Italian NIghts
Extensive accolades will certainly qualify him as one of the world’s premier artists, but it’s often the unique and accessible human quality of his playing that spreads the word of his importance in the world of concert performance.
Diane Alancraig, piccolo
The LBSO’s Diane Alancraig enjoys a versatile career as a symphony and chamber musician, solo recitalist, teacher and photographer. She has also toured widely in the US, Europe and Japan and been praised for her performances with some of the world’s most distinguished artists.
Leslie Lashinsky, contrabassoon
The LBSO’s Leslie Lashinsky is known for her performances both on the worldwide concert stage and in feature films. As a multi-media artist, and an active chamber musician she is a shining example of today’s most versatile players.
MASCAGNI
MONTANO
RACHMANINOFF VERDI
William Tell Overture
Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana*
Concerto for Piccolo and Contrabassoon*
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini*
La forza del destino Overture Prelude from Act I from La traviata
Dance of the Gypsy Girls and Entrance of the Bull Fighters from La traviata
Triumphal March and Ballet Music from Aïda
* features guest artist
Programs are listed in concert order, but are subject to change.
All concerts begin at 8 pm in the Terrace Theatre, Long Beach Performing Arts Center.
All concerts conducted by
Music Director Enrique Arturo Diemecke
By Enrique Arturo Diemecke
Italian Nights
theme by Italian violin legend Paganini. I know you’ll enjoy pianist Alessio Bax in this blockbuster.
Italian Nights once again employs one of my most favorite devices—our LBSO musicians as featured soloists. This time we have the most dramatic combination imaginable—piccolo and contrabassoon. Diane and Leslie are superb musicians, but they labor most of the time hidden in the woodwind section. Damian Montano, a local bassoonist and film score composer, has written this delightful concerto to feature the highest and lowest sounds in the orchestra. I know you will be charmed and amazed to learn how virtuosic these rarely featured instruments can be, especially when they are in the hands of our brilliant players.
The phrase Italian Nights immediately brings to mind great pasta, fruity wines, breathtaking landscapes and, most of all, romance. But for me, Italian music is always about great melodies—you can practically hear a celebrated tenor belting out the tune just by speaking the titles of these lyrical masterpieces.
This concert features great Italian orchestral music, not singing. The Intermezzo by Mascagni is perhaps the most tuneful of them all. You may not recognize the title, but I know you will swoon when you hear the tune. No descriptive words can do justice to Verdi’s melodic power or the simple pleasures of hearing Rossini’s William Tell. And who can ever forget the melody of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody? This virtuoso piano showpiece is included in this concert because it is based on a