The Hallé – Cityscapes at The Bridgewater Hall

Gershwin – An American in Paris
Korngold – Violin Concerto
Jennifer Higdon – City Scape: river sings a song to trees
Bernstein – Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

Conductor
Rodolfo Barráez

Featuring:
Ning Feng, violin

A programme of music with America at its core, conducted by Rodolfo Barraez, who makes his first visit to the Hallé since excelling in the inaugural Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition. Gershwin’s portrait of an American enjoying the sights and sounds of Paris, complete with car horns, is followed by the Violin Concerto of Austrian émigré Korngold incorporating melodies from his lush scores for Hollywood movies. It’s played by Ning Feng, International Tutor at the RNCM and winner of the 2006 Paganini Competition, who makes his debut at The Bridgewater Hall. Jennifer Higdon’s City Scape is her evocation of Atlanta: here, in the slow movement, its creeks and parks. Bernstein’s dynamic symphonic dances were expanded from his music-theatre classic in which Shakespeare’s ‘star-crossed lovers’ are relocated to New York.