Renowned German Orchestra to Visit Bethlehem

One of Germany’s finest orchestras, the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn will perform Beethoven’s monumental Symphony No. 5 and the Emperor Piano Concerto No. 5 at Zoellner Arts Center on Friday, March 8 at 8 pm.

Tickets are $45/36. Senior, student, group and LVAIC discounts are available. Contact Ticket Services at 610-758-2787, ext. 0, visit Tuesday 12-6 pm, Wednesday through Friday from 12-5 pm, Saturday 1l am -1 pm, and 90 minutes before curtain, or order online at www.zoellnerartscenter.org.

Founded more than 100 years ago, the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn has become a key pillar of cultural life in Bonn and the surrounding region, also serving as the official orchestra of the historic Bonn Opera House.

The full-sized orchestra, led by music director Stefan Blunier, will perform one of the most recognizable and important works in classical music. Canadian pianist Louis Lortie, who studied with Beethoven specialist Dieter Weber and American virtuoso Leon Fleisher, joins the ensemble for the masterful "Emperor" Piano Concerto.

In conjunction with the performance, award-winning musician Eugene Albulescu, the artistic director and chief conductor of the Lehigh University Philharmonic Orchestra, discusses Beethoven and the composer’s works at 7pm. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Beethoven Orchestra Bonn Conductor Stefan Blunier was born in 1964 and made an international name for himself during his studies in Bern and at Folkwang College in Essen with his piano evenings, radio productions and song recitals.

His first recording with the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn featured Schönberg’s orchestral works and was released by MDG in November 2009. At the start of the 2010-2011 season, Blunier was named Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestre National de Belgique in Brussels.

French-Canadian pianist Louis Lortie achieved international recognition by his mid-twenties. Complete cycles of the 32 Beethoven sonatas have been given in London, Toronto, Berlin, and Milan.

Acknowledging one of his London appearances, the Daily Telegraph described Lortie as "one of perhaps half a dozen pianists who is worth dropping everything to go and hear."