NACO, Jan. 24-25: "Beyond the Score" of Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony

The NAC Orchestra goes ’ÄúBeyond the Score¬Æ’Äù of Tchaikovsky’Äôs Symphony No. 4 on January 14 and 15

Ottawa (Canada) ’Äì The National Arts Centre Orchestra will go Beyond the Score¬Æ of Tchaikovsky’Äôs Symphony No. 4 in an intense and entertaining multi-media exploration of the composer and his music on Wednesday, January 14 and Thursday, January 15 at 8 p.m. in the NAC’Äôs Southam Hall. These Audi Signature Series concerts will be led by conductor Edward Gardner, Music Director of English National Opera since 2007and now making his NAC Orchestra debut. Beyond the Score¬Æ is narrated by Bill Richardson, host of CBC Radio Two’Äôs Saturday Afternoon at the Opera and Sunday Afternoon in Concert. The writings of Tchaikovsky and those around him will be performed by actor Greg Kramer, who was last seen at the NAC in Shakespeare’Äôs Dog and will return later this season in Peter Hinton’Äôs The Changeling.

There will be Musically Speaking Pre-Concert Chats in French both nights at 7 p.m. titled ’ÄúAu delˆÝ de la Quatriˆ®me symphonie de TchaˆØkovski’Äù with NAC Artistic Attachˆ© Paul Lefebvre.

Beyond the Score® is produced by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The CSO has presented a number of compositions in this popular concert format to great critical success and sold-out houses.

Written and created by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’Äôs creative director Gerard McBurney, Beyond the Score¬Æ is designed not only for classical music aficionados, but also for newcomers looking to delve deeper into the world of classical music. The first half of the evening offers an examination of Tchaikovsky’Äôs Symphony No. 4 illustrated with projected images to share the illuminating stories found ’Äúinside’Äù the music ’Äì its context in history, how it fits into the composer’Äôs output of works, and the details of Tchaikovsky’Äôs life that influenced its creation. Live musical examples performed by the NAC Orchestra of both Tchaikovsky and those who influenced him are called upon to illustrate the structure of the composition. After the intermission, concertgoers will return to Southam Hall with newly discovered knowledge to hear a performance of the Tchaikovsky’Äôs Fourth Symphony played in its entirety.

Beyond the Score® will be presented in English with French surtitles. Martha Gilmer of the CSO is the Executive Producer. Gerard McBurney is the Creative Director. Caroline Moores is the Production Stage Manager. The NAC Orchestra production is directed by Janet Irwin.

There is plenty of heart-wrenching material to explore in Tchaikovsky’Äôs life around 1877, the year in which he wrote this symphony. Hoping to ’Äúcure’Äù his homosexuality or at least give the appearance of ’Äúnormalcy’Äù, he impetuously married an emotionally unstable former student who was infatuated with him; separated from her just ten days later; attempted suicide shortly thereafter; and concurrently with all this, entered into an extraordinary relationship with a wealthy patroness whom he never met but with whom he exchanged what is perhaps the most famous body of correspondence in the history of music. His Fourth Symphony is unavoidably bound up in the external events of that fateful year.

Tickets for Beyond the Score¬Æ on Wednesday, January 14 and Thursday, January 15at 8 p.m. are on sale now at $19.00, $39.00, $49.00, $59.00, $69.00 and $86.00 (GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’Äôs website at www.nac-cna.ca.

Half-price tickets for students in all sections of the hall are on sale in person at the NAC Box Office upon presentation of a valid student ID card. Live Rush tickets (subject to availability) for full-time students (aged 13 to 29) are $11 at the NAC Box Office from 2 p.m. the day before the concert to 6 p.m. the day of, upon presentation of a valid Live Rush card.

Groups of 10 and more save 15% to 20% off the regular price of tickets to NAC Music, Theatre and Dance performances. To reserve your seats call 613-947-7000 ext. 384 or email grp@nac-cna.ca.