The Hallé Presents… Adams conducts The Chairman Dances

John Adams conductor
Leila Josefowicz violin

John Adams Scheherazade.2
John Adams The Chairman Dances
John Adams The Rock You Stand On (Hallé co-commission / UK premiere)

It was Leila Josefowicz, superstar violinist and well-known champion of John Adams’ compositions, who gave the world premiere of Scheherazade.2, a dramatic symphony for solo violin and orchestra, with the New York Philharmonic in 2015. John Adams wrote the piece especially for her, having been struck with inspiration following his visit to an Arabian Nights exhibition at the Arab World Institute, Paris. With the solo violin part representing Scheherazade, and her endless inventing of stories to spare her from her murderous husband, the work is an effective illustration of women’s persisting struggles in a patriarchal society. The Chairman Dances is a ‘foxtrot for orchestra’ – written as an ‘outtake’ to his popular opera Nixon in China it is a masterful display of minimalist music filled with texture, layers, chugging rhythms and romantic melodies. Rounding off John’s time with us in Manchester, the concert concludes with The Rock You Stand On – a brand-new commission and the opportunity to hear John Adams bring this new music to life in its UK premiere. This is going to be a very special evening.

Concert sponsor: Manchester Airports Group