California Symphony takes audiences on a musical trip to the City of Light with “Chopin in Paris”
by Darlene Jurow
“Chopin in Paris” is an enchanting ‘play with music’ on the life of the renowned pianist and composer, Fryderyk Chopin, having recently been presented at the Hofmann Theatre at Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, CA.
This production takes audiences on a musical trip to the City of Light as the California Symphony continues its season featuring all female soloists; currently having Austrian-Romanian pianist Maria Radutu returning to take center stage as she performs Frédéric Chopin’s ‘Piano Concerto No. 1 (in E minor, Op. 11)’.
This Parisian themed concert opens with French Caribbean Joseph Bologne’s ‘L’amant anonyme’ (The Anonymous Lover), an overture from one of the six surviving operas by the first prominent composer of African ancestry in Western history. It is described by Music Director Donato Cabrera as “vibrant, full of life, and the perfect calling card to reveal one of the great composers and performers of the 18th century.”
Concluding the concert is César Franck's groundbreaking ‘Symphony in D minor’ by César Franck, whose work inspired a generation of French composers. It was more popularly programmed than any of Beethoven's nine symphonies for much of the twentieth century.
The program is conducted by Music Director Donato Cabrera, celebrating his 10th year with California Symphony with an entire season of works that are new to the orchestra. Says Cabrera: “There can be many sources of inspiration for programming a concert, and Chopin’s concerto was the starting point for this concert. However, it was the extra-musical component of migration, which played a crucial role in both Chopin’s and our soloist Maria Radutu’s life, that gave me a path in finding the music for the rest of the program.”
Internationally-acclaimed pianist Maria Radutu, who returns to the California Symphony with Chopin’s ‘Piano Concerto No. 1 (in E minor, Op. 11),’ has performed as a soloist with leading orchestras throughout Europe and Asia, and made her US orchestral debut with the California Symphony in January 2017. Known for crossing artistic and musical borders, Radutu combines classical music with storytelling and modern art forms, working with composers, choreographers, and painters. Radutu is clearly the highlight of the evening as she reveals her emotions and passions, showing that there’s no filter between her and the audience. In other words, for true Chopin aficionados, it’s a night to remember!
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Photo caption: California Symphony, featuring pianist Maria Radutu, celebrates the legacy of one of the greatest composers for the piano, and takes audiences on a musical trip to the City of Light, with "Chopin in Paris," recently presented at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, CA. Pianist Maria Radutu (pictured) headlines the evening with Chopin’s "Piano Concerto No. 1" (in E minor, Op. 11).