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Beethoven's Fifth Symphony

Presented by Memphis Symphony Orchestra at Cannon Center for the Performing Arts

November 21-November 22, 2009

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MSO music director candidate Mei-Ann Chen conducts this Grand Series concert, featuring guest cellist Julie Albers who will perform Dvorak's Cello Concerto. In this program, you will feel the driving energy, emotion and spirit that feed the passion embodied in other great symphonic works by J. Adams and Beethoven.

 

This concert will take place in two different venues: Saturday's performance will be held at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. Sunday's performance will be held at the Germantown Performing Arts Center.

• At-a-
  Glance

  • Venue Info

    Cannon Center for the Performing Arts

    255 N. Main Street
    Memphis, TN 38104

    Full map and directions

  • Admission Info

    Tickets: Tickets cost $15 to $78 for Saturday night's performance at the Cannon Center. They are available for $45 each to attend the Sunday afternoon performance at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre.

    Info Phone: 901-537-2525

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  • Dates & Times

    Dates:
    November 21-November 22, 2009

    Times:
    8:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 21, 2009 and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 22, 2009

  • Accessibility Info

    Currently, no accessibility information is available for this event.

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    • Event Name: Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
      "Oh, it was so very good."
      Comment posted by: George Lapides - ArtsMemphis Rants & Ravers from Memphis, TN, Nov 23, 2009
      

      Good because the house was jam packed or, at least, close to it. Good because the program was. Good because the maestro wannabe was terrific. Good because the orchestra seemed so into it.... Expand

      Good because the house was jam packed or, at least, close to it. Good because the program was. Good because the maestro wannabe was terrific. Good because the orchestra seemed so into it. That's how it was at the Saturday night Memphis Symphony Orchestra's performance at the Cannon Center. It all seemed to prove that a (mostly) mainstream program will attract a (also mostly) mainstream Memphis audience. Okay, the first number was not so mainstream --- the American composed (by John Adams and, no, not President John Adams) "The Chairman Dances: 'Foxtrot' from Nixon in China". But at no time in recent memory has been so much asked of the Orchestra's percussion section, which produced the required strange and sometimes weird sounds, but still pulled off everything wonderfully well. Nixon in China is one of the more talked about new operas in recent memory. As the program notes in the MSO magazine stated, it's a fictionalized account of President Nixon's visit to Beijing in January of 1972. Standing alone, it's difficult to tell just how the music relates to that history making event, but it is, nonetheless, very unusual without being too off the wall or wacky. But even if you didn't like it, well it didn't last that long anyway. Besides, the rest of the evening made the show. After Nixon in China and before intermission was Dvorak's Concerto in B Minor for Cello and Orchestra, Opus 104. The guest artist for the evening, cellist Julie Albers, was quite capable and the guest conductor began to show her leadership skills during the three movement concerto. The guest conductor? That would be Taiwan born, American educated Mei-Ann Chen, who is currently assistant conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. She was clearly the shining star of the night. She also had the good fortune of conducting what may be the greatest piece of music written by the greatest entertainment genius in the history of mankind. It just doesn?t get any better than Beethoven's 5th and it was mostly that which produced such a large turnout. Nobody left disappointed. Conductor Chen was forceful, demanding, passionate and authoritative and the orchestra responded like it loved it. The audience sure did. At the conclusion, many literally leaped from their seats to applaud and to shout the "bravos" while others just beamed. If the other finalists who follow Ms. Chen are as good, then only very good days lie ahead for the orchestra. Collapse

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  • Member Reviews

    Add review/comment

    • Event Name: Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
      "Oh, it was so very good."
      Comment posted by: George Lapides - ArtsMemphis Rants & Ravers from Memphis, TN, Nov 23, 2009
      

      Good because the house was jam packed or, at least, close to it. Good because the program was. Good because the maestro wannabe was terrific. Good because the orchestra seemed so into it.... Expand

      Good because the house was jam packed or, at least, close to it. Good because the program was. Good because the maestro wannabe was terrific. Good because the orchestra seemed so into it. That's how it was at the Saturday night Memphis Symphony Orchestra's performance at the Cannon Center. It all seemed to prove that a (mostly) mainstream program will attract a (also mostly) mainstream Memphis audience. Okay, the first number was not so mainstream --- the American composed (by John Adams and, no, not President John Adams) "The Chairman Dances: 'Foxtrot' from Nixon in China". But at no time in recent memory has been so much asked of the Orchestra's percussion section, which produced the required strange and sometimes weird sounds, but still pulled off everything wonderfully well. Nixon in China is one of the more talked about new operas in recent memory. As the program notes in the MSO magazine stated, it's a fictionalized account of President Nixon's visit to Beijing in January of 1972. Standing alone, it's difficult to tell just how the music relates to that history making event, but it is, nonetheless, very unusual without being too off the wall or wacky. But even if you didn't like it, well it didn't last that long anyway. Besides, the rest of the evening made the show. After Nixon in China and before intermission was Dvorak's Concerto in B Minor for Cello and Orchestra, Opus 104. The guest artist for the evening, cellist Julie Albers, was quite capable and the guest conductor began to show her leadership skills during the three movement concerto. The guest conductor? That would be Taiwan born, American educated Mei-Ann Chen, who is currently assistant conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. She was clearly the shining star of the night. She also had the good fortune of conducting what may be the greatest piece of music written by the greatest entertainment genius in the history of mankind. It just doesn?t get any better than Beethoven's 5th and it was mostly that which produced such a large turnout. Nobody left disappointed. Conductor Chen was forceful, demanding, passionate and authoritative and the orchestra responded like it loved it. The audience sure did. At the conclusion, many literally leaped from their seats to applaud and to shout the "bravos" while others just beamed. If the other finalists who follow Ms. Chen are as good, then only very good days lie ahead for the orchestra. Collapse

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