The Fourth London Festival of American Music

22 - 27 October 2012

Presented by The Mornington Trust in association with Musical Elements

Lontano's Biennial Festival - created in 2006 - explores and celebrates the work of major American composers and reflects the diversity of style that is so characteristic of contemporary American music today. The festival programme was put together by Lontano's Music Director Odaline de la Martinez, one of the most enterprising musical personalities on the British music scene and the first woman to conduct a complete BBC Prom at the Royal Albert Hall.

With a wide selection of well-known and successful composers, the 2012 festival reflects new music in America today, as well as diversity of gender, generation and geography. Some of the composers Samuel Barber, Milton Babbitt and John Harbison are Deans of American music. Others, though well known in the States are rarely heard outside their native North America, and were selected specifically to treat UK audiences to a broader spectrum of the best of American composers today. Many of the composers featured will be attending the festival.

Lontano opens the festival on 22nd October with The British Connection, featuring American composers with strong British links. The programme includes A Meditation on Violence, commissioned from Arlene Sierra with funds from the PRS Foundation.

The second and fourth concerts feature two of our guest performers. They are The Fidelio Trio on the 23rd, performing Harbison, Wuorinen, Zyporin and Bright Sheng. On the 25th the renowned soprano Nadine Mortimer-Smith with pianist Tomasz Lis. Their programme includes songs cycles by William Bolcom, Peter Child and Samuel Barber with a selection of Gershwin songs.

The European Premiere of John Harbison's chamber opera Full Moon in March is heard over three nights - the 24th, 26th and 27th of October. The first half of each performance includes works by Carlos Carrillo, Shih Hui Chen, Kirsten Broberg, Fred Lerdahl, Yehudi Wyner, Aleksandra Vrebalov and many more.

Most of the pieces presented will be UK or European premieres.

Download the complete leaflet as a PDF

Download the Full Moon in March leaflet as a PDF

Booking

Online booking has now closed. Please contact the Festival Box Office on 020 8531 2764. Ticket prices include VAT.

All concerts take place at the Warehouse, 13 Theed Street, London SE1 8ST

Season Discounts

Tickets for all six concerts cost £76 (full price) or £68 (concessions).

Full Details

Programme I
22 October 2012 at 7:45 pm
THE BRITISH CONNECTION

LONTANO, Odaline de la Martinez (conductor), Charmian Bedford (soprano)

Programme II
23 October 2012 at 7:45 pm
FIDELIO TRIO

Darragh Morgan (violin), Mary Dullea (piano), Robin Michael ('cello)

Programme III
24 October 2012 at 7:45 pm
AMERICAN VOICES & OPERA I

LONTANO, Odaline de la Martinez (conductor), Charmian Bedford (soprano), Caryl Hughes (mezzo soprano), Edward Lee (tenor), Jeremy Huw Williams (baritone)

Programme IV
25 October 2012 at 7:45 pm
RECITAL

Nadine Mortimer-Smith (soprano), Tomasz Lis (piano)

Programme V
26 October 2012 at 7:45 pm
AMERICAN VOICES & OPERA II

LONTANO, Odaline de la Martinez (conductor), Charmian Bedford (soprano), Caryl Hughes (mezzo soprano), Edward Lee (tenor), Jeremy Huw Williams (baritone)

Programme VI
27 October 2012 at 7:45 pm
AMERICAN VOICES & OPERA III

LONTANO, Odaline de la Martinez (conductor), Charmian Bedford (soprano), Caryl Hughes (mezzo soprano), Edward Lee (tenor), Jeremy Huw Williams (baritone)

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