Suntory Hall Special Stage 2022: MIDORI

From 8 to 12 November 2022, Suntory Hall presents MIDORI and colleagues in a five-day programme featuring Beethoven, including the complete violin sonatas (November 8-10), selection of piano trios (November 11), and the violin concerto (November 12). This project was originally scheduled for 2020, the Beethoven Anniversary year, but had to be postponed due to international travel restrictions to Japan for the artists.

Suntory Hall Special Stage is an occasion in which internationally famed artists are featured through a series of concerts that highlight the recent facet of their distinguished career. Previously MIDORI appeared in the Special Stage 2014, when she focused on contemporary repertoire. On this occasion, she will give five concerts in homage to Beethoven, and also to the great twentieth century artist and her dear mentor, Isaac Stern (1920-2001). “He was an artistic role model and a source of inspiration for me and for so many of my colleagues” she says.

She will share the stage with world-class colleagues. In the three-day violin sonata cycle, she collaborates with the magnificent French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, with whom she has forged a great partnership in recent years. In the concert of piano trios, combining the early trios with the well-loved Archduke Trio, she teams up with two leading chamber musicians, pianist Jonathan Biss and Antoine Lederlin, cellist of the renowned Belcea Quartet. The three players regularly come together as a trio. In the final concert of the series, MIDORI performs Beethoven’s majestic violin concerto, which is followed by the Japanese premiere of Detlev Glanert’s Violin Concerto No. 2 “To the Immortal Beloved” (co-commissioned by Suntory Hall), written in response to Beethoven’s concerto and the famous love letter he wrote in 1812. Rising American conductor Ryan Bancroft will lead the New Japan Philharmonic.

Programme

Performers:
Violin: MIDORI
Violoncello: Antoine Lederlin (Nov 11)
Piano: Jean-Yves Thibaudet (Nov 8, 9, 10)
Piano: Jonathan Biss (Nov 11)
Conductor: Ryan Bancroft (Nov 12)
Orchestra: New Japan Philharmonic (Nov 12)

Violin Sonata I
Tuesday, 8 November, 2022 7pm Main Hall

Beethoven:
Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 1 in D Major, Op. 12, No. 1
Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23
Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 8 in G Major, Op. 30, No. 3
Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 7 in C Minor, Op. 30, No. 2

Violin Sonata II
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 7pm Main Hall

Beethoven:
Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24, “Spring”
Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 6 in A Major, Op. 30, No. 1
Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96

Violin Sonata III
Thursday, November 10, 2022, 7pm Main Hall

Beethoven:
Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 2 in A Major, Op. 12, No. 2
Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 12, No. 3
Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47, “Kreutzer”

Piano Trios
Thursday, November 11 2022, 7pm Main Hall

Beethoven:
Piano Trio No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 1, No.1
Piano Trio No. 2 in G Major, Op. 1, No.2
Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 97, “Archduke”

Concerto
Friday, November 12, 2022 7pm Main Hall

Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3 in C Major, Op. 72b
Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61
Detlev Glanert: Violin Concerto No. 2, “An die Unsterbliche Geliebte”
(Japanese Premiere, co-commissioned by Suntory Hall, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra)