Skip to main content Skip to footer site map

S50 Ep5

NY Phil Reopening of David Geffen Hall

Premiere: 11/4/2022 | 00:00:30 |

Celebrate the New York Philharmonic's return to its revitalized home. Under the baton of Music Director Jaap Van Zweden the concert features performances from soloists Joélle Harvey, Kelley O’Connor, Issachah Savage and Davóne Tines.

WATCH FULL EPISODE

About the Episode

This concert special led by the New York Philharmonic Music Director Jaap van Zweden inaugurates the newly renovated David Geffen Hall. Recorded October 28, the concert features a performance of “Ode to Joy” as the finale of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony along with a world premiere work by Puerto Rican composer Angélica Negrón celebrating the ritual of gathering around music and art. Presenting a celebratory look at the orchestra’s future, Great Performances: NY Phil Reopening of David Geffen Hall premieres Friday, November 4 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings), pbs.org/gperf and the PBS Video app as part of Great Performances’ 50^th anniversary season.

Musical Selections:

“Ode to Joy” as the finale of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9
“You Are the Prelude” – Composed by Angélica Negrón with text by Ricardo Alberto Maldonado

Notable Talent:

Jaap van Zweden, NY Phil Music Director – Conductor
Joélle Harvey – Soprano
Kelley O’Connor – Mezzo-soprano
Issachah Savage – Tenor
Davóne Tines – Bass
The New York Philharmonic Chorus (Director: Malcolm J. Merriweather)

Notable Facts:

Angélica Negrón’s world premiere was commissioned by NY Phil.
Bass Davóne Tines will be making his NY Phil debut in this concert.
The October 2022 reopening of David Geffen Hall is taking place two years earlier than originally projected.

Features

Clip | NY Phil Performs Angélica Negrón’s “You Are the Prelude”

Clip | NY Phil Plays Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”

Clip | Behind the Scenes of the Reopening of David Geffen Hall

PRODUCTION CREDITS
UNDERWRITERS
TRANSCRIPT

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Directed for television by Habib Azar, Great Performances: NY Phil Reopening of David Geffen Hall is a production of The WNET Group. For Great Performances, producers are Bill Kabel, Julie Leonard and Mitch Owgang; Bill O’Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer.

About Great Performances
Throughout its 50-year history on PBS, Great Performances has provided an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America’s most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming. Showcasing a diverse range of artists from