As was first announced on this site in March of 2022, the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) Artist-in-Residence for the 2022–23 season is pianist Igor Levit. That position will keep him busy for the better part of next month. He will be the soloist in two consecutive subscription programs, playing two decidedly different piano concertos with SFS led by Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen. He will also be the final recitalist in the Great Performers Series and will be a guest artist in the final SFS Chamber Music program in Davies Symphony Hall. Specifics for these program, in chronological order with hyperlinks attached to the dates for ordering tickets, are as follows:
Thursday, June 15, 2 p.m., and Friday, June 16, and Saturday June 17, 7:30 p.m.: This program will be devoted entirely to two major compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven. Levit’s concerto selection will be the Opus 73 (fifth), often known as the “Emperor,” in the key of E-flat major. This will account for the first half of the program; and the intermission will be followed by the Opus 55 (third) symphony, also in E-flat major, known as the “Eroica.” Ticket prices range from $20 to $165. They may be purchased online through the above hyperlink to the SFS Web site, by calling 415-864-6000, or by visiting the Box Office in Davies Symphony Hall, whose entrance is on the south side of Grove Street between Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street. The Box Office is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday. The Box Office is also open only for tickets to the evening performances two hours before the concert begins.
Sunday, June 18, 2 p.m.: Levit will join SFS musicians in a performance of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Opus 57 piano quintet in G minor. The program will also feature two selections by Mark O’Connor influenced by folk music: “Appalachia Waltz” and “Emily’s Reel.” The opening selection will be the C minor “Lament,” scored by Frank Bridge for two violas. All tickets are being sold for $40, but the 1st Tier and the 2nd Tier will not be available for seating.
Thursday, June 22, and Saturday, June 24, 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, June 25, 2 p.m.: The entire program will be devoted to the first SFS performances of Ferruccio Busoni’s Opus 39 piano concerto. This was scored for not only a full orchestra but also a male chorus, which joins the instrumentalists for the final movement, given the title “Cantico.” The text is taken from the final scene of the verse drama Aladdin by the Danish poet Adam Oehlenschläger. Ticket prices range from $35 to $165.
This program will also be given a Katherine Hanrahan Open Rehearsal on Thursday, June 22. This special behind-the-scenes experience begins at 8:30 a.m. with coffee and complimentary doughnuts, followed by a half-hour introductory talk at 9 a.m. The rehearsal itself begins at 10 a.m.; and, of course, the music to be rehearsed will be entirely at the conductor’s discretion. General admission is $30 with $40 for reserved seats in the Premiere Orchestra section, the Side and Rear Boxes, and the Loge. Tickets may be purchased online through a separate event page.
Tuesday, June 27, 7:30 p.m.: Levit’s residency will conclude with his Great Performers solo recital. The second half of the program will be devoted entirely to Franz Liszt’s B minor piano sonata. The program will begin with Busoni’s arrangement of six of Johannes Brahms’ Opus 122 chorale preludes originally composed for organ. This will be followed by Fred Hersch’s “Variations on a Folk Song.” [updated 6/8, 3:55 p.m.: The Hersch composition on the program will be changed to“Songs Without Words.”] Hersch is no stranger to Herbst Theatre, but this may be the first time his music has been performed in Davies. The first half of the program will conclude with Zoltán Kocsis’ arrangement of the prelude to the first act of Richard Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde (Tristan and Isolde). Ticket prices range from $20 to $110.
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