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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THE HONOLULU SYMPHONY RETURNS HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS TO BLAISDELL CONCERT HALLPrincipal Conductor Andreas Delfs welcomes pianist Benedetto Lupo in concerts featuring masterworks by Brahms and BeethovenARTISTS: CONCERTS: PROGRAM: TICKETS: Honolulu – The Honolulu Symphony Orchestra returns home to the Blaisdell Concert Hall this December as Maestro Andreas Delfs welcomes acclaimed pianist Benedetto Lupo in his Hawaii debut on Saturday, December 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, December 16 at 4 p.m. The Halekulani MasterWorks series continues with Beethoven’s brilliant Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major. Recognized as one of the repertoire’s most complex works, the Piano Concerto No. 4 is a showcase for keyboard fireworks and rarely-matched energy and passion. Also in the spotlight are Brahms’ magnificent Symphony No. 4 in E minor and Smetana’s captivating Vltava (The Moldau) from the symphonic cycle Má Vlast (“My Country”). The Brahms, Beethoven & Smetana concerts offer the perfect escape from the holiday rush and tickets start from only $21. Military tickets for all December concerts are 50% off and start from $12. Following its 1808 premiere, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 had difficulty joining the standard repertoire. Its immediate antecedent, the Piano Concerto No. 3, is judged easier to play, and the Piano Concerto No. 5 is more commanding. Both overshadowed this dazzling work, but finally, composer Felix Mendelssohn established a place for it in the concert repertoire in his second season as conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. On November 3, 1838, composer Robert Schumann wrote: “Today Mendelssohn played the G Major Concerto of Beethoven with a power and polish that transported us all. I took a pleasure in it such as I have never before enjoyed, and I sat in my seat without moving a muscle or even breathing.” Italian pianist Benedetto Lupo, who makes his Honolulu Symphony debut with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, has been praised for his “keen musical intelligence and probing intellect” (Miami Herald), and for combining “meticulous technique with romantic sensitivity” (Birmingham News). After winning the bronze medal in the 1989 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, he made acclaimed debuts with several major American orchestras. His New York City recital debut at Alice Tully Hall followed in 1992, the same year he won the Terence Judd International Award. This, in turn, led to his debut at London’s Wigmore Hall and international acclaim. Also featured in this not-to-be-missed concert program is Brahms’ glorious Symphony No. 4 in E minor. One of the keystones of the symphonic repertoire, Brahms’ Fourth Symphony is a beautifully contemplative masterwork. Its rich, magnificent character makes it a pleasure to experience each and every time it is performed. Composed over the summers of 1884 and 1885, the Fourth Symphony did not immediately gain popularity at its October 1885 premiere. Rather, it was only just prior to Brahms’ death in 1897 that his local, Viennese audience recognized the majesty of the Fourth Symphony – indeed, one of Brahms’ greatest gifts to music. 
About Benedetto Lupo Mr. Lupo has performed extensively throughout both American continents and Europe, returning to North America each season. He has appeared as soloist with the Columbus, Phoenix, Tucson, Utah, Des Moines, Huntsville, Charlotte, Rochester, Seattle, Vancouver, Hallé, and Brazilian symphony orchestras, as well as the Bergen (Norway) and Slovak philharmonic orchestras, among others. In addition, he has performed at numerous music festivals worldwide, including the Tivoli in Copenhagen, the Villa Medici in Rome, the Chopin Festival in Poland, the Schubert Festivals in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and Chicago’s Grant Park Festival. Mr. Lupo’s recordings include an acclaimed version of Nino Rota’s Concerto Soirée with the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana on the Nuova Era label, and a new recording of the same work on Harmonia Mundi, which received the prestigious “Diapason d’Or” from French magazine Diapason. With Peter Maag and the RSI Symphony Orchestra, he has recorded Schumann’s complete works for piano and orchestra, including the first CD recording of the piano version of Konzerstück, op. 86, for the Arts label. Mr. Lupo teaches at the Nino Rota Conservatory in Italy, gives master classes around the world, and serves on the jury of both the Cleveland International Competition and the Gina Bachauer Competition in Salt Lake City, having in the past taken the second and third prizes, respectively. He is featured on the Emmy-award winning PBS documentary “Here to Make Music: The Eighth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition” and the seven-part PBS series “Encore! The Final Round of Performances of the Eighth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.” NEW TIME! Concert Conversations – Post-concert Discussions Concert Conversations returns for each Halekulani MasterWorks concert at a popular new time: directly after concerts. Along with its move to a later time slot, Concert Conversations has also changed its format to a more informal question and answer period with musicians, guest artists and conductors. It is free to all ticket-holders. UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS:Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at the Blaisdell Concert Hall The Halekulani MasterWorks series is made possible thanks to the generosity of our season sponsor, the Halekulani Corporation. The Honolulu Symphony also gratefully acknowledges the valued support of Honolulu Advertiser and Servco Lexus. These concerts are supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawaii and by the National Endowment for the Arts. The Honolulu Symphony also gratefully acknowledges the support of the City and County of Honolulu Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts. # # # |
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