Many of us in Western Massachusetts like to think of the Boston Symphony Orchestra as “our” orchestra in the Berkshires, thanks to their glorious outdoor concerts every summer at Tanglewood.
But you don’t have to wait until next July to hear one of the world’s greatest orchestras.
For a fraction of the price of a ticket to the New England Patriots (BSO tickets start at $20) and a drive far easier than getting in and out of a Celtics or Bruins game, you can hear world-class musicians perform some of the best-loved musical works in a jewel-box-like concert hall with pitch-perfect acoustics.
Yes, it’s time for another, spectacular Boston Symphony Orchestra season at Boston’s Symphony Hall.
“As we settle back into the routines of daily life, I believe we must seek out and treasure the activities that bring deep meaning to our lives and nurture our souls,” BSO Conductor and Music Director Andris Nelsons wrote in the program notes for the upcoming season. “This is how I feel about the return to concertizing with the BSO before its wonderful audiences, who have sustained us in so many vital ways during this past year and always. We are deeply grateful to you, as your support is crucial to the future of the BSO and its music-making.”
“We are counting the days until we reunite with you at Symphony Hall this fall,” Nelsons added.
The BSO’s 2021-2022 season kicks off Sept. 30 in Boston with a new work by John Williams featuring violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and the BSO conducted by Nelsons.
After Opening Night, the BSO doesn’t let up, with new programs nearly every week until April 30.
In between, the BSO will perform several other new works along with beloved classics by Brahms, Beethoven, Strauss and many other composers featuring some of the world’s best soloists.
Highlights include a concert performance of Alban Berg’s riveting opera, “Wozzeck” (March 10 and 12), the BSO’s continued exploration of Shostakovich (Feb. 24 – March 1, featuring violinist Baiba Skride performing Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1), six works by Richard Strauss, and the start of a Beethoven piano concerto performance cycle featuring Mitsuko Uchida (Jan. 13 – 16 featuring Beethoven Piano Concertos No. 2 and 4).
The BSO will also perform new works and American premiers of compositions by contemporary composers, including Jorg Widmann (Nov. 18 – 20), HK Gruber (Jan. 6 – 8), Julia Adolphe (Jan. 13 – 16), Kaija Saariaho (Feb. 24 – March 1), Unsuk Chin (March 3 – 5) and Bernard Rands (April 14 – 16).
Other BSO concert season highlights include:
- Violinist Lisa Batiashvili performing Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, along with Strauss’ Symphonic Fantasy on Die Frau ohne Schatten (Oct. 14 – 16)
- Electric bass player Victor Wooten performing his composition, “La Leccion Tres,” for electric bass and orchestra, along with Coleridge-Taylor’s Suite from the ballet “Hiawatha” and Ellington’s Giggling Rapids, from “The River Suite” (Oct. 28 – 31)
- An all Brahms BSO concert, featuring Symphony No.1 (Nov. 23 – 27)
- Violinist Hilary Hahn performing Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 (Jan. 6 – 8)
- Dvorak’s Symphony No. 6, along with Janacek’s monumental Glagolitic Mass featuring three soloists, a double chorus, organ and orchestra (Feb. 3 – 5)
- Pianist Yefim Bronfman performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 (Feb. 10 – 13)
- Violinist Leonidas Kavakos performing the American premiere of Unsuk Chin’s Violin Concerto No. 2 (March 3 – 5)
- Benjamin Britten’s haunting War Requiem, which was first performed 60 years ago next year (March 31 – April 2)
- Violinist Joshua Bell performing Beethoven’s passionate Violin Concerto (April 14 – 16)
- Soprano Lise Davidsen performing an all Richard Strauss program, including Strauss’ poignant “Four Last Songs” (April 21)
Like many arts organizations, the Boston Symphony Orchestra isn’t taking any chances with anyone’s health this fall. Until further notice, all concert-goers must wear a mask at all times inside the concert hall and must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test each time they enter Symphony Hall.
“By requiring vaccinations and masks, we hope that people will feel comfortable at concerts and know that we are doing all we can to create a safe environment to gather for the collective experience of live music,” President and CEO Gail Samuel said earlier this month.
Most BSO concerts take place at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at Symphony Hall in Boston. Additional BSO concerts will also be held on Fridays at 1:30 p.m. or 8 p.m. and select Sundays at 3 p.m., along with open rehearsals on certain Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
Boston’s Symphony Hall is located at 301 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston.
The full BSO season schedule can be found online.
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