- Maurice RAVEL Suite from Ma Mère l’Oye (Mother Goose)
- CLAUDE VIVIER Lonely Child
- Maurice RAVEL Piano Concerto in G major
- Maurice RAVEL Boléro
- ≈ 2 hours · With intermission
Alexander Shelley and the NAC Orchestra offer a French-inspired program featuring contrasting works by jazz-influenced French composer Maurice Ravel and Quebec’s doomed visionary Claude Vivier.
In his Mother Goose Suite, Ravel takes the listener gently by the hand, leading us into the world of fairy tales, culminating in a glittering soundgarden of magical childhood memories.
In Vivier’s Lonely Child, acclaimed Canadian soprano Erin Wall inhabits both the innocent world of a child and the often-difficult world of an adult, giving voice to our search for simple and unconditional love.
Calgary-born pianist Jan Lisiecki has become an international sensation, winning a coveted Echo Klassik Award for his 2016 recording of works by Chopin. He performs Ravel’s dazzling, jazz-influenced Concerto in G, deftly navigating its textures and harmonies, with virtuosic technique that will leave you breathless.
Ravel’s unforgettable one-movement Boléro ranks among the most listened to classical pieces of all time, with it simple, beguiling opening phrase, repeating and building into an erotic crescendo. Since its 1928 premiere by the Paris Opera’s Ballet, Boléro has become a part of our artistic psyche, embraced by movie-makers, rap artists, skaters, and video game designers alike.