There’s a lot going on!
On March 12th, Amy Beach’s Gaelic Symphony returned to the Philadelphia Orchestra’s repertoire. The orchestra last performed Beach’s Symphony in E minor, “Gaelic” in January 1919—the year before the passage of the 19th amendment. The performance highlights Women’s History Month and serves as part of the ensemble’s efforts to promote gender parity in its programming. As Philadelphia critic Cameron Kelsall remarked, “No one would argue there isn’t still a way to go in that department – this season’s schedule features only five female composers, and the Beach is the only work labeled a symphony” but their efforts are markers on the road to better representation for women in the orchestra’s repertoire.
Below is a recording of Beach’s “Gaelic” symphony, performed by the Copenhagen Philharmonic in April, 2024.
From March 19–22, La Co[opéra]tive (Paris) will perform Pauline Viardot’s opera, Cendrillon, directed by Bianca Chillemi. Cendrillon is the final opera by composer, pianist, and singer Pauline Viardot—one of the great women figures of French musical life in the 19th century, and whose music has been part of the late 20th and 21st century efforts to revive works by women. Premiered in 1904 when she was in her eighties, Cendrillon is Viardot’s final salon opera and includes her own original libretto. La Co[opéra]tive has revived it in a chamber opera, arranged by Jérémie Arcache.
Her libretto is notably true to Charles Perrault’s original story, Cinderella, but takes a lighter and wittier approach to its re-telling than other full-opera settings by the composer’s nineteenth century contemporaries like Massenet, Rossini, or Isouard. Though infrequently performed in the 20th century, the piece has proved popular to revive in the 21st. Collegiate operas have found it particularly good repertoire, likely for a combination of its light instrumental requirements, accessible vocal parts, and flexible staging.
In honor of Women’s History Month, Camille Poul and L’Assemblée’s 2025 Vivoin Festival performance is available to stream from arte.tv as The Venetians. Filmed at the Vivoin Festival in 2025, the performance offers a chance to explore treasures of music by women from 17th century Venice. L’Assemblée is directed by harpsichordist Marie van Rhijn. The performance is streamable until August 7, 2029.
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Hildegard of Bingen
On March 19th, the Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus (London) perform Hildegard of Bingen’s O Vis Aeternitatis on a concert with Mahler’s 2nd symphony. Conductor Kent Nagano programmed the work to complement the Mahler: “Composed around 750 years before Mahler’s symphony, it sings the same song of faith and redemption.” Hildegard’s 12th century responsory chant springs from ideas of incarnation and divine creation that she explores in her Riesencodex manuscript. The International Society of Hildegard von Bingen Studies offers an in-depth exploration of the piece, including translated lyrics, music transcribed into modern notation, and both historical and theological background of the piece.
On Friday March 20th, the Mount Vernon Virtuosi will perform their recital “Around the World in Six Cellos” at 12pm EDT at the Enoch Pratt Free Library – Central Library, Baltimore, MD (USA). Their program will feature both original and arranged works for cellos and orchestra, including: Florence’s Price’s Andante Moderato for string orchestra (arr. for cello ensemble), adapted from her first string quartet; Andai by Katherine Hu; and Sharon Farber’s Bestemming: Concerto for Cello Narrator and Orchestra. Other works by Bach, Desenne, Freddy Mercury, & Scott Joplin will also appear on the program.
Let us know what you’re listening to! Email us at infro@wophil.org