthropists and civic leaders who have helped define the trajectory of the Seattle Symphony and Benaroya Hall. This black-tie celebration includes dinner, with a menu prepared by Canlis and Executive Chef Aisha Ibrahim. Gala attendees will also enjoy the exclusive experience of watching intimate performances by Seattle Symphony musicians.
Then, the next evening on September 29, the Symphony is joined on stage by world renowned pianist Lang Lang and conductor Peter Oundjian for the Silver Anniversary Concert, featuring a thrilling program of John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 and Respighi’s Pines of Rome. Following the concert, patrons can toast to 25 years of Benaroya Hall with Symphony musicians at the Silver Anniversary Party in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby, complete with signature cocktails by Fast Penny Spirits and Westland Distillery, and small bites from Goldfinch Tavern, Mamnoon, Mint Progressive Indian, Nutty Squirrel Gelato, Tavolàta and Wild Ginger.
Ticket Information
For more information on reserving tickets for the Raise the Curtain program, 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.
To reserve a ticket or table to the Silver Anniversary Gala, please contact Director of Special Events Samantha DeLuna at samantha.deluna@seattlesymphony.org or 206.215.4728. Gala packages include premium seating at the Friday concert with pianist Lang Lang and the Seattle Symphony, VIP access to the Silver Anniversary Concert & Party with orchestra musicians and complimentary parking for both nights. Silver Anniversary Concert & Party packages are also available now at seattlesymphony.org/party.
LUDOVIC MORLOT | CONDUCTOR
Ludovic Morlot took over as Music Director of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra in September 2022. He spent eight years as Music Director of the Seattle Symphony and now serves as its Judith Fong Conductor Emeritus. Morlot’s innovative programming encompassed not only his choice of repertoire, but theatrical productions and performances outside the traditional concert hall space. Under Morlot’s baton, 19 recordings were released via the Seattle Symphony Media label, and the orchestra received five Grammys and was named Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year. Morlot’s conducting resume includes his appointment to Associate Artist of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in 2019; performances with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Philadelphia Orchestra, the Los Angeles, Seoul and Bergen philharmonic orchestras, Royal Concertgebouw, Czech Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Budapest Festival, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. He was Artistic Director and a founding member of the National Youth Orchestra of China (2017–2021), and was Chief Conductor of La Monnaie (2012–2014).
ALEXANDRA LOBIANCO | SOPRANO
In recent seasons, American soprano Alexandra LoBianco has taken on the role of Brünnhilde in Die Walküre the title role in Aida at Seattle Opera, Marianne Leitmetzerin in Die Rosenkavalier at the Metropolitan Opera, Alice Ford in Falstaff with the Santa Fe Opera, the Mother in Hansel and Gretel at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Foreign Princess in Rusalka at the Canadian Opera Company, the title role in Turandot with Palm Beach Opera and Maryland Lyric Opera, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana with Seattle Opera, the title role in Tosca with Seattle Opera and Portland Opera, Leonore in Fidelio and Brünnhilde in Siegfried with North Carolina Opera, Fata Morgana in The Love for Three Oranges with Des Moines Metro Opera, and the Overseer and Confidante in Elektra at the Metropolitan Opera. A native of Saint Petersburg, Florida, LoBianco received her education in voice, theater and clarinet, and currently resides in Chicago, where she trains the next generation of opera singers and advocates for music education.
PETER OUNDJIAN | CONDUCTOR
A masterful and dynamic presence in the conducting world, Peter Oundjian has developed a multi-faceted portfolio as a conductor, violinist, professor and artistic advisor. Currently Principal Conductor of the Colorado Symphony in addition to Music Director of the Colorado Music Festival, Oundjian is also Conductor Emeritus of the Toronto Symphony, where he served as Music Director for 14 years. From 2012–2018, Oundjian was Music Director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, he has appeared with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Iceland Symphony, and with the Detroit, Atlanta, Milwaukee and New Zealand symphony orchestras, among others. He’s been a visiting professor at Yale University’s School of Music since 1981, regularly conducts the Yale, Juilliard, Curtis and New World symphony orchestras, and after opening the 2023/2024 season in Denver, Oundjian will return to Seattle, Dallas, Toronto and Sarasota, culminating with a Carnegie Hall concert in the spring with students from Toronto’s Royal Conservatory.
