We begin the new year with Mendelssohn and Mahler, as well as newer works by Julius Eastman and John Williams — plus Baroque, chamber, and opera across Philadelphia.
Spotlight: The Philadelphia Orchestra: Mendelssohn, Eastman & John Williams — Friday and Saturday, Marian Anderson Hall
This week’s spotlight concert brings together familiar and lesser-known works, and a focus on one of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s celebrated principals. Dalia Stasevska conducts Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A Major (“Italian”), a joyous piece inspired by a trip to Italy and full of bright orchestral colors and rhythms.
The program opens with Curtis graduate Julius Eastman’s Symphony No. 2, his only surviving orchestral work. Written in 1983 and revived through recent editions and recordings — including one with Stastevska conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra — this single‑movement piece creates a haunting sound world that reflects longing and loss. Its evocative texture and expressive depth have helped spur a renewed interest in Eastman’s music and legacy. In between these two works, Carol Jantsch, the Orchestra’s principal tuba player, plays John Williams’ light and cheerful Tuba Concerto.
Jan. 16 at 2 p.m., Jan. 17 at 8 p.m., Marian Anderson Hall, Kimmel Centerfor the Performing Arts, 300 South Broad Street, $29 to $230; tickets and information.
Tempesta di Mare: Virtuosic Oboe — Friday in Wilmington, DE; Saturday and Sunday in Philadelphia
In Virtuosic Oboe, Tempesta di Mare’s principal oboist Gaia Saetermo‑Howard and harpsichordist Dongsok Shin explore the universal language of music through a dialogue between oboe and harpsichord. Drawing on traditional melodies and a variety of artistic styles, the program (with music by Georg Philipp Telemann, Arcangelo Corelli and George Frideric Handel) highlights shared experiences and connections that resonate across cultures.
Friday, Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m., Immanuel Highlands, Wilmington, DE; Saturday, Jan. 17 at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Awbury Arboretum, 1 Awbury Road, Philadelphia; Sunday, Jan. 18 at 3 p.m., Museum of the American Revolution, 101 S. Third Street, Philadelphia. $30; tickets and information
Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia: Fullana Plays Mozart — Friday through Sunday, various locations
Spanish-born violinist Francisco Fullana, winner of the 2018 Avery Fisher Career Grant and Artist in Residence of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, leads a program centered on Mozart’s violin concertos as well as the glorious Sinfonia Concertante performed with Principal Violist, Mary Yong.
Friday, Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m., Rhoden Theater, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 118-128 N. Broad Street; Saturday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. — Goodhart Hall, Bryn Mawr College, 150 N. Merion Ave, Bryn Mawr; Sunday, Jan. 18 at 2:30 p.m. — Church of the Holy Trinity, 1904 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. $29 to $90; tickets and information
AVA Opera: Strauss’ Capriccio — Saturday, Helen Corning Warden Theater, AVA
AVA’s Resident Artists bring to life Richard Strauss’ Capriccio, a lighthearted “opera within an opera” that explores the age-old question: what’s more important, music or poetry? This masterpiece of verbal sophistication and wit, full of glorious melodies showcases the emerging artists in a production that demands vocal finesse and dramatic subtlety, as two suitors (Olivier the poet and Flamand the composer) debate the merits of their respective arts while vying for the Countess’ attention. When the Count declares that “Opera is an absurd thing,” the guests decide to stage an opera about the day’s events. The work concludes with Madeleine still undecided about both the ending of the opera and her choice of lover, famously asking: “Is there any ending that isn’t trivial?”
Saturday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m., Helen Corning Warden Theater, Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce Street. Also January 20 and 22 at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 25 at 3 p.m. $70 to $105; tickets and information.
The Publick Pleasure: The FIRST British Invasion — Sunday at Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Church
Long before pop charts and electric guitars, Philadelphia experienced its first “British Invasion” as musicians from the British Isles arrived in the late 18th century — many at the personal invitation of theater impresario and composer Alexander Reinagle. Regulars from Sadler’s Wells and the Drury Lane Theatres as well as collaborators with Joseph Haydn and Johann Peter Salomon brought not only their skills but an entrepreneurial spirit that reinvented the city’s musical life. Joined by guest fortepianist Sylvia Berry, The Publick Pleasure will bring this moment to life with music by Haydn, Benjamin Carr, Hugh Reinagle and Ignace Pleyel.
Sunday, Jan. 18 at 3 p.m., Gloria Dei, Old Swedes' Church, 916 S Swanson Street, $30, tickets and information.
Last-Minute Plug
I couldn’t let the week pass without highlighting today’s program from The Philadelphia Orchestra, featuring Mahler’s radiant Symphony No. 4. The final movement sets his orchestral song Das himmlische Leben (“This is Heavenly Life”), a child’s innocent, luminous vision of heaven, sung by the expressive soprano Joelle Harvey. The program also includes a favorite, Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto, with Augustin Hadelich in the solo spotlight. Opening the afternoon with music by John Adams, this concert promises a rich and varied musical feast — a perfect way to musically welcome the new year.
Sunday, Jan. 11 at 2 p.m., Marian Anderson Hall, Kimmel Center, $29 to $230; tickets and information.
