Classical Music

Even with an ailing lead, Utah Opera’s “Marriage of Figaro” delivers a memorable Mozart evening – Mar 11, 2024

Madison Leonard as Susanna and Michael Adams as the Count in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro at Utah Opera. Photo: Dana Sohm

Utah Opera offered two Figaros for the price of one Saturday night.

Adam Lau, who plays the title role in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, was unable to sing on opening night due to unspecified illness. So the cover, Zachary Nelson, sang from the side of the stage while Lau acted the part (“walked” does not do justice to Tara Faircloth’s … Read More

The viola takes the spotlight with a Utah Symphony showcase for Tabea Zimmerman – Feb 24, 2024

Tabea Zimmermann performed music of Michael Jarrell and Carl Maria von Weber with the Utah Symphony Friday night at Abravanel Hall. Photo: Marco Borggreve

Swiss composer Michael Jarrell shouldn’t be a stranger to Utah Symphony audiences. Thanks to former music director Thierry Fischer, several of Jarrell’s works have been performed in Abravanel Hall since 2012. And all of them had been co-commissioned by the Utah Symphony. 

The orchestra’s most recent co-commission, Émergences-Résurgences, is essentially a single-movement concerto for viola and orchestra. Taking its inspiration … Read More

A trombone sings in Salt Lake with Utah Symphony premiere – Feb 17, 2024

Trombonist Mark Davidson was the soloist in the world premiere of Quinn Mason’s Sonorous Friday night with the Utah Symphony.

It’s homecoming weekend at the Utah Symphony. 

Mark Davidson, recently appointed principal trombone of the Melbourne Symphony in Australia, and former associate conductor Conner Gray Covington are back at Abravanel Hall to premiere a trombone concerto by Quinn Mason, a young composer who is already an old friend of the orchestra.

Mason’s association with the Utah Symphony dates to 2020, when he and … Read More

Adkins solos in a Utah Symphony night of Prokofiev and Strauss – Feb 03, 2024

Madeline Adkins performed Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Utah Symphony Friday night at Abravanel Hall.

Utah Symphony concertmaster Madeline Adkins has been a stellar presence in Abravanel Hall since joining the orchestra in 2016, whether in the big moments of Danse macabre or Ein Heldenleben or in her annual concerto appearances. Salt Lake City music lovers get to hear her in the latter role this weekend as she brings her customary excellence to Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1.

The piece is hardly your run-of-the-mill concerto, … Read More

Utah Opera’s “Little Prince” soars to magical heights once again – Jan 22, 2024

Sarah Scofield as the Fox and Miles Keeton in the title role of Utah Opera’s The Little Prince. Photo: Dana Sohm

It is debatable whether Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved fable The Little Prince is a children’s book. But it was fitting that children were out in full force Saturday night when Utah Opera opened its revival of Rachel Portman and Nicholas Wright’s opera based on the novella. The opera is back by popular demand only five years after its Salt Lake City debut, … Read More

Hough premiere proves engaging but luminous Vaughan Williams takes the prize with Runnicles, Utah Symphony – Jan 13, 2024

Steven Hough performed the world premiere of his Piano Concerto with Donald Runnicles and the Utah Symphony Friday night at Abravanel Hall.

It was an auspicious evening at Abravanel Hall on Friday as two knights of the British Empire—Sir Stephen Hough and Sir Donald Runnicles—collaborated with the Utah Symphony on a highly anticipated world premiere.

The illustrious British pianist Hough, long a favorite in Salt Lake City, dazzled once again in his self-penned Piano Concerto, subtitled “The World of Yesterday.” … Read More

Stephen Hough’s new concerto looks to the past as well as the future – Jan 09, 2024

Stephen Hough will perform the world premiere of his Piano Concerto, “The World of Yesterday” Friday night with the Utah Symphony led by Donald Runnicles.

Sir Stephen Hough’s response as to the inspiration for writing his Piano Concerto came as a surprise. 

“It’s a long story, as I never thought that I would compose a piano concerto,” said the celebrated musician. “I just did not see the way into writing one and thought that my first would most … Read More

Utah Symphony opens new year in briskly rewarding fashion – Jan 06, 2024

Francesca Dego performed Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 with the Utah Symphony Friday night at Abravanel Hall.

The Utah Symphony entered 2024 in bracing fashion under guest conductor David Danzmayr, the brisk tempos inside Abravanel Hall mirroring the brisk temperatures outside.

The Austrian conductor opened with a high-octane reading of Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture, signaling the kind of evening that was in store. Emphatic attacks and releases invested even the rests with an abundance of tension. The tempestuous main theme and the gentler secondary … Read More

Robertson’s rapport grows in Utah Symphony’s enjoyable program – Dec 09, 2023

David Robertson conducted the Utah Symphony in music of Sibelius, Ives and Schumann Friday night at Abravanel Hall.

“Can I just say, we adore playing for you,” David Robertson said as he took the Abravanel Hall podium Friday night. That much was evident in the Utah Symphony’s vibrant performance, the second of three this season with Robertson as creative partner.

Last month, Robertson offered an inventive juxtaposition of Act III of Berg’s Wozzeck and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9; he’ll be back in the … Read More

Pianist Pratt provides the highlights at Utah Symphony program – Dec 03, 2023

Awadagin Pratt performed music of Bach and Jessie Montgomery Friday night with the Utah Symphony. Photo: Seth Ian Mower

Pianist Awadagin Pratt and conductor Teddy Abrams joined the Utah Symphony Friday night for an eclectic program featuring music by Bach, Copland, and Jessie Montgomery as well as a piece by Abrams himself.

Abrams was making his Masterworks debut with this week’s concerts, having previously conducted Utah Symphony pops programs. Heard Friday in his dual roles as composer and conductor, Abrams was more impressive … Read More