KENT NAGANO, conductor
SUZIE LEBLANC, soprano
EITETSU HAYASHI, taiko drum
Other soprano to be confirmed
CHRIS PAUL HARMAN, Silver threads among the Gold (world premiere, OSM commission)
JEAN-PASCAL BEINTUS, Onna-no-ko no uta (traditional Japanese songs)
GIACOMO PUCCINI, Excerpts from
Madama Butterfly
ISAO MATSUSHITA, Hi-TenYu for taiko (large Japanese drum) and orchestra
Pre-concert talk, 1:30 p.m. (February 28) and 7 p.m. (March 2): Françoise Davoine, host and webmaster for Espace clasique, interviews OSM Music Director Kent Nagano.
The mysterious, irresistible beauty of Asia comes to life in a four-part concert that explores various aspects of the art and history of Japan and Canada. The
Onna-no-ko no uta are traditional Japanese songs for young girls, orchestrated by Jean-Pascal Beintus. They are filled with poetical meaning and dramatic profundity. Kent Nagano also conducts a work by Japanese composer Isao Matsushita for taiko drum and orchestra, excerpts from Puccini’s
Madama Butterfly, one of the pinnacles of Italian opera, and a world premiere by Chris Paul Harman evoking the story of Japanese-Canadians during the Second World War.
