The VPO at Cal Performances

Cal Performances has done a pre-announcement of one item on the 2024-25 schedule: the Vienna Philharmonic will be back, this time conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, whom, as well all know, hasn't got enough to do as music director of both the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera. At least it's not Christian Thielemann, who led the worst concert I have ever heard from an orchestra and conductor of their respective statures.

The programming for their concerts, though - WTF. The most recent work is Richard Strauss's Ein Heldenleben, composed in 1898. Nothing from the 20th century, let alone the 21st century. Not to mention that it's all by white guys sorta like the orchestra, all of them dead.

Vienna Philharmonic                                                                               Zellerbach Hall
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor                                   Bancroft Way at Dana Street
Yefim Bronfman, piano                                                                                  Berkeley, CA 

Program: 

Wednesday, March 5, 2025 7:30pm 
Mozart/Symphony No. 41 in C major, K. 551, Jupiter
Mahler/Symphony No. 1 in D major

Thursday, March 6, 2025 7:30pm
Schubert/Symphony No. 4 in C minor, D 417, Tragic
Dvořák/Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, From the New World

Friday, March 7, 2025 8pm
Cal Performances’ 2025 Gala
Beethoven/Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
                 Yefim Bronfman, piano
R. Strauss/Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40

One way to look at it: In March, 2025, I get to hear Beethoven 3rd piano concerto for the fourth time in four years, with a pianist I have already heard play it, and the Dvorak "New World" symphony for the fourth time in four years, but it'll be YN-S and the VPO rather than [conductor] and SFS. So yay?