What was Beethoven's final symphony will launch the London Symphonia into its new season.
The professional symphony orchestra will kick off its 2023-24 season at Metropolitan United Church at 468 Wellington St. at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
"There is perhaps no more impactful way to begin London Symphonia's season than with Beethoven's Ninth,” said Andrew Chung, the orchestra's artistic producer. “This is powerful music that may be very familiar but never loses its "wow" impact on the listener.”
The concert will open with an Ojibway welcoming song composed by Andrew Balfour and feature four soloists and 200 singers from the Amabile Choirs of London, The London Singers, and the H. B. Beal Secondary School Singers.
“In addition to providing an opportunity for choristers of all ages to perform this thrilling work, we’re delighted that two of the soloists, soprano Bethany Hörst and mezzo-soprano Sophie Louise Roland are members of the faculty of the Don Wright Faculty of Music at Western University; tenor Bud Roach is a Western University grad, and bass Giles Tomkins is returning once again to perform with us,” added Chung.
Symphony No. 9 was the last complete symphony composed by Beethoven. It was first performed in Vienna in May 1824 and has gone on to become one of the most frequently performed symphonies in the world.
London Symphonia will be performing seven other concerts this season, including a Christmas show on December 9 and a performance highlighting the legacy of Black music in honour of Black history month on February 24.
The concerts can be viewed in-person or livestreamed online. Tickets range in price from $50 to $70 and are available online at londonsymphonia.ca.
