The Toronto Symphony Orchestra will be on tour in February 2023, for the first time under the baton of Gustavo Gimeno.
On February 11, the TSO will visit the Ottawa’s National Arts Centre, then New York’s fabled Carnegie Hall on February 13, and finally Chicago Symphony Centre on Valentine’s Day, February 14.
It will be the first time the TSO has ever played at the Symphony Centre, and while the orchestra has performed at the Carnegie Hall in the past (most recently in 2011), it will be Maestro Gimeno’s début on the storied New York stage.
“As an orchestra of international stature, the Toronto Symphony is looking forward to resuming touring activities, and once again carrying the torch for Canadian music abroad,” said Mark Williams, the TSO’s Chief Executive Officer in a statement. “This celebratory visit to two of the most culturally rich cities in the US, in addition to Canada’s capital, will be an exciting international début, sharing the deep partnership between Music Director Gustavo Gimeno and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.”
“Over the course of 100 years, the Orchestra has come to epitomize all that is best about Toronto: It is a cosmopolitan enterprise, welcoming diverse ideas and influences from many perspectives,” he continues. “The Toronto Symphony Orchestra embraces innovation while respecting tradition. And it fosters creativity, both musically and through engagement with our community. In short, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra has earned its place on the world stage, and you can expect to see us at esteemed concert halls across the globe as we enter the next chapter in our history.”
The Program
Maestro Gimeno has put together a program that will showcase the TSO as it is today, including new Canadian music along with classical favourites. In a nod to the dates around Valentine’s Day, it will include a suite of Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet that Gimeno has compiled himself.
The full program:
- Samy Moussa: Symphony No. 2 (TSO Commission — US Première)
- Lalo: Symphonie espagnole for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 21 (María Dueñas, violin)
- Prokofiev: Suite from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64 (Compiled by Gustavo Gimeno)
“For many reasons, I have been anticipating my very first tour as TSO Music Director,” Gustavo Gimeno said in a release. “Not only will it mark my Carnegie Hall début, but it will also provide us with the opportunity to bring inspiring Canadian music across the border. I’m also delighted to feature music reminiscent of my home country, performed by my fellow Spaniard, the extraordinary violinist María Dueñas. Above all, I can’t wait to see the bonds of this Orchestra grow even stronger. Touring enhances the personal and professional connections between players, enabling the entire ensemble to flourish creatively. There really is nothing like it.”
Toronto audiences will get to hear the program performed by the TSO before they take it on the road in a program titled Gimeno Conducts Romeo and Juliet on February 8 and 9 at Roy Thomson Hall.
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