LANG LANG | PIANO
Pianist, educator and philanthropist Lang Lang has become one of the world’s most influential and committed ambassadors for the arts in the 21st century. Equally happy playing for billions of viewers at the 2008 Olympic Opening Ceremony in Beijing or for a few hundred public school children, he is a master of communicating through music. Heralded by The New York Times as “the hottest artist on the classical music planet,” Lang Lang plays sold-out concerts with top orchestras around the globe, forming ongoing collaborations with conductors ranging from Sir Simon Rattle to Gustavo Dudamel to Daniel Barenboim. Among his numerous accolades, he was picked as one of the 250 Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum; received honorary doctorates from the Royal College of Music, the Manhattan School of Music and New York University; earned the highest prize awarded by the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China and received the highest civilian honors in Germany and France. Lang Lang performed for Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2016, and has also performed for numerous other international dignitaries, including four U.S. presidents.
CHEF AISHA IBRAHIM
Born in Mindanao, Philippines, Aisha Ibrahim immigrated to the United States, where she grew up in West Virginia. She first attended Elon University on a full basketball scholarship, but after a career-ending injury, moved to San Francisco to pursue a culinary career. Aisha graduated from the Le Cordon Bleu program and went to work at notable Bay Area restaurants Commis and Manresa before landing in Spain at Eneko Atxa’s Azurmendi. Seeing her potential, Eneko moved Aisha to Southern Thailand, where she became Chef de Cuisine of his restaurant Aziamendi. Before earning the title of Executive Chef at Canlis, she spent time at some of the best kitchens in the world, including Kagurazaka Ishikawa, Kohaku, L’effervescence, & Ryugin. She lives in Bellevue with her wife, chef Samantha Beaird, and their dogs, Mochi and Dashi.
CANLIS
Built in 1950, Canlis has been Seattle’s favorite spot to celebrate for over 70 years. Under the leadership of third-generation owners Mark and Brian Canlis, the fine dining restaurant has remained a classic while also evolving alongside the city through decades of change. Canlis was a part of Benaroya Hall’s first anniversary celebration, and we are excited to welcome them back for this special milestone. The restaurant seeks to celebrate Seattle and the bounty of the Pacific Northwest with its contemporary cuisine and a dedication to uplifting the region’s farmers, artists and local businesses. After creatively pivoting with over a dozen different concepts during the pandemic, Canlis is still finding inventive ways to engage the city in their take on fine dining — whether that is a party in their parking lot or an exquisite meal at the Symphony’s Silver Anniversary Gala. With countless awards under their belt, Canlis is now focused on sharing its mission with the world: to inspire all people to turn toward one another.
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.
SEATTLE SYMPHONY+
Seattle Symphony+ brings the Seattle Symphony’s dynamic performances to audiences anywhere in the world. Launched in 2020 to offer musical comfort amidst the pandemic, the digital streaming service reached a global audience with its live concerts, behind-the-scenes interviews, educational videos and more. With subscriptions starting at $12.99 per month, Seattle Symphony+ makes engaging with the orchestra’s exceptional musical content more possible than ever before.
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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RAISE THE CURTAIN
MASTERWORKS SERIES
Thursday, September 21, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 23, at 8 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot conductor
Alexandra LoBianco soprano
Seattle Symphony
Massenet Phèdre Overture
Honegger Pastorale d'Été
Schubert “Unfinished” Symphony
Wagner Selections from Götterdämmerung
SILVER ANNIVERSARY GALA
Thursday, September 28, at 6 p.m.
SILVER ANNIVERSARY CONCERT & PARTY
FEATURING LANG LANG WITH THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Friday, September 29, at 7 p.m.
Peter Oundjian conductor
Lang Lang piano
Seattle Symphony
John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine
Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2
Respighi Pines of Rome
Gala Honorees
John Luther Adams
The Alvord Family
ArtsFund
The Benaroya Family
Brandi Carlile
Leslie and Dale Chihuly
Reena Esmail
Governor Dan Evans and Nancy Evans
Judith Fong
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Cecile Hansen
Mayor Bruce Harrell and Joanne Harrell
Joe Hisaishi
Classical KING FM 98.1
Lang Lang
Mary’s Place
Microsoft
Ludovic Morlot
The Nesholm Family
The Nordstrom Family
Mayor Norm Rice and Constance Rice
Gerard Schwarz
Charles and Lisa Simonyi
Joan and the late Craig Watjen
Seth Parker Woods
Gala Committee
Lyn Grinstein, chair
Leslie Jackson Chihuly
Susan Coughlin
Parul Houlahan
Danae Howe
Oraib Kabbani
Paul Rafanelli
Patricia Rosen
Andrea Snyder
Susan Winokur
Party Committee
Shawn Harmon, chair
Sheila Houlahan
Eric Jacobs
Tiffany Moss
Claire Taylor
Ludovic Morlot’s position is generously underwritten as the Judith Fong Conductor Emeritus.
Ludovic Morlot’s performances are generously sponsored by the James D. and Sherry Raisbeck Foundation.
Lang Lang’s performance is generously underwritten by The Nakajima Family.