www.lacrossesymphony.org

Celebrating the landmark anniversaries of Wagner, Verdi and Strauss

Dear Friends,With heartfelt thanks for your generous support in helping to make our 2012-13 season at the La Crosse Symphony such a tremendous success, I now invite you to another glorious musical journey for 2013-14, The Power of Song.

The musical years of 2013 and 2014 mark major milestones for three of the very greatest composers for the human voice: Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi (both born 200 years ago), and Richard Strauss (b.1864). These three giants not only wrote immortally for the voice per se; their lyric genius transformed classical music forever. With their mighty shadows casting themselves over us, we offer you a season that emphasizes the lyric gift in symphonic music, a season faithful to the spirit and the letter of their work.

Musical gems by these epic composers will grace many of the programs we’ll present, but it will once again be a season of glorious diversity, featuring great music and great soloists in masterpieces both “heavy” and “light”. If you enjoyed last season at the LSO, I know you’ll enjoy this season even more! With many thanks again for your support,

Alexander Platt Music Director

StraussVerdiWagner

Alexander Platt recently completed twelve seasons as Resident Conductor of Chicago Opera Theater. At COT he led the Chicago premieres of Britten’s DEATH IN VENICE, John Adams’ NIXON IN CHINA, Shostakovich’s MOSCOW PARADISE, and Britten’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM; the world premiere of the Tony Kushner/Maurice Sendak version of Krasa’s BRUNDIBAR; the double-bill of Schoenberg’s ERWARTUNG and Bartok’s BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE with Samuel Ramey and Nancy Gustfason, and the world-premiere recording of Kurka’s THE GOOD SOLDIER SCHWEIK—all to high acclaim in the major papers of Chicago and New York. He is now the Music Director of the Wisconsin Philharmonic and the Marion Indiana Philharmonic; the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, and the Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra, and spends his summers in New York as Music Director of the Maverick Concerts, the oldest summer chamber-music festival in America. Prior to this he spent twelve years as Music Director of the Racine Symphony Orchestra, three seasons as Principal Conductor of the Boca Raton Symphonia, and was Apprentice Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Minnesota Opera. A graduate of Yale College, King’s College Cambridge (where he was a Marshall Scholar) and conducting fellowships at both Aspen and Tanglewood, he has guest-conducted the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the Illinois Philharmonic, the Freiburg Philharmonic in Germany, the Aalborg Symphony in Denmark, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Cambridge University Chamber Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, Camerata Chicago, the Banff Festival, the Aldeburgh Festival, and the Houston, Charlotte, Columbus and Indianapolis Symphonies. He has recorded for Minnesota Public Radio, National Public Radio, the South-West German Radio and the BBC, and his Cedille Records disc of Max Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy is still often played on radio stations across America.

Alexander Platt

biography

October 19, 2013 “Lyric Masters”Zuill Bailey -- a veritable rock star of the classical cello -- finally brings his glamour and genius to the La Crosse Symphony stage, his chosen vehicle being the turbulent Cello Concerto of that tragic hero of the Romantic Era, Robert Schumann. You’ll thrill as we open our season with the majestic chords of Wagner’s “Entry of the Gods” from Das Rheingold, and, as contrast, the quietly soaring Prelude to Verdi’s Aida. The majesty continues as we wrap up the evening with the first of Johannes Brahms’immortal symphonies.

WAGNER Entrance of the Gods, from Das Rheingold

VERDI Prelude to Aida

SCHUMANN Cello ConcertoGuest Artist ZUILL BAILEY, Cello----------------------------------------------

BRAHMS Symphony No.1

Thank you to our concert sponsor

Simon Mulligan is the guest artist for the LSO’s

November 23rd concert

Special Jazz Concert featuring Simon Mulligan & the Greg Balfany Jazz TrioOn April 21, 2012, Simon Mulligan performed with the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra and brought the house to its feet! After the concert, Simon was at the Waterfront Tavern and he just started playing the piano with Greg Balfany’s Jazz Quartet. Everyone in the room was instantly captivated by his talent. Who knew that this brilliant classical pianist was just as talented as a Jazz pianist! LSO Past Board President, David Reedy – “Simon blew a hole in the piano that night – he was amazing!” We knew we would have to bring Simon back! This is one event, you are not going to want to miss!

Wednesday, Nov. 20th • 7:00pmThe Weber Center for the Performing Arts 428 Front Street South La Crosse, WI 54601

$25 per person

Join us in November as we celebrate that ultimate master of the symphonic tone-poem, Richard Strauss, and the two equally great composers who influenced him most. The evening begins with two symphonic gems of the Frenchman Hector Berlioz -- one quite famous on these shores, the other quite obscure -- and culminates in the La Crosse Symphony’s first-ever performance of one of the towering masterpieces of Strauss, his Death and Transfiguration. In between, help us welcome back to the LSO the phenomenal Simon Mulligan, who performs the barnstorming Piano Concerto No.1 by one of the 19th century’s musical heroes, the great Franz Liszt.

BERLIOZ Rakoczy March, from The Damnation of Faust

BERLIOZ Royal Hunt and Storm, from Les Troyens

LISZT Piano Concerto No.1Guest Artist SIMON MULLIGAN, Piano ----------------------------------------------------------------

STRAUSS Death and Transfiguration

November 23, 2013 “The Romantic Spirit”

Thank you to our concert sponsor

It’s a Viennese Christmas at the LSO -- and why not? The Waltzes and Polkas of that OTHER Strauss -- Johann Strauss and his sons, have delighted audiences around the world for decades. And in another LSO “first”, the LA CROSSE DANCE CENTRE will take to the Viterbo stage as you’ll see and hear five of the most beloved Strauss Waltzes with live choreography, in the great tradition of the Vienna State Opera Ballet. Favorites by Leroy Anderson, the heartfelt Evening Prayer from “Hansel and Gretel”, “The Skater’s Waltz”, and our traditional Christmas Carol Sing-Along round out an evening, sure to get you into the Holiday spirit.

JOHANN STRAUSS II Champagne PolkaVON SUPPE Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna WALDTEUFEL The Skaters’ WaltzJOSEF STRAUSS The Dragonfly, polka mazurEDOUARD STRAUSS Bahn frei, polka schnellANDERSON Trumpeter’s Lullaby HUMPERDINCK Evening Prayer and Pantomime, from Hansel and Gretel RICHARD STRAUSS Waltz from Der RosenkavalierANDERSON Sleigh Ride-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Suite of Strauss Waltzes with artists from the LA CROSSE DANCE CENTRE:JOHANN STRAUSS II Voices of Spring Roses from the South Where the Citrons Bloom Artist’s Life On the Beautiful Blue Danube ARR. FINNEGAN Christmas Carol Sing-Along

December 21, 2013 “An Old World Christmas”

Announcing...The 15th AnnualRISING STARS CONCERTO C O M P E T I T I O N

Don’t miss this yearly LSO event

January 18, 2014 at 3:30pm in the Recital Hall at Viterbo University

PLEASE JOIN US! ATTENDANCE IS FREE!!

All high school students 14-18 years of age are eligible to compete for cash prizes. One pianist and one instrumentalist will be selected to perform at the April 5, 2014 concert. Application, repertoire list, competition rules & entry deadline are available at:www.lacrossesymphony.orgFor more information, contact: Rita Schuman at tschoo@centurytel.net or Janet Roth at theroths07@msn.com

MAJOR SPONSOR:

Dick Record

1st Place Prize Sponsors:

Anna Beth Culver &

Jane Saline Memorial

Venue Sponsor:

Viterbo University

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.....” For February the LSO presents another world premiere: this time, of the Minnesota genius Libby Larsen, and her Sonnets from the Portuguese -- set to Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s immortal love poems, in a new revised version for full orchestra; Libby’s chosen soprano soloist, Tracey Engelman, is a new young star from the Minnesota Opera. Wagner’s thrilling Overture to his awesome love story The Flying Dutchman will be sure to warm you on this winter night, and to finish, the first in our cycle of Tchaikovsky’s splendid Symphonies -- appropriately, his Symphony No.1, subtitled “Winter Dreams” by the master himself.

WAGNER Overture to The Flying Dutchman

LIBBY LARSEN Sonnets from the Portuguese Guest Artist TRACEY ENGELMAN, Soprano(WORLD PREMIERE of the new, revised version)-----------------------------------------------------------------

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No.1, “Winter Dreams”

February 1, 2014“Songs of the Heart”

The commission allows him to combine his interest in classical music and visual arts. He is a big fan of Petersen’s sculptures (“The La Crosse Players” on the plaza in front of the Radisson Hotel, “The Eagle” in Riverside Park, “The Family of Four” at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, “Women with Bird” at Viterbo University and others.)

