Festival Focus Week 5

FESTIVALFOCUS YOUR WEEKLY CLASSICAL MUSIC GUIDE

SUPPLEMENT TO THE ASPEN TIMES

MONDAY, JULY 26, 2021

VOL 31, NO. 5

Broadway Talents Celebrate Richard Rodgers by Elvis), or practically anything from The Sound of Music—so many of these songs are It’s said that somewhere in the world Richard embedded into our cultural DNA. “He was Rodgers’s music is heard on stage every night so incredibly prolific,” Einhorn says. “There of the year. Without him, the Broadway musical was a love language between Rodgers writas we know it would have been something else ing the music and the lyricist that he worked entirely. To celebrate the works of this legend- with, where the songs really spoke to us, to ary composer, the Aspen Music Festival and our heart directly, and to our core.” School (AMFS) and Theatre Aspen are joining The evening highlights songs that Einhorn forces to present The Sweetest Sounds: The and Price feel celebrate the human spirit. Music of Richard Rodgers, August 2 and 3 at the “We’re going to give some good historical Benedict Music Tent. background on who Rodgers was as a perThis two-night tribute celebrates the musi- son, as well as the shows that he’s written,” cal output of Rodgers and his two most fre- Einhorn explains. “I think the audience is quent collaborators: Oscar Hammerstein II going to come in for 90 minutes of pure healand Lorenz Hart. The sheer volume of works ing, celebration, and joy and will leave with a created by these pairings—Rodgers & Hart smile on their face. They’re really going to get and Rodgers & Hammerstein—is unmatched the chance to go down memory lane.” by any other Broadway composer. To transport audiences into the world This year’s co-presenof Rodgers, the songs tation between the AMFS will be performed by top and Theatre Aspen builds “I think the audience Broadway talent: Christy on the success of 2019’s Altomare (Anastasia); is going to come in collaboration, South Tony-nominat­ed Brandon for 90 minutes of pure Victor Dixon (The Color Pacific, and reunites leading Broadway music direcPurple, Hamilton); Tonyhealing and joy . . . ” tor and conductor Andy winner Santino Fontana Andy Einhorn Einhorn and the Aspen (Tootsie); and Mandy Broadway music director Festival Ensemble with Gonzalez (In the Heights, and conductor Tony-nominated stage Wicked). director Lonny Price. “They’re all wonderful Featuring timeless tunes from The Sound people and they’re going to be terrific interof Music, Oklahoma!, The King and I, State preters of the music,” Einhorn notes. “I love Fair, and more, the music is “as good as it finding spectacular voices who also have gets,” says Einhorn. Whether it’s “My Funny great personalities who can really showcase, Valentine,” “Blue Moon” (made famous not only their own talent, but also elevate SHANNON ASHER

Festival Focus Writer

Broadway music director and conductor Andy Einhorn conducts the Festival Symphony during the 2019 season’s joint AMFS­–Theatre Aspen production.

what is in the music and words.” Though this will not be a fully staged theatrical production, Einhorn says the major story elements from each of the selected musicals will be evident: “There will be some particular sequences where it’ll definitely be like we’re excerpting a bit from the show.” Although some of the songs are now more than 70 years old, Einhorn thinks the reason the music remains timeless is that “They are full of heart, full of love, and full of the most gracious wisdom that I could ever imagine. Every time you hear one of these songs, I equate it to being in Aspen on a snowy day with a great fire in front of you, and you’ve never felt so good in your life.”

A Quintessentially Pianistic Program JESSICA MOORE

AMFS Director of Marketing

Pianist Behzod Abduraimov, who impressed audiences last summer with his virtual AMFS recital, performs in Aspen on July 30 and August 4.

Pianist Behzod Abduraimov returns to Aspen for two performances that place piano repertoire at center stage. In the first, on Friday, July 30, he performs Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Aspen Chamber Symphony, and on Wednesday, August 4, he presents a solo recital. With an international touring schedule that features engagements in the major capitals of the world, Abduraimov’s career has taken him miles away from his hometown of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. AMFS’s Vice President for Artistic Administration and Artistic Advisor Asadour Santourian says, “He emerged on the world stage as a tween, and then a teen, and has maintained an

unbelievable star trajectory his entire young life.” A regular in Aspen since his 2016 Festival debut, Abduraimov’s programmatic focus this season is wholly pianistic—a fact that sounds entirely obvious given his instrument of choice, yet is noteworthy because the featured composers—Beethoven, Scarlatti, Schumann, and Rachmaninoff—were all pianists themselves. The demands on the performer are not only technical, but also require a certain maturity of expression. Santourian feels Abduraimov has certainly reached the appropriate stage of his artistic development to tackle such programmatic choices. “He always demonstrated maturity as an artist, regardless of age, and now he’s

Citing the composer’s particular skill at interweaving lyrics with melodies in an unforgettable way, Einhorn says, “For some reason, every time Richard Rodgers did it, we seem to remember it. The lyrics are simple but not simplistic. They’re not overly psychological. They’re actually the language of love and sound like normal people speaking, which is why we’re able to relate to it.” Einhorn continues, “There’s always something still to be discovered with this music. I think that’s a big thing that we’ve all lost out on in the last 16 months, is that real ability to connect with people. I feel like this new material will really speak to people and will be a wonderful healing moment for all of us.”

Also this week . . . Special Event: A Recital by Daniil Trifonov piano TUESDAY, JULY 27 | 7 PM Benedict Music Tent The London Times called him “without question, the most astounding pianist of our age.” Grammy Award– winning Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov has enjoyed a spectacular ascent as a solo artist, champion of the concerto repertoire, chamber and vocal collaborator, and composer. Don’t miss his Aspen recital, which features works by Debussy, Szymanowski, Prokofiev, and Brahms.

See Abduraimov, Festival Focus page 3

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