BSO Goes Big

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra announced the details of their upcoming 2009-10 season yesterday morning and it's obvious that music director Marin Alsop is thinking big. The season highlights include big stars, worldly musical influences, and a four-week circus festival.

As Alsop explains in a video preview on the BSO's website, the upcoming season will feature MacArthur-award-winning violinist Lelia Josefowicz, music director of New York's Mostly Mozart festival Louis Langrée, and pianist Simone Dinnerstein making her BSO debut. World famous pianist Lang Lang opens the season in September by playing the Tchaikovsky 1st.

Another exciting work will be soprano Jessye Norman performing in Laura Karpman's Ask Your Mama, a multimedia composition based on the poems of Langston Hughes. The Roots drummer Questlove and rapper Black Thought will also perform. In another work, soprano Kathleen Battle and the Morgan State University choir will perform spirituals centered around the Underground Railroad. Other notable works will be from composer Jonathan Leshnoff, Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara, and Dave Brubeck who created a multimedia work about the photographer Ansel Adams.

And, of course, the season rises to a crescendo with "BSO Under the Big Top" in March, which will feature live circus acts and classical programs. The BSO SuperPops, conducted by Jack Everly, will perform as well as circus acts like the Cirque de la Symphonie.

The best part? Despite these tough economic times, BSO ticket prices will not increase next season and the $25 subscription seats will still be available.

To hear it from the Maestra herself, view their online video preview.

[Image: courtesy of bsomusic.org]