Symphony charts its new season

True to tradition, the new Utah Symphony season opens ostentatiously with music by Beethoven and Richard Strauss.

The opening weekend, Sept. 15-16, features pianist William Wolfram in Strauss' demanding "Burleske" and includes the composer's early tone poem "Don Juan," as well as Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, "Eroica." Music director Keith Lockhart will conduct.

Other pianists who will appear with the symphony include frequent guest Garrick Ohlsson, playing Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto, Awadagin Pratt, performing Mozart's Concerto No. 23 in A major, and Derek Han playing Ravel's G major Concerto.

Other soloists coming to Salt Lake City in the new season include violinists Sarah Chang, playing the Brahms Concerto, and Hilary Hahn in the Sibelius Concerto. The concert featuring Hahn will be an all Sibelius affair that will include the composer's magnificent Symphony No. 5.

Among guest conductors leading the Utah Symphony will be several old faces (and audience favorites). Leading the list will be the return of former principal guest conductor Pavel Kogan. He'll be seen here in two concerts. The first, on Dec. 1-2, will be in a Slavic program with music by Smetana, Tchaikovsky and Dvorak. The second takes place on May 4-5, 2007, and will be devoted to French music, with works by Bizet and Ravel.

Other conductors coming to Abravanel Hall are Gerard Schwartz (Oct. 27-28), Scott Yoo (Nov. 10-11), Matthias Bamert (Jan. 5-6, 2007), Graeme Jenkins (April 6-7, 2007) and Christopher Seaman (June 1-2, 2007).

The chamber orchestra concerts will once again be on the Utah Symphony roster, after having been absent in the '05-06 season.

Utah Opera opens its new season Oct. 14-22 with a production of Verdi's perennial favorite "La Traviata," conducted by William Lacey.

The opera season continues with Richard Strauss' delightful "Ariadne auf Naxos" Jan. 13-21, 2007, with stage director David Gately and conductor Klauspeter Seibel.

Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," under the baton of Hal France, plays March 10-18, 2007, and the season ends with the local premiere of "The Grapes of Wrath," a Utah Opera co-commission with Minnesota Opera. Based on the Steinbeck novel, the music is by Ricky Ian Gordon. Eric Simonson will stage direct and Grant Gershon will conduct. The opera runs May 12-20, 2007.

Tickets for all events are available through ArtTix, either by calling 355-2787 or 888-451-2787 or in person at the Abravanel Hall box office, 123 W. South Temple. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.utahsymphonyopera.org.

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E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com