What to Hear Next Season: Library of Congress

See my preview of the 2011-2012 season at the Library of Congress:

The Library of Congress Free Classical Music Concerts Preview (Washingtonian, July 29):

Washingtonians can be spoiled by getting so much culture for free, from the museums of the Smithsonian to the startling number of free concerts one can hear each season. Some of the best concerts every year, free or otherwise, are presented by the Library of Congress on a long-standing free concert series. These concerts recommend themselves, not least for the gorgeous acoustic of the auditorium named for Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, the patron who helped establish a concert series at the library in 1925. Listeners can reserve tickets in advance through Ticketmaster, for the usual processing fees, or you can show up early to wait for an unclaimed seat. The Coolidge Auditorium is on the lower floor of the Jefferson Building: enter through the door under the large staircase at the First Street, Southeast, entrance. Again, due to security checks at the door, early arrival is recommended.

Among the highlights of the upcoming season are concerts for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Hungarian composer Franz Liszt: a recital of Liszt’s Les Années de Pèlerinage by Canadian pianist Louis Lortie (October 19), an evening of songs from Liszt’s time by baritone Martin Bruns and fortepianist Christoph Hammer (October 22); and a program of music by Bartók, a fellow Hungarian composer, with members of the Budapest Festival Orchestra and pianist Jenő Jandó (October 25). New York’s audacious Cygnus Ensemble visits twice, first with some guest artists in a program pairing Fritz Kreisler with modern composer Harold Meltzer (February 3). This concert highlights the Fritz Kreisler Collection at the Library of Congress, including performances on Kreisler’s priceless Guarneri del Gesù violin. They will also provide live music for a fascinating performance of a new version of Samuel Beckett’s Ohio Impromptu (March 7). [Continue reading]

What Else to Hear Next Season
Washington Performing Arts Society | Opera | National Symphony Orchestra
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra | Vocal Music | Chamber Music | Early Music | Phillips Collection | Washington Ballet | Dance