Modals
Renée Fleming, soprano
Hina & Fiona, violin duo
Pacific Symphony
Alexander Shelley, conductor
John Corigliano
The Red Violin: Suite for Two Violins and Orchestra (World Premiere, 2026)
Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene
A multimedia experience inspired by inspired by Renée Fleming’s 2023 Grammy Award-winning album including works by Edvard Grieg, Franz Liszt, Gabriel Fauré, Reynaldo Hahn, Nico Muhly, Caroline Shaw and Kevin Puts
Program Note
I composed the Suite from The Red Violin shortly after the film opened in 1999. Using the same orchestration as the film (strings, harp, and percussion), I wanted to capture the wild virtuosity of the solo violin and the long melodies that were in the score. After a flurry of orchestral violins, the lower strings play a seven chord progression. These chords were the first thing composed in the score, and above them, I built all the melodies used in the film. The most noteworthy melody was called “Anna’s Theme” because it represented the wife of the violin maker, and later, the red violin itself. This theme is first heard in the orchestra, but then it becomes the opening melody in the solo violin. The suite progresses through various sections of the film, but the seven primary chords and “Anna’s Theme” are always present. After a huge climax, the work resolves into a tender whisper. This year, I have been asked by Festival Napa Valley to adopt the original suite for one violin into a suite for two violins. The result is a wild, exuberant ride for two virtuosos. With mind-bending complexities, this is a tour de force for two special soloists, Hina and Fiona. I can’t wait to hear it...
Renée Fleming appears as part of the Manetti Shrem Vocal Arts Series.
Tonight’s video artwork is part of the Suzanne Deal Booth Visual Arts Program.