[Boston, MA – January 29, 2019] Taking one of music’s most famous masterpieces and making it come alive with all the freshness, vigor, and vitality it had when it first premiered, the Handel and Haydn Society will perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 on Friday, March 8, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 10, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at Symphony Hall Boston.
Guest conductor Matthew Halls, known for his dynamic and intelligent work with major symphony orchestras and opera companies, will lead the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra in a probing and vibrant interpretation of one of the best-known compositions in classical music. Written over four years, the Fifth Symphony captures the anguish of Beethoven’s personal tragedy as he struggled with his increasing deafness.
Dedicated to making Baroque and Classical music sound as fresh, new, and contemporary as when it was written, the Handel and Haydn Society performs on period instruments using performance practices from the composer’s era. The result is a performance that delivers extraordinary power, nuance, and immediacy.
“The H+H Orchestra will bring all the emotions of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 to the forefront, capturing the longing, the grief, and the joy that is so evident in what is regarded as one of Beethoven’s greatest works,” said H+H President and CEO David Snead. “One of today’s leading young conductors, Matthew Halls has an unmatched talent for drawing out these emotions. It promises to be a performance you don’t want to miss.”
Under Halls’s baton, the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra will also bring to life the lively, mythical storyline of Mozart’s Overture to The Magic Flute, which will charm and inspire with a high-spirited, exuberant interpretation of the opera, not performed by H+H since 2006.
Clarinetist Eric Hoeprich, a principal member of the H+H Orchestra and a specialist in building and performing on historical clarinets, will be the soloist for the H+H premiere of Weber’s Clarinet Concerto No. 1. First written for Heinrich Barmann in 1811, the composition is highly regarded, deeply serious, and dramatically expressive.
2018-19 Season subscriptions are on sale now. Tickets for individual performances may be purchased by calling 617.266.3605, visiting handelandhaydn.org, or in person at 9 Harcourt Street in Boston (M-F 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.). Student and group discounts are also available.
H+H’s 2018–19 Season Remaining Performances include:
Glories of the Italian Baroque – February 22 + 24 at NEC’s Jordan Hall
Beethoven Symphony No. 5 – March 8 + 10 at Symphony Hall
Purcell Dido and Aeneas – March 29 + 31 at NEC’s Jordan Hall
Mozart Requiem – May 3 + 5 at Symphony Hall
About the Handel and Haydn Society
The Handel and Haydn Society is internationally acclaimed for its performances of Baroque and Classical music. Based in Boston, H+H’s Orchestra and Chorus delight more than 50,000 listeners each year with a nine concert subscription series at Symphony Hall and other leading venues, in addition to a robust program of intimate events in museums, schools, and community centers. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Harry Christophers, the ensemble embraces historically informed performance, bringing classical music to life with the same immediacy it had the day it was written. Through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, H+H also provides engaging, accessible, and broadly inclusive music education to thousands of children each year. Founded in Boston in 1815, H+H is among the oldest continuously performing classical music ensembles in the United States, and is unique for its longevity, capacity for reinvention, and distinguished history of premieres. For more information, visit handelandhaydn.org.