Program Includes Handel Arias Plus Works by Boccherini, Zelenka, Handel/Halvorsen and Falla

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2009, AT 8 PM

The Los Angeles Philharmonic presents its fifth Chamber Music Society series performance of the 2008/09 season spotlighting members of the LA PHIL and soprano Kate Royal in her Walt Disney Concert Hall debut, Tuesday, March 17, at 8 p.m. Later the same week, Royal performs as soloist with the LA Phil.

British-born Kate Royal, described by Opera News as having "a very sexy, sensual approach to the voice" is an exclusive EMI recording artist. Her debut album was praised by the critics: "a lyric soprano of rare loveliness" The Sunday Times, London and her second disc titled Midsummer Night will be released in June of this year.

The program opens with Spanish composer and virtuoso cellist Luigi Boccherini’s Flute Quintet in F, G. 437 performed by LA Phil musicians Catherine Ransom Karoly, flute; Varty Manouelian, violin; Ingrid Hutman, viola; and Jonathan Karoly and Daniel Rothmuller, cellos. The evening continues with three arias by Handel, featuring soprano Kate Royal. The first, titled Sweet Bird that shun’st thenoise of folly also features Catherine Ransom Karoly, flute, Varty Manouelian and Mitchell Newman, violins, Hutman, viola, Jonathan Karoly, cello, and Lucinda Carver, harpsichord. Eternal Source of Light Divine and Let the Bright Seraphim follow, featuring James Wilt, trumpet, and Phillip Smith, organ.

The performance continues with Baroque bassist Zelenka’s Trio No. 5 in F (for two oboes and continuo), performed by Ariana Ghez and Anne Marie Gabriele, oboes; Shawn Mouser, bassoon; Chris Hanulik, bass; and Carver, harpsichord. The evening continues with violinist and conductor Johan Halvorsen’s flamboyant adaptation of Handel’s Passacaglia featuring Stacy Wetzel, violin, and Minor Wetzel, viola. The program closes with Manuel de Falla’s radical Harpischord Concerto, originally written for the pioneering Polish-French harpsichordist Wanda Landowska, performed by Joanne Pearce Martin, harpsichord, Sarah Jackson, flute, David Howard, clarinet, Anne Marie Gabriele, oboe, Barry Socher, violin and Daniel Rothmuller, cello.

The LA PHIL's Chamber Music Society’s 2008/09 season at Walt Disney Concert Hall includes two series of four concerts performed by members of the orchestra, along with distinguished guest artists. Upcoming programs are March 31 and April 28; the season concludes May 26, with Christoph Eschenbach, piano.

KATE ROYAL, a native Londoner and former student at the Guildhall School of Music and the National Opera Studio, won the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Award and the John Christie Award in 2004 and the 2007 Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist Award. She made her Glyndebourne Festival debut in 2004 when, as the understudy, she was called on at the last moment to perform the role of Pamina in Die Zauberflöte. Glyndebourne subsequently booked her to sing the Countess (Le nozze di Figaro) and Governess (The Turn of the Screw) for Glyndebourne on Tour and Helena (A Midsummer Night's Dream) and Micaela (Carmen) for the Glyndebourne Festival. Royal has also sung the roles of Miranda (Adès: The Tempest) and Pamina at the Royal Opera House, Helena for Teatro Real, Madrid, Poppea for English National Opera and Countess Almaviva for the Aix-en-Provence Festival. Royal has appeared in concert with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment/Simon Rattle, the Bach Akademie Stuttgart/Helmut Rilling, National Symphony Orchestra (Washington)/Rilling, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic/Vassily Petrenko and the Berliner Philharmoniker/William Christie, as well as in recital throughout Europe and North America. Royal signed an exclusive contract with EMI Classics in 2006. Her first, eponymous CD for the label was released the following year to unanimous critical acclaim. Kate also performed the solo in Paul McCartney's oratorio Ecce Cor Meum, both on the EMI Classics recording and in concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Upcoming 2009 engagements include Haydn's Die Schöpfung with the BBC Philharmonic/Noseda, Die Zauberflöte (Pamina) and Carmen (Micaela) with the Bayerische Staatsoper, the title role in Handel's Susanna with Les Arts Florissants/Christie in the U.K., Spain, Romania, Austria, France and Holland and recitals in London (Wigmore Hall), Barcelona, Bilbao, Santiago del Compostela and Geneva.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable places anywhere to experience music — Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the Association's involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational programs, community concerts and children's programming, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2009, AT 8 PM

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL

111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles



Chamber Music Society



MEMBERS OF THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

KATE ROYAL, soprano



BOCCHERINI Flute Quintet in F, G. 437

CATHERINE RANSOM KAROLY, flute

VARTY MANOUELIAN, violin

INGRID HUTMAN, viola

JONATHAN KAROLY, cello

DANIEL ROTHMULLER, cello





HANDEL Sweet Bird that shun’st the noise of folly

KATE ROYAL, soprano

CATHERINE RANSOM KAROLY, flute

VARTY MANOUELIAN, violin

MITCHELL NEWMAN, violin

INGRID HUTMAN, viola

JONATHAN KAROLY, cello

LUCINDA CARVER, harpsichord



HANDEL Eternal Source of Light Divine

KATE ROYAL, soprano

JAMES WILT, trumpet

PHILIP SMITH, organ



HANDEL Let the Bright Seraphim

KATE ROYAL, soprano

JAMES WILT, trumpet

PHILIP SMITH, organ



ZELENKA Trio No. 5 in F (for two oboes and continuo)

ARIANA GHEZ, oboe

ANNE MARIE GABRIELE, oboe

SHAWN MOUSER, bassoon

CHRIS HANULIK, bass

LUCINDA CARVER, harpsichord



HANDEL-HALVORSEN Passacaglia

STACY WETZEL, violin

MINOR WETZEL, viola



FALLA Harpsichord Concerto

JOANNE PEARCE MARTIN, harpsichord

SARAH JACKSON, flute

DAVID HOWARD, clarinet

ANNE MARIE GABRIELE, oboe

BARRY SOCHER, violin

DANIEL ROTHMULLER, cello

Tickets ($24 - $49) are on sale now at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office, online at LAPhil.com, or via credit card by phone at 323.850.2000. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For information, please call 323.850.2000.

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Sophie Jefferies, sjefferies@lapphil.org, 213.972.3422; Lisa Bellamore, lbellamore@laphil.org, 213.972.3689; Photos: 213.972.3034