Record said sponsoring symphony activities helps keep the arts organization an important part of the community. “I get to work with a group of dedicated people who want the symphony to make great music, and the orchestra is

doing a damn good job of it,” he said. “Now it’s time for all of us to step up to ensure the symphony’s future because it takes more than buying a ticket to keep the LSO going.”

The sculpture (Symphonic Joy) will celebrate the joy and music-making of the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra. Petersen’s artwork will allow people to experience a composition of music, Beethoven’s, “Ode to Joy,” as they would

a representational painting. A colored glass-filled panel sculpture will represent a musical score with thick, stained glass notes of jewel quality that resemble church windows. The artwork is planned for an area park.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can contribute to the Endowment Campaign, please contact the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra office at 608.783.2121

Richard Record, co-owner of Midwest Family Broadcasting, and a regular donor to the LSO for 30 years, has commissioned a sculpture honoring the 116-year history of the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra. He has commissioned the well-known and respected La Crosse area sculptor, Elmer Petersen to create a piece of work to recognize the symphony’s significant role in the community. “The sculpture is something visible and tangible for people to connect with, and it is a lasting tribute to honor the history of the symphony,” said Record.

Computer generated illustration of the proposed sculpture by Carolyn Ryan

LA CROSSE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SCULPTURE: SYMPHONIC JOY

Give today, make an impact every day: Audience support is an especially important tradition that has sustained the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra since 1898. You can invest in our future and take the LSO to the next level. Contributions support every concert and education program we offer. Include one of the following gifts with your season ticket order: $ $300 to Sponsor a String Scholarship: Provide a student with individualized lessons by an LSO musician.

$ to support the Symphony for Youth: Give over 3,000 students a chance to hear live symphonic music for the very first time.

$ to support the LSO Fund: Use my gift where most needed.

$ to support the LSO Endowment Campaign.

YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE. . . THANK YOU!

© Lisa-Marie Mazzucco

VERDI Overture to The Force of Destiny

SARASATE Zigeunerweisen (“Gypsy Airs”)

MASSENET Meditation, from Thais

SARASATE Carmen Fantasy Guest Artist MARIA BACHMANN, Violin-----------------------------------------------------------------

RAVEL “The Spanish Symphony” Rhapsodie Espagnole -- Pavane pour une Infante Defunte -- Alborada del Gracioso -- Bolero

March 8, 2014“The Spanish Style”Fresh from her triumph with the Wisconsin Philharmonic, the elegant and amazing Maria Bachmann makes her debut with the La Crosse Symphony in a musical tour of Spain that’s sure to be one of the sell-out concerts of the year. Following the bracing overture to Verdi’s Spanish tragedy, Maria pays homage to two of Spanish culture’s greatest figures: violin virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate, and the fictional but immortal Carmen. Borrowing an idea from the Chicago Symphony maestro Daniel Barenboim, our own maestro Alexander Platt leads the LSO in the four Spanish masterworks of Maurice Ravel, ending with the sublime Bolero.

George & Connie Smith

Thank you to our concert sponsors

April 5, 2014“Rising Starsand a Grand Finale”

WAGNER “Ride of the Valkyries”, from Die Walküre

Conductor Wannabes I and IIRising Stars Concerto Competition Winners, Piano and Instrumental Categories

-----------------------------------------------SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 2 in D Major

Join us as we end another spectacular season -- celebrating the young talent of two of our Rising Stars competition winners, and the amazing contributions of two of our Conductor Wannabes! We end and begin our concert with two of the most towering masterpieces in the repertoire: Wagner’s splendid Ride of the Valkyries, and the awesome majesty of the Sibelius Second Symphony -- as with Brahms and Tchaikovsky, part of a complete cycle to be savored over the years ahead.

Thank you to our concert sponsor

Top image courtesy of the La Crosse (Wisconsin) Public Library Archives

Bottom photo courtesy of Scott Bjorge

Concerts of the season for only $114 (main floor/lower balcony) and $63.52 (upper balcony)

**same seat every concert is not guaranteed. Does not include the Jazz Concert.

Mark Your Calendar... Feb. 15th, 2014Reserve your tickets today, for an elegant evening out at the

24th Annual La Crosse Symphony Orchestra Valentine Ball.

Did you know... that you can purchase tickets online, from the comfort of your own home, and print them from your

own printer or put them at will call by going to...

www.lacrossesymphony.org! Follow us at www.facebook.com/lacrossesymphony

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THANK YOU TO OUR VALUED LA CROSSE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SEASON SPONSORS!

Dr. David & Patricia Ludington