Barenboim and Terfel lead RLPO new season programme

Superstar pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim, baritone Sir Bryn Terfel and not one but two of the talented Kanneh-Mason siblings will be involved in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s 2022/23 season which has been revealed at a special launch in front of hundreds of people at the Philharmonic Hall.

Folk music, special anniversaries for Vaughan Williams and Rachmaninov, a Puccini screwball opera, further South American and French repertoire and a host of international pianists – including the popular Nobuyuki Tsujii - are also an important part of the new season.

Audience favourite, trumpet player Pacho Flores, returns to Liverpool as artist in residence and to expand his ‘dream team’ partnership with chief conductor Domingo Hindoyan, while pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason will also return as young artist in residence.

Meanwhile younger sibling Jeneba is also involved in the season, performing with the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra in March. And their mother Kadiatu will step into John Suchet's shoes to present the popular Spirit of Christmas concert series.

Above: Isata Kanneh-Mason. Photo by Robin Clewley. Top: Daniel Barenboim

There are also return visits for tenor Jesus Leon, accordion player Ksenija Sidorova, harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani and baritone Roderick Williams among others.

And the programme features the world premiere of a new harpsichord concerto and UK premieres of new works by Mihkel Kerem, Bernd Richard Deutsch and Nico Muhly.

There will also be a host of premieres from Ensemble 10:10 which marks its 25th anniversary with a series of concerts at the new Tung Auditorium.

One hotly anticipated date in the diary is likely to be January 14 when Daniel Barenboim appears at Hope Street, almost 50 years to the day that he last stood on the Philharmonic Hall stage. He is due to perform a piano concerto yet to be announced, with Hindoyan – who the legendary maestro mentored in Berlin early in his career – conducting.

Above: Domingo Hindoyan and artist in residence Pacho Flores. Photo by Mark McNulty

Hindoyan, who is currently in his first season as the Phil’s chief conductor, said: “It’s such a great programme. I know the orchestra better then when I planned the first season, and I also know myself better working with the orchestra together, so it’s a result of my ideal sound and what I want to achieve, but a step further from my first season.

“Also, there's the relationship with the audience which has started coming back after Covid and we can now feel is coming more and more.

“Next season we have great pieces, big pieces like Mahler's Fourth, Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony, Brahms’ Second Symphony, and then we have brilliant pieces like The Rite of Spring or the 'fiesta' repertoires. It’s colourful and full of variety.”

Sir Bryn Terfel will be joined by talented young singers from the Liverpool-based European Opera Centre for two performances of Puccini’s La Schicchi.

Above: Sir Bryn Terfel. Photo by Mitch Jenkins

Meanwhile Andrew Manze will conduct the orchestra for a screening of Scott of the Antarctic with Vaughan Williams' original score, and the Phil will also accompany a screening of ET.

Chief executive Michael Eakin said: “It ‘s wonderful to embark on a new season with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, with Domingo Hindoyan leading us for his second season as chief conductor, having established such a fantastic relationship with the Orchestra and our audiences in his first.

"I'm so excited about the direction he and the orchestra can go in together.

"With a great roster of international artists and composers, and a real breadth of music from across the repertoire, we hope to inspire and excite audiences from Liverpool, around the UK, and beyond.

“We’re thrilled to be marking the 25th anniversary of Ensemble 10:10, which is at the centre of our commitment to new music. Their programmes this season reflect that commitment, with several premieres and works from some of the most exciting composers around today.”

General booking opens on June 13. For the full season programme, visit the website HERE