RECENT NEWS
Opéra National de Lorraine has reengaged Jonathan Schiffman for a double-bill production in March 2010 featuring Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti, and Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortilèges.
Jonathan Schiffman has just signed a contract for worldwide representation with Intermusica. He joins a select roster of artists including Midori, Richard Goode, Mischa Maisky, Renaud Capuçon, Marin Alsop, Leonidas Kavakos, and Stanlislaw Scrowaczewski.
This past Friday, Jonathan Schiffman conducted Orchestre Lyrique de Région Avignon-Provence's season finale subscription concert. The concert featured Verdi's La Forza del Destino Overture, Verdi's Te Deum, and Mahler's Symphony No. 1. The concert was met with a prolonged standing ovation from a packed house. Click here for press reviews.
This past Saturday, Jonathan made his debut in Portugal with the Orquestra Clássica da Madeira, conducting works by Suk and Dvorak, as well as Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 “The Great”. Jonathan received an immediate reengagement and will return to guest conduct in 2009.
This past weekend, Jonathan Schiffman made his debut at the Châtelet theatre in Paris, conducting a double-bill of Stravinsky’s “Les Noces” (one sung in french, one sung in russian) with the Opéra National de Lorraine. Both performances were tremendously well received by the public and the press.
This past weekend, Jonathan Schiffman led a performance of the rarely performed original version of Honegger’s oratorio “Le Roi David” in Avignon with Orchestre Lyrique de Région Avignon-Provence, the Choeur Région PACA, soloists Andra Büchel, Isabelle Ruban, Thierry Camacho, and narrators Eva Biermann and Serge Barbuscia. Click here for press reviews. Orchestre Lyrique de Région Avignon-Provence and the Choeur Région PACA will reunite under Jonathan’s direction in June of 2009 with performances of Bernstein’s Chichestrer Psalms, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
This past weekend, Jonathan Schiffman made a greatly acclaimed debut with the Opéra National de Lorraine, performing a unique triple-bill of Stravinsky's "Les Noces". The performance began with a concertante version of the original and rarely performed 1917 version of "Les Noces"(sung in russian), followed by the famous Nijinska choreography of the 1923 version of "Les Noces" (sung in french), and ending with an operatic version created by the Finnish choreographer Tero Saarinen (sung in russian). This final version marks the first time in history that Stravinsky's "Les Noces" has been sung from memory.
Jonathan has been reengaged by the Orchestre National de France, following a successful subsciption concert debut in 2006, to conduct several new works at the Festival Présences in Toulouse on January 18, 2008.
Jonathan and Orchestre Lyrique de Région Avignon-Provence performed a triumphant season opening concert this past Friday to a packed house. The concert featured Bernstein's "Three Dance Episodes", Ellington's "Solitude", Dvorak's 9th Symphony "From the New World" as well as Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" with Vahan Mardirossian as soloist. The concert was met with a standing ovation after both halves resulting in a total of 5 encores. Click here for press reviews.
Orchestre Lyrique de Région-Avignon's 2007-2008 subscription season catalogue is now available. Click here to download catalogue.
Jonathan has been reengaged by Kammeroper München to conduct a new production entitled "Haydn Abend" on September 15 & 16th, 2007 in Bad Kissingen and in Munich's famous Nymphenburg Schloss. For further details, consult "concerts" page.
Jonathan will make his operatic debut in Germany on June 29th and 30th with Kammeroper München, conducting scenes from several Rossini operas. The performances will take place at Gotha’s famous Ekhof Theatre, the oldest preserved baroque theatre in the world.
BREAKING NEWS: Jonathan Schiffman has just been named Music Director of the Orchestre Lyrique de Région Avignon-Provence. Jonathan will conduct an average of 20 symphonic concerts and 2 opera productions each season.
Last week, Jonathan Schiffman led the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra in a concert at Symphony Space which featured the world premiere of Mr. Schiffman's Three Streets as well as works by Mozart and Dvorak. Three Streets was well received by both the orchestra and audience.
In April 2008, Jonathan will make his debut at Paris' famed Théatre du Chatelet, conducting 3 performances of Stravinsky's "Les Noces" with Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy.
January 24, 2007:
One month after making his debut with Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy, Jonathan Schiffman has been reengaged to conduct six performances of an "all-Stravinsky" program in December 2007. The program features both the 1917 and 1923 versions of "Les Noces". The 1917 version is scored for large orchestra and chorus (sung in russian). The 1923 version is scored for four pianos, six percussionists and chorus (sung in french).
