Advisory of Artist Change

(Wednesday, August 17, 2005)

Due to extensive travel commitments this fall, conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch has withdrawn from his Philadelphia Orchestra performances scheduled for October 14-18 and October 21-25, 2005. Mr. Sawallisch’s other three weeks of subscription concerts in The Philadelphia Orchestra’s 2005-06 season (March 23-28, March 30-April 4, and April 6-8) remain unchanged.

Conductor Gilbert Varga replaces Mr. Sawallisch in the concerts on October 14-18. The program now consists of Mendelssohn’s Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bartók’s Viola Concerto, Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite, and Bartók’s Suite from The Miraculous Mandarin. Conductor James Conlon replaces Mr. Sawallisch in the concerts on October 21-25. The program now consists of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto and Zemlinsky’s The Mermaid (first Philadelphia Orchestra performances).

Gilbert Varga, who makes his Philadelphia Orchestra debut with these appearances, has established a major conducting career in both Europe and North America. He has conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, and Saint Louis Symphony, in addition to the symphonies of Toronto, Milwaukee, and Indianapolis. In Europe Mr. Varga has worked with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Orchestra de Paris, Hallé Orchestra, and Bavarian Radio Symphony, among others. Currently in his eighth season as music director of the Euskadi Symphony Orchestra (the Basque National Orchestra in Spain), Mr. Varga’s discography includes recordings on the ASV, Discover, Tring, Koch International, and Claves labels.

James Conlon has spent the major part of the last two decades in Europe, serving as principal conductor of the Paris National Opera from 1995 to 2004 (the longest tenure of any conductor since 1939); general music director of Cologne, Germany (1989-2002); and music director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic (1983-91). Mr. Conlon became music director of the Ravinia Festival in the summer of 2005 and becomes music director of the Los Angeles Opera in 2006. Since his New York Philharmonic debut in 1974, Mr. Conlon has appeared as guest conductor with virtually every major North American and European orchestra including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Boston Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the Bayerischer Rundfunk. Mr. Conlon has recorded extensively for the EMI, Sony Classical, Erato, Capriccio, and Telarc labels and has won awards for his recordings of the works of Alexander Zemlinsky. In 1999 Mr. Conlon received the Zemlinsky Prize for his efforts in bringing that composer’s music to international attention. In September 2002, in recognition of his work with the Paris Opera, he received the Légion d’Honneur from French President Jacques Chirac. Mr. Conlon made his Philadelphia Orchestra debut in July 1976.

October 14 at 2:00 p.m. – Friday afternoon – Verizon Hall at The       Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
October 15 * at 8:00 p.m. – Saturday evening – Verizon Hall at The      Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
October 16 ** at 2:00 p.m. – Sunday afternoon – Verizon Hall at The      Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
October 18 at 8:00 p.m. – Tuesday evening – Verizon Hall at The      Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

The Philadelphia Orchestra
Gilbert Varga,conductor – Philadelphia Orchestra Debut
Roberto Díaz,viola

Mendelssohn Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Bartók Viola Concerto
Ravel Suite from Mother Goose
Bartók Suite from The Miraculous Mandarin

Free PreConcert Conversations: PreConcert Conversations are held in the Rendell Room 1 hour before each concert.

Free post-concert event: The performance on October 16 is f ollowed by a free post-concert event.

*Sponsored by Fox Rothschild, LLP
**Media support provided by the Philadelphia Inquirer

Tickets: $12-$87 (call for box seat prices), 215.893.1999 or www.philorch.org

October 21 at 8:00 p.m. – Friday evening – Verizon Hall at The Kimmel      Center for the Performing Arts
October 22 at 8:00 p.m. – Saturday evening – Verizon Hall at The      Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
October 25 at 8:00 p.m. – Tuesday evening – Verizon Hall at The      Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

The Philadelphia Orchestra
James Conlon,conductor
Alban Gerhardt, cello – Philadelphia Orchestra Debut

Dvořák Cello Concerto
Zemlinsky The Mermaid – First Philadelphia Orchestra Performances  

Free PreConcert Conversations: PreConcert Conversations are held in the Rendell Room 1 hour before each concert.

Tickets: $12-$87 (call for box seat prices), 215.893.1999 or www.philorch.org