The next couple of weeks will see performances of two works the likes of which have rarely, if ever, been heard behind the Orange Curtain.
On Friday, May 6, the Orange County High School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra and conductor Christopher Russell (winners of ASCAP’s award for adventurous programming) pull out the big, frosty guns of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 7, otherwise known as the “Sinfonia Antarctica,” or, as I like to call it, “La Mer on Ice.” Mr. Russell informs me that he’ll have the pipe organ, that the wind-machine sounds will be recreated electronically, and that he’ll perform the version, seldom ventured, mit Sprecher. Sir John Gielgud and Sir Ralph Richardson famously served as narrators in recordings of the work. While this Orange County performance cannot boast such stellar awesomeness in the person of said narrator, he’ll do in a pinch. (Click here or on the thumbnail photo of the poster above to see who it is!)
Then, on May 18, courtesy of Long Beach Opera, Shostakovich’s satirical operetta on Soviet-era housing shortages and bureaucracy, “Moscow, Cherry Town” (“Moscow, Cheryomushki,” Op. 105), comes to the Irvine Barclay Theatre, fully staged in an English language version. Isabel Milenski, the daughter of the company’s founder and the brilliant mind behind its production of Handel’s “Semele” (set in a “Dallas”-like Texas) a few years ago, directs.
classical life 
Tim,
Orator!! Among your many talents. Best regards.
Joe and Susan
A double treat! Wish I could be there – I’ve only heard two of RVW’s symphonies live, really want to hear them all.
I think I’ve only heard two of them live as well. Friday will make it three.
Which two? For me, it’s 1 and 4, and I’ve heard 4 twice (Botstein, mediocre; Tortelier, excellent).
I love 4, but have never heard it live. I’ve heard 2 and 6 live, but both so long ago I can hardly remember for certain or with who. I believe I heard Previn conduct 6, probably with LA Phil.
Actually, now that you mention it, I have heard 1 live. Pacific Chorale did it. Not my favorite though. Sorry.
” ‘La Mer’ on ice” Gotta love it.
I know I’ve seen the “London” performed by the LA Phil many years ago back in DCP — not sure who was conducting, perhaps Vladimir Ashkenazy? Was that the same one you saw, Tim? Maybe Dennis can confirm . . .
I can’t remember when or where I heard the VW 2 … may have been LA Phil, but I think Pacific Symphony performed it with a Brit conductor many years ago.
But I’m sure I heard Previn conduct the 6th in DCP in the 80s.
I should add that I’ve been listening to the “Sinfonia Antarctica” over the last few days and am surprised at what a strong work it is. (I hadn’t heard it in decades.) I wonder why it’s never done. Possible concert pairing: “An Alpine Symphony.”
Mea culpa – I meant the 2nd (London), which I heard just weeks ago with Vanska, not the 1st (Sea). on record, I love “A Sea Symphony,” and keep hoping SFS, which has a stupendous chorus, will perform it some year.
I’ll need to consult the database for full LA Phil history, but I recall Previn doing 2 (“London”) and 5, and Norrington and Tovey doing 2. We had a Bowl performance of the Antarctica about 7 or 8 years back, but I can’t recall who conducted.
Ah, yes, it was the Norrington performance I saw. I remember the Vaughan Williams “London” being paired with the last of the Haydn “London” symphonies (104). Here’s the review of that concert from the late, great Daniel Cariaga:
http://articles.latimes.com/1996-12-14/entertainment/ca-8841_1_roger-norrington
Thanks, Dennis.
Antarctica at the Bowl was done by the Halle Orchestra on tour in the mid-90s, if I’m not mistaken. I’m pretty sure Kent Nagano was the conductor. I was there and was excited to hear it live for the first time. I also remember that not too many people were there!