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Your Mahler Project Cheat Sheet

January 26, 2012 | Posted by LA Phil Staff in Los Angeles

Mahler cheat sheet

Just in case you were wondering what you were listening to...and this is pretty helpful for tonight, especially.

Thanks to John Bogenschutz and his Tone Deaf Comics for providing the Mahler-related chuckles.

Musical Bookends with Mahler 4 and Mahler 10

January 22, 2012 | Posted by Barry Gold in Los Angeles

When Gustavo Dudamel began his tenure as our Music Director, we played Mahler 1. It's already over two years later and here we have Mahler 1 again. But this time, especially after Thursday night's emotional performance, his interpretation has taken on a new glow and refinement. We've become his orchestra - with lightning-quick reflexes, sensitivity and virtuosity.

Thursday's performance of Mahler 1 was spellbinding - especially with the powerful way it ended with the Adagio of the 10th symphony - musically "bookending" Mahler's extraordinary but brief life. The viola section was especially poignant with its utterances, I felt.

Worth a Thousand Words

January 20, 2012 | Posted by LA Phil Staff in Los Angeles

It's been a busy few days here at Walt Disney Concert Hall - the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela arrived from...well, Venezuela; the LA Phil and the SBSOV had their first combined rehearsal for Mahler 8; the Bolívars had their first rehearsal for the upcoming Toyota Symphonies for Youth program entitled "Mahler's World"; and Gustavo and the LA Phil had their first performance of Mahler 1 and the Adagio from Mahler 10 last night. Here's the LA Times' Mark Swed's review of the performance.

Yes, you could say that there's a lot going on here. And, instead of telling you all about it (or at least any MORE about it), we thought we'd let the photos below do the talking. Enjoy!

This Week in Mahler

January 17, 2012 | Posted by LA Phil Staff in Los Angeles

Gustavo in rehearsal

With the first weekend of The Mahler Project successfully under our belts and behind us, you probably think we're ready for a well-deserved break, right?

Not on your life.

As followers of the festival know, The Mahler Project is just getting started. In fact, after an amazing opening weekend featuring Mahler 4, "Songs of a Wayfarer" and a stirring Thomas Hampson rendition of Mahler's Rheinlegendchen for an encore on Sunday night, this week is even more jam-packed with Mahler-related goodness.

Here's what's happening this week: