The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra revealed their upcoming season over the weekend.
Thursday Classics
Thursdays are the new night to mark on the calendar, as the WSO turns to shorter, intermission-free performances that promise to "take you inside the music in a uniquely personal way!" Conductors will introduce the music from the stage, with both a pre-concert chamber performance and post-concert Q&A.
Opening night is scheduled for Thursday, September 14, 2023 with Vadim Gluzman performing the Max Bruch Concerto no. 1 for violin and orchestra.
Other Thursday guest artists include: Zlatomir Fung (cello) on October 12, conductor Nodoka Okisawa on December 7, Lukáš Vondráček (piano) on January 18, 2024 and Blake Pouliot (violin) on March 7.
Saturday Classics
There are also the more traditional "Saturday Classics" -- set to begin November 4 with conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser in town to lead the WSO.
Soprano Sarah Dufresne joins the Symphony on February 10 of the new year. The series continues with trombonist Jorgen van Rijen on February 24, pianist Michelle Cann on March 23, and concludes with another keyboard virtuosa, Claire Huangci, on May 11.
Live at the WSO
Mixing symphonic, traditional and contemporary music, "Live at the WSO" welcomes the iconic Canadian singer-songwriter Steven Page, for two nights September 22 and 23. Natalie MacMaster performs October 28/29, with Troupe Vertigo presenting "A Holiday Soirée" in December. The Sultans of String arrive in March before Eli Glasner presents Oscar-winning soundtracks in April.
BMO Night at the Movies
Movie fans can look to some beloved films including: Frankenstein (October 21), Frozen (November 25/26), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (March 15/16) and Star Wars: A New Hope (May 3/4).
Kids Concerts
The "Kids Concerts" feature Al Simmons on October 8, the Cirque Symphonique on February 25, and The Twins and the Monster on May 5.
For those looking for a less formal affair, the "UnTuxed" casual performance will feature music of Carl Neilsen, Richard Strauss, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Edvard Grieg, amongst others.
Find more details at: www.wso.ca