Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Embarking on 12-Concert European Tour, Providing Opportunity for Region to Connect with Global Business Leaders

Music Director Manfred Honeck will lead the world-renowned Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) on a 12-concert European Festivals Tour presented by BNY Mellon from Aug. 23 to Sept. 12, 2011.

Maestro Honeck will lead the PSO at the prestigious Lucerne Festival in Switzerland (Sept. 3), Berlin Festival in Germany (Sept. 11), as well as concerts in Wiesbaden (Aug. 26) and Hamburg , Germany (Aug. 27), Vilnius, Lithuania (Aug. 29), Paris (Sept. 7). The orchestra also will perform two concerts at the Grafenegg, Austria, on Sept. 1 & 2, at the Beethoven Festival in Bonn on Sept. 9 & 10. Additional performances in the United Kingdom will be announced at a later date.

Violin virtuoso Anne-Sophie Mutter and acclaimed pianist Hélène Grimaud will join the PSO on tour.

Mutter will appear in Wiesbaden, Hamburg, Vilnius, Grafenegg, Lucerne, the U.K., Bonn and Berlin, playing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto and Wolfgang Rihm’s Gensungene Zeit and Lichtes Spiel, both written for her. Grimaud will appear with the PSO in Grafenegg, the U.K., Paris and Bonn, playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4.

The tour program also will feature Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, Braunfels’ Fantastic Appearances of a Theme by Hector Berlioz and Wagner’s Prelude to Lohengrin.

"I am thrilled to return to the music capitals in Europe with the Orchestra and Manfred Honeck, who both received tremendous accolades on their previous tour," PSO President and CEO Lawrence Tamburri said. "Honeck is a master of the core Austro-German repertoire, which historically is part of the PSO heritage."

"Touring Europe with our wonderful musicians is always a special experience for me," Honeck said. "It is fantastic to make music with our world-class orchestra in some of the finest concert halls in the world."

The PSO would like to recognize and thank BNY Mellon for its presenting sponsorship of the 2011 European Festivals Tour.

"BNY Mellon is proud to be the presenting sponsor of 2011 PSO European Festivals Tour, which showcases the PSO’s formidable artistic talent and bolsters its international reputation among the world’s elite symphony orchestras," said Vince Sands, Chairman of BNY Mellon of Pennsylvania.

International touring is also made possible, in part, by the Hillman Endowment for International Performance.

The PSO also is continuing its partnership, now entering in its sixth year, with the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance to promote the Pittsburgh region in Europe.

“We are excited to join forces with BNY Mellon and the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance yet again,” Tamburri said. “The Pittsburgh region routinely gets chosen as one of the most livable areas in the United States and we are honored to serve as ambassadors and tell the world about this great region.”

“A city and region of bridges, Pittsburgh has become internationally recognized for creating partnerships that are, in fact, bridges connecting us to the world. The partnership with the PSO is just one example of how diverse organizations and individuals come together to introduce this exceptional live-work-play destination,” said PRA President Dewitt Peart.

“Showcasing the PSO, one of our best cultural assets, and engaging with global business leaders let us nurture established relationships and build new friendships that bring investment to our region. The PRA is excited to return to Europe, promoting the opportunities for international business investment in southwestern Pennsylvania. In fact, CEOs of companies abroad have been asking, ‘When are you coming back?’ The anticipation seems to be mutual,” Peart said.