Nobody does romance as well as the French.
L’amour will be on full display when the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra (OSO) presents French Soirée as its Masterworks 3 presentation, Sunday, Jan. 24 at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre.
“Inspired by the intense creativity of Paris, we perform music inspired by poetry, love and jazz,” said OSO music director and conductor Rosemary Thomson.
The OSO kicks off the soirée with a performance of Claude Debussy’s symphonic poem, Prélude à L’après-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun).
“It captures the sultry poetry of (Stéphane) Mallarmé, showing off our principal flutist Christine Moore,” said Thomson,
Joining the symphony as a special guest soloist to perform Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G will be renowned Canadian pianist Angela Cheng.
“With its syncopated rhythm, Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G incorporates the tremendous influence of jazz on Paris of the 1920s,” said Thomson.
This performance is Cheng’s debut with the OSO.
Consistently praised for her brilliant technique, tonal beauty and superb musicianship, Cheng is considered one of Canada’s national treasures. In addition to regular guest appearances with virtually every orchestra in Canada, she has also performed with the Alabama Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Houston Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, Saint Louis Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Syracuse Symphony, Utah Symphony and the Israel Philharmonic.
In the spring of 2012, Cheng made her highly acclaimed Carnegie Hall debut with the Edmonton Symphony. She also made her debut at the prestigious Salzburg Festival in a recital with Pinchas Zukerman during the summer of 2012.
Highlights this coming season include the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, Sinfonia Toronto, Vancouver Symphony and the Winnipeg Symphony.
Cheng is a gold medalist with the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Masters Competition, as well as the first Canadian to win the prestigious Montreal International Piano Competition.
Other awards include the Canada Council’s coveted Career Development Grant and the Medal of Excellence for outstanding interpretations of Mozart from the Mozarteum in Salzburg.
The OSO’s French Soirée will be wrapped in a bow with Georges Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suite (The Girl from Arles).
The suite was inspired by the folk songs and dances of Bizet’s native France, most famously the rousing Farandole.
“This evocative music will have us all humming, tapping toes and falling in love with that ‘je ne sais quoi,’” said Thomson.
Tickets for the Vernon performance, which starts at 7 p.m. Jan. 24, are available at the Ticket Seller box office, 250-549-7469, www.ticketseller.ca.