The Vienna Philharmonic returns to Berkeley for three concerts led by maestro Yannick NézetSéguin in the 2027 The Maria Manetti Shrem and Elizabeth Segerstrom California Orchestra Residency. The revered 185-year-old orchestra and star conductor have enjoyed a close partnership over many years, a relationship finely honed through numerous tours and recordings. For these performances the focus is Mahler, a particularly important figure in the Philharmonic’s history whose Ninth Symphony received its posthumous premiere by the orchestra in 1912. The composer’s music is a perfect match for the towering institution, which will be joined by a selection of internationally acclaimed guest artists throughout the Berkeley residency.
The first performance features Mahler’s poignant final completed symphony, one of the most profound and emotionally complex works in the orchestral repertoire. The second night features both Mahler’s Fourth Symphony, with Christiane Karg as soprano soloist, and Prokofiev’s Concerto in C major, with superstar pianist Yuja Wang joining at the keyboard. In the final program, Mahler’s Resurrection symphony takes the listener on a journey through earthly trials to ultimate transcendence, and features vocalists Christiane Karg and Elīna Garanča, and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus.