James Conlon Presents the Music of William Grant Still and Alexander Zemlinsky

February 2 – March 15, 2024
James Conlon curates performances and events spotlighting the rediscovery of the two composers in conjunction with the historic Los Angeles premiere of Still’s Highway 1, USA and the revival of Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg) at LA Opera

 

 

James Conlon on Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg)
Friday, February 2, 2024 at 12 p.m.
Newman Hall at University of Southern California

James Conlon gives a talk and audiovisual presentation on Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg). This program is hosted by the University of Southern California Thornton Vocal Arts and Opera Department, the USC Thornton Musicology Department, and the Max Kade Institute of Austrian-German-Swiss studies.

 

A Conversation with James Conlon on William Grant Still’s Highway 1, USA and Alexander Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg)
Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 3 p.m.
Hammer Museum

James Conlon in conversation featuring an audiovisual presentation on Still’s Highway 1, USA and Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg).
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James Conlon Curates an Evening of Music by Alexander Zemlinsky and William Grant Still
Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Pre-concert lecture at 6 pm; concert at 7 pm
The Ebell of Los Angeles

ZEMLINSKY Maeterlinck Lieder
STILL Breath of a Rose
STILL Songs of Separation: Idolatry, Poéme, Parted, If You Should Go
ZEMLINSKY String Quartet No. 4

James Conlon curates a program dedicated to the works of Alexander Zemlinsky and William Grant Still, in collaboration with LA Opera Young Artists and the Colburn School. Conlon also leads a discussion on the musical and historical significance of the music, composers, and culture of the time prior to the start of the performance.
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The Opera League of Los Angeles presents a seminar with James Conlon on Still’s Highway 1, USA and Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg)
Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

James Conlon discusses Still’s Highway 1, USA and Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg) in a lecture and audiovisual presentation.
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An Evening with James Conlon on Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg) featuring a performance by the Colburn School Quartet
Monday, February 12, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.
Holocaust Museum of Los Angeles

ZEMLINSKY String Quartet No. 3

James Conlon leads a discussion and presentation on the historical commentary around Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg) in collaboration with the Colburn School.
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James Conlon discusses Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg) featuring performances from members of the LA Opera’s Young Artist Program and LA Opera Orchestra
Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art of Art (LACMA)

ZEMLINSKY String Quartet No. 1
ZEMLINSKY Maeterlinck Lieder
STILL Breath of a Rose
STILL Songs of Separation: Idolatry, Poéme, Parted, If You Should Go
ZEMLINSKY String Quartet No. 2

James Conlon leads a discussion on Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg), with a performance featuring musicians of the LA Opera Orchestra, as well as songs by William Grant Still and Zemlinsky in collaboration with LA Opera’s Young Artist Program.
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James Conlon conducts six performances of William Grant Still’s Highway 1 USA and Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (Der Zwerg) at LA Opera
February 24, March 3 (m), 6, 9, 14, 17 (m); evening performances at 7:30 p.m / matinee performances at 2 p.m.
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

STILL Highway 1, USA (Los Angeles premiere)
ZEMLINSKY The Dwarf (Der Zwerg)

James Conlon to lead pre-show talk in the Eva and Marc Stern Grand Hall at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion one hour before each performance.
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Panel discussion on composers suppressed by the Nazi regime
Sunday, February 25, 2024 at 3 p.m.
Villa Aurora / Thomas Mann House

SCHULHOFF Piano Suite for Left Hand Alone Preludio
KAPRÁLOVÁ Song selections
KAPRÁLOVÁ Elegie for Violin and Piano
ZEMLINSKY Maeterlinck Lieder
MARTINU Violin Sonata No. 2

As part of its ongoing series “Remembering the Exiles”, Villa Aurora hosts a panel discussion led by James Conlon and performance in collaboration with LA Opera Young Artists and the Colburn School, on composers suppressed by the Nazi regime and the quest to make their voices heard again — a mission of both Recovered Voices and the Musica Non Grata program by the National Theatre Opera and the State Opera in Prague.

 

A Musical Friendship of Two Emigres: Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Walter Arlen, featuring a pre-concert talk with James Conlon, Adam Millstein, Harvey Sachs, and Diana Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Friday, March 15, 2024
Pre-concert talk at 5:30 p.m.; performance at 7 p.m.
Thayer Hall at the Colburn School and livestreamed

CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO String Quartet No. 2 (U.S. premiere of new edition)
CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO Greeting Card for String Quartet, dedicated to Walter Arlen
ARLEN Short piano works including Monotypes, an homage to Castelnuovo-Tedesco
ARLEN Sonnet for violin and piano
CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO Greeting Cards, Waltz On the Name Gregor Piatigorsky

Dedicated to the memory of emigre, composer, and long-time Los Angeles resident Walter Arlen, this program features premieres of works by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Walter Arlen, who both fled fascism and artistic repression in Europe and made their home in Los Angeles. The concert includes the US premiere performances of a new edition of String Quartet No. 2 by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, including one written based on the name of Walter Arlen. In a pre-concert talk at 5:30 pm moderated by Recovered Voices Program Manager Adam Millstein, special guests James Conlon, Harvey Sachs, and Diana Castelnuovo-Tedesco discuss the life-defining challenges exiled artists faced in the 1930s and 40s and what must be done today to keep their work alive.
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