Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra announces Spring Symphony concert series

The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) will present a series of four Spring Symphony concerts at Cape Town City Hall, running from Thursday, August 28 to Thursday, September 18. The concerts will be conducted by Daniel Raiskin and Martin Panteleev, with Charlene Verster conducting the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Ensemble in the final performance.

The season opens on Thursday, August 28, with pianist Francois du Toit performing Gershwin’s Concerto in F. The CPO will be conducted by Daniel Raiskin, music director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, principal conductor of the Slovak Philharmonic, and principal guest conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic. The all-American programme includes Bernstein’s Candide Overture, John Williams’ The Cowboys Overture, and Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.

On Thursday, September 4, Raiskin returns to conduct German violinist Tassilo Probst in the Wieniawski Violin Concerto. The programme also features Beethoven’s Prometheus Overture and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 6 in B minor.

Martin Panteleev, principal guest conductor of the Würth Symphony Orchestra, will conduct the final two concerts. On Thursday September 11, Spanish guitarist Alvaro Toscana will perform Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez. The programme also includes De Falla’s Three Cornered Hat, Suite No. 2, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4.

The final concert on Thursday, September 18, will begin with the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Ensemble performing Celebration and Dance by James Swearingen, conducted by Charlene Verster. Martin Panteleev will then conduct Dukas’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice before the world premiere of Grant McLachlan’s song cycle, The Silence of the Day, performed by baritone William Berger. The cycle, based on poems by Stephen Watson, Mxolisi Nyezwa, and Archie Swanson, was originally written for baritone, double bass and piano and later orchestrated.

The season concludes with Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique.

Pre-concert talks will be given by Albert Combrink for the first two concerts and John Woodland for the final two. Grant McLachlan will join Woodland on Thursday September 18.

Tickets range from R190 to R450 and are available through Webtickets or Artscape Dial-A-Seat at 021 421 7695. Secure parking is available on the Grand Parade with dog patrols.