Michael Tilson Thomas begins 2012 with two concert series with the San Francisco Symphony. His first program with the orchestra includes Liszt’s symphonic poem Prometheus, Tchaikovsky’s First Symphony “Winter Dreams,” and Ligeti’s Violin Concerto, featuring the German violinist Christian Teztlaff. Listeners can watch MTT in an open rehearsal of this program on January 5. The concerts take place at UC Davis’s Mondavi Center on January 5 and then at Davies Symphony Hall on January 6, 7 and 8. Click here to learn more. 

On January 12, 13, and 14, MTT conducts three semi-staged performances of Debussy’s Le martyre de Saint Sébastien with the  San Francisco Symphony and Chorus. This large-scale work features a full chorus with three soloists: soprano Karina Gauvin and mezzo-sopranos Sasha Cooke and Leah Wool. The performances will be narrated by Frederica von Stade, who will provide introductions to each of the five sections of Debussy’s musical drama, originally composed as incidental music to a mystery play of the same name. Click here to learn more and purchase tickets.

Watch MTT discuss one of his favorite pieces, Debussy’s Le martyre de Saint Sébastien