Can you believe for 50 years the Hollywood Bowl has performed Tchaikovsky’s massive 1812 Overture and concluded the performance with a massive fireworks display? This year marks that 50th anniversary and there are, as usual, two performances of the annual Tchaikovsky Spectacular this weekend on Friday and Saturday night.
Bramwell Tovey will lead the LA Philharmonic in the two performances. The program opens with Polonaise and Waltz from the composer’s opera Eugene Onegin. The opera is based on Pushkin’s novel of the same name and had its world premiere in 1879.
That will be followed by music from Act IV of Swan Lake. The ballet was first performed in in 1876. Though it was not immediately embraced, it has one of the most popular ballets performed around the world.
Next up on the program is the composer’s very popular Capriccio Italien. This work dates from 1880. If the name isn’t immediately recognizable, no doubt its music will be.
The USC Marching Band is listed on the program. Perhaps they will perform the Capriccio Italian with the Philharmonic as it was performed in the clip above by the orchestra at the Bowl in 2013.
Then there’s the reason most people show up for this concert: the 1812 Overture. The piece was written in 1880, but did not get performed until 1882. It was written to celebrate Russia’s defeat of Napoleon’s army in 1812. That battle is often referred to as the “Patriotic War of 1812.” The French national anthem, Le Marseillaise, is woven into the composition to represent Napoleon and his army.
The climactic finish of the1812 Overture is a perfect match for fireworks. Which is why this tradition has existed for half a century. My personal favorite version of this composition is one with not just cannons, but also a full choir. There won’t be a choir for this concert, but there will still be plenty of fireworks.
To get a sense of the evening, take a look at this time lapse of the Tchaikovsky Spectacular from 2009 by Adam Latham.
For tickets on Friday night go here.
For tickets on Saturday night go here.
Painting of Tchaikovsky by Nikolay Kuznetsov (Courtesy of the Tretyakov Gallery)