December 23, 2006:
After making a well-received subscription concert debut with the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra earlier this month (See review), Jonathan Schiffman has been reengaged to conduct next season's inaugural subscription concert in September 2007. He is one of four finalists being considered for the music director post. In addition, he is currently a music director finalist for two important European orchestras: Orchestre Lyrique de Region Avignon (France) and Orchestra Sinfonica Abruzzese (Italy)
December 15, 2006:
Yesterday, Jonathan Schiffman made an extraordinarily successful debut with Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy in France. His performance of Sibelius’ Rakastava Suite and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 5 was met with a standing ovation (the first time in the orchestra’s recent history). The fully packed Salle Poirel hall was then treated to an encore performance of Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 21. As a result of the audience’s incessant applause, the encore was repeated three times! (another first in the orchestra’s history). Jonathan promptly received a dual reengagement to return as guest conductor in early 2008 as well as to work with the Opéra National de Lorraine on an upcoming production of Andre Chenier.
October 30, 2006:
This past Saturday, Jonathan Schiffman made a triumphant return to L'Aquila to conduct the inauguration concert of Orchestra Sinfonica Abruzzese's 2006-2007 subscription season in the fully pacted Teatro Communale. The program featured Mozart's Clemenzo di Tito Overture, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major with famed pianist Boris Petrushansky and Bizet's Symphony in C. After several repeated curtain calls, Mr. Schiffman ended the evening on a magically serene note, with Bizet's Berceuse from the Jeux d'Enfants Suite performed as an encore. This concert marks Mr. Schiffman's 2nd subscription concert appearance with this orchestra within the past 6 months. He is among a select group of candidates being considered for the "Principal Conductor" post.
October 6, 2006:
This week, Jonathan Schiffman finished his orchestral transcriptions of three of Brahms' Opus 122 Chorale-Preludes. He will conduct these transcriptions in concert on November 16th with the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Space in New York City. The concert also features Sibelius' Rakastava, Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1 with Antoine Zemor as soloist, and Brahms' Symphony No. 4
September 4, 2006:
This week, Jonathan Schiffman made his conducting debut in Asia with the Daejeon Philharmonia (Daejeon is South Korea's 3rd largest city with a population of nearly 2 million). The concert, featuring music by Bartok, Dvorak, Sarasate, and Borodin was extremely well received. As a result, Jonathan led the orchestra in 2 encores.
The New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra has commissioned Jonathan Schiffman to compose an opening work for their Feburay 23rd, 2007 concert to be performed in New York City's "Symphony Space" Theatre. Jonathan will conduct this concert which also features Mozart's Flute Concerto in D Major (with NASO concerto competition winner Sooyun Kim) and Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 "From the New World". Jonathan has served as Principal Conductor of the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra since 2004.
August 26, 2006:
This week, Jonathan Schiffman led Orchestra Sinfonica di Lecce in a pair of highly successful concerts featuring 5 of Dvorak's "Slavonic Dances", Mozart's D Minor Piano Concerto with extraordinary pianist Pietro de Maria, and Copland's Suite from "Billy the Kid".
August 11, 2006:
Jonathan Schiffman will conduct an all-Mozart concert with the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra on December 3rd 2006. During the 2002/2003 season, while still a student at Juilliard, Jonathan served as both assistant conductor of the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra and founding music director of the Ridgefield Symphony Youth Orchestra.
August 6, 2006:
Jonathan Schiffman has been invited to inaugurate Orchestra Sinfonica Abruzzese's 2006-2007 subsciption concert series this coming October 28th. In March 2006, Jonathan led this orchestra in a pair of acclaimed subsciption concerts.
June 20, 2006:
Jonathan Schiffman has been invited to conduct several concerts with Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire in April and May 2007. The concerts will be performed in several locations throughout the Loire Valley including the cities of Nantes and Angers. The program will include works by Stravinsky, Haydn, Beethoven, and esteemed young American composer Robert Paterson.
March 10, 2006:
After a well received debut with Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana in June 2005, Mr. Schiffman returned to Palermo last week to conduct a series of 3 subscription concerts with this orchestra featuring Sibelius' Valse Triste, Chopin's Krakoviac and Grande Polonaise with pianist Vitalij Kuprij, and Rachmoninoff's Symphonic Dances. For a review of this concert, click here.
Last week, Jonathan Schiffman made his subscription concert debut with the Orchestre National de France at the Théatre de Champs-Elysée in Paris. Mr. Schiffman was called in on short notice to replace Music Director Kurt Masur in the European premiere of Wolfgang Rihm's "Dritter Doppelgesang for Clarinet and Viola" featuring esteemed soloists Michel Portal and Gérard Caussé. The performance of this demanding 4 movement 35 minute concerto was enthousiastically received. For an excerpt of a review of this concert from "Le Monde", click here. Mr. Schiffman's affiliation with the National Orchestra of France began in November, 2004, when, through a competitive audition process, he was selected as both Kurt Masur and the orchestra's first choice for the post of Assistant Conductor. Since then, Mr. Schiffman has assisted several subscription series including a 2 week tour to the United States and a concert performance of Ravel's opera "L'Enfant et les Sortileges".