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First part of OSY winter ’25 season celebrates Ravel

The upcoming season of the Yucatán Symphony Orchestra features a variety of musical performances and celebrates the 150th birthday of composer Maurice Ravel.

Beyond his famous Bolero, which revolutionized the art of orchestration, Ravel wrote impressive works like the ballet Daphnis et Chloé, full of rhythm and new sonic colors, Le Tombeau de Couperin, and Pavane for a Dead Princess, says OSY artistic director José Areán.

“We’ll continue showcasing the talent of our orchestra’s musicians with works that highlight their abilities: our principal flutist and trumpeter Joaquín Melo and Rob Myers will perform C.P.E. Bach and a Mexican premiere of Kruglik, respectively — an illustrious son of Bach and a Mexican premiere from a living Russian composer.

“Ella Shamoyan, a member of our viola section, will shine in Bartók’s brilliant and demanding concerto. During February, the month of love, we’ll explore romantic couples through the tragic figures of Romeo and Juliet as well as Daphnis and Chloé, and we’ll present the Mexican premiere of “The Lovers,” a song cycle by Finnish composer Rautavaara, performed by Agnieszka Slavinska, the outstanding Polish soprano based in Guadalajara,” Areán continues.

“These songs feature first-rate poetic texts by the great Bohemian writer Rainer Maria Rilke, whose 150th birth anniversary we also commemorate. A Mahlerian rarity, the beautiful piece Blumine, will see its premiere in Mérida. Visits to familiar repertoire by Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky round out an energetic program alongside our brilliant guest conductors.”

The OSY season culminates with a gala performance of Bizet’s Carmen, featuring renowned vocal soloists, marking the 150th anniversary of the great French composer’s death.

The first five programs of the season have been announced:

8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, Teatro José María Iturralde y Traconis, Valladolid
8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24; noon Sunday, Jan. 26, Palacio de la Música, Mérida

  • José Areán, Artistic Director
  • Maurice Ravel, La Tumba de Couperin
  • P.I. Tchaikovsky, Romeo and Juliet Overture
  • Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 5

8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31 Sunday; noon Sunday, Feb. 2, Palacio de la Música

  • Joaquín Melo, Flute
  • José Areán, Artistic Director
  • Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, The Hebrides Overture
  • C.P.E. Bach, Flute Concerto in G Major
  • P.I. Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5

8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14; noon Sunday, Feb. 16, Palacio de la Música

  • Rob Myers, Soloist
  • Roberto Beltrán Zavala, Guest Conductor
  • Johannes Brahms, Tragic Overture
  • Vyacheslav Kruglik, Trumpet Concerto and Strings
  • Robert Schumann, Symphony No. 2

8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21; noon Sunday, Feb. 23, Palacio de la Música

  • Agnieszka Slawinska, Soprano
  • José Areán, Artistic Director
  • Gustav Mahler, Blumine
  • Einojuhani Rautavaara, Die Liebenden (The Lovers)
  • Sergei Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet Selections from Suite No. 1 and No. 2

8 p.m. Friday, March 14; noon Sunday, March 16, Palacio de la Música

  • Ella Shamoyan, Viola
  • Rodrigo Macías, Guest Conductor
  • Maurice Ravel, Pavane for a Dead Princess
  • Béla Bartók, Viola Concerto
  • Johannes Brahms, Symphony No. 3

Get tickets

Ticket sales begin Friday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the lobby of the Palacio de la Música, Calle 58, between 59 and 60, Centro, Mérida.

Online sales begin Saturday, Jan. 11 at https://sinfonicadeyucatan.com.mx/web/venta.

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