Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Kazem Abdullah Conducts U.S. Tour of Orquestra de São Paulo in 2009-2010 Season

On January 31, 2009 AfriClassical wrote about the African American conductor Kazem Abdullah, who made his Metropolitan Opera debut Jan. 28 and 31, 2009.  In the coming classical music season, which begins in October, Maestro Abdullah will tour across the U.S. as conductor of the highly accomplished Brazilian ensemble, Orquestra de São Paulo.

Columbia Artist Management

CAMI.com
“Maestro Kazem Abdullah is quickly becoming one of the most watched young, American conductors on the scene today. Mr. Abdullah's January 28, 2009 Metropolitan Opera debut performance of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice prompted The New York Times to write, “...the conductor Kazem Abdullah, in his Met debut, who took over for James Levine...conducted a confident performance, especially during the lively dances, and was impressively responsive to the singers during their long stretches of orchestra-accompanied recitative, which must flow with a combinatiion of urgency and flexibility.”

“Twenty-nine year old Kazem Abdullah will continue his duties as Assistant and Cover Conductor for the Metropolitan Opera, working under Music Director James Levine, but in the 2009-2010 season, Kazem Abdullah will conduct the internationally renowned Orquestra de São Paulo, one of Brazil's most celebrated classical music ensembles, during its return to the United States, for the orchestra's third coast-to-coast tour.” “The orchestra interprets traditional symphonic repertoire and works by Brazilian composers, touring in South America and abroad. The Orquestra de São Paulo’s home is one of the most innovative architectural structures in the Americas, the Sala São Paulo.”  The orchestra has commissioned the Brazilian composer Marlos Nobre to compose a percussion concerto which will be premiered by Dame Evelyn Glennie, whose career as a percussion soloist is believed to be unique in the world of classical music. 







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