Giveaways & 33 Variations

Back in the spring of 2009 I saw a wonderful play in New York about Beethoven starring Jane Fonda. It was called 33 Variations, written and directed by Moisés Kaufman. It was the story of a terminally ill musicologist racing against her own mortality trying to solve the riddle why Beethoven wrote 33 variations of Anton Diabelli’s insipid little waltz when he was only commissioned to write a single one. I was inspired by the play to curate a number of Beethoven performances from his late period for the Philharmonic Society that we could explore together as an audience this question and others that arise about this curious time in his life. We are fortunate that this same production of 33 Variations will open at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles on January 30. Everyone gets a chance to see it. The Philharmonic Society will organize some special nights there. For information, call Heather in our office at 949.553.2422. Other late Beethoven attractions coming over the next couple of seasons will be a performance of the Diabelli Variations with pianist Marino Formenti; the Ninth Symphony and the Missa Solemnis with Sir John Eliot Gardiner, the Monteverdi Choir and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique; special exhibits, films and talks; and, of course the last five string quartets.

Two of those quartets are happening this season – the op. 132 with the Tokyo String Quartet at the Samueli on April 19, 2011, and the op. 131 arranged for string orchestra performed in our current concerts by Gidon Kremer and his Kremerata Baltica in their Orange County debut on Monday, November 1, at the Segerstrom Concert Hall.. Try to hear all of our Beethoven presentations including 33 Variations at the Ahmanson. This is another one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that we continually try to bring you.

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Were you at the Dresden Staatskapelle concert? Do you know the answer that will get you free tickets to the Monday, November 1, performance of the Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra? To jog your memory, the answer to Dean's question can be found in this blog post. Here are the directions to claim your free tickets.

What you need to do:
1) E-mail the answer to Dean's question and your contact information (name, address, e-mail, and phone number) to contactus@philharmonicsociety.org. Use subject line: Kremerata Blog Contest.
2) Bring printed confirmation letter to will-call to pick up your tickets.
3) Most importantly, ENJOY THE CONCERT!!

We will send you an e-mail confirming your tickets. One pair of tickets per household, seats chosen by best availability. Promotion runs until 3pm on Monday, November 1.