About this Performance
This program ends as it begins—with breathtaking string quintets! Mozart’s Third exudes an effortless joy and elegance, weaving playful melodies into lively and refined conversations between the instruments. Composer and former LA Phil violist John Hayhurst’s Adagio is rather brief yet comforting, drawing inspiration from the final words of Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen, and Michael Lando.
The Washington Post praises Nicolás Lell Benavides for finding “a way to sketch complete characters in swift sure lines.” In his new work based on poems by Nobel Prize-winner Pablo Neruda, tenor Joshua Blue becomes the piece’s protagonist, singing from beyond the grave about his undying affection for his lover and their closeness despite physical separation.
“Por una cabeza” is a popular tango that composer Carlos Gardel wrote just before his tragic death. Known as the “King of Tango,” Gardel captured the yearning essence of the genre though this piece’s passionate melodies and enchanting lilt. Four LA Phil cellists take on James Barralet’s ingenious arrangement of the tango.
Come early and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine before the performance, starting at 6:30pm.