Kabaretti Hails Canadians Mathieu and Lefevre in West Coast Premiere of 'Lost Concerto'

Nir Kabaretti, the Music and Artistic Director of the Santa Barbara Symphony, will conduct the West Coast Premiere of French - Canadian composer André Mathieu‘s Concerto No. 4 for Piano and Orchestra on January 23rd and 24th, at the Granada Theater in Santa Barbara, California. The ‘Lost Concerto’ will be performed by renowned Canadian pianist Alain Lefevre, a longtime advocate and champion of Mathieu’s music.

“When I discovered Mathieu’s Concerto No. 4, I was struck not only by Mathieu’s melodic gift , keen harmonies and dramatic elements, but also by this work’s pure romantic grandeur,” explained Kabaretti. “It is a masterpiece in every way: a work worthy of introduction to a wider audience.

I am truly honoured that Alain Lefevre, who single-handedly resurrected the original piano recording and commissioned its orchestral arrangement, agreed to grace us with his talent and passion for this amazing forgotten composer. Our audience is in for a remarkable musical journey of discovery and delight!”

About Composer André Mathieu

“The Forgotten Genius,” André Mathieu (1929-1968) was a child prodigy and one of the 20^th century greatest pianists. He was born in Montreal where he studied piano and began composing at the age of four. He made his pianistic debuts in Montreal at the age of six, in Paris at seven and at Carnegie Hall at the tender age of ten. His extraordinary prowess as a composer induced no other than the great Rachmaninov to pronounce him “A genius, more so than I am.” Mathieu went on to study composition in Paris and New York and produced a large body of work during his short life span. Tragically, in his later years he suffered a disastrous love affair, succumbed to alcoholism and melancholy and died at the age of 39. His Concerto de Quebec and Rhapsodie romantique for piano and orchestra are amongst his more famous works, though it is estimated that only a quarter of his compositions were ever found.

About Conductor Nir Kabaretti

Nir Kabaretti, at the helm of the Santa Barbara Symphony since 2006, has established an outstanding international career as a dynamic and passionate conductor with vast experience in both the symphonic and operatic repertoire. A graduate of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Kabaretti was appointed Chorus Master of the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival. He served as Assistant to the Music Director of Teatro Real in Madrid, and as Conductor of Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and personal assistant of Maestro Zubin Mehta. In 2004 Kabaretti made his Teatro alla Scala di Milano debut in Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, and in 2007 he returned to La Scala for Mendelssohn’s Ballet Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Kabaretti conducted the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, L'Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquesta Filarmonica de Buenos Aires, Orquestre National du Theatre du Capitole de Toulouse, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano "La Verdi", Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel Symphony Orchestra of Rishon Le Tzion, Haifa Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Niederösterreichisches Tonkünstlerorchester, La Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid, La Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria and the Bochumer Symphoniker . He was also appointed Principal Conductor of the Raanana Symphonette Orchestra in Israel in 2002 and a year later as its Music Director till 2008.

In 2009 Kabaretti hosted world-renowned pianist Lang Lang in a Beethoven gala concert, and in 2010 he launched the season at Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, Italy, with a New Year concert.

Kabaretti’s operatic experience includes productions at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino ( Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Macbeth, Il Trovatore, Gianni Schicchi, The Journey to Rheims ), Teatro Real in Madrid ( Cenerentola, Die Walküre ), The Israeli Opera ( Fidelio, Manon Lescaut ), Opéra de Lausanne ( Nino Rota's Il Cappello di Paglia di Firenze, Die Fledermaus) and The New National Theatre in Tokyo ( The Barber of Seville ). He also conducted The Diary of Anne Frank, a visiting production of the Vienna State Opera, at both the Bregenz Festival and at Expo 2000 in Hanover. In 2005 Kabaretti led Teatro San Carlo di Napoli on its first tour to Japan conducting Il Trovatore both in Kyoto and Tokyo.

Concert Details:

“Ooh, La, La” : Santa Barbara Symphony

January 23, 3pm; January 24, 8pm

Nir Kabaretti, conductor
Alain Lefevre, piano

André Mathieu: Piano Concerto No. 4

Cesar Franck: Symphony in D minor

The Granada, 1214 State Street

Santa Barbara, California

Website: www.thesymphony.org

Tickets: (805) 899-2222

Nir Kabaretti’s official website: http://www.nirkabaretti.com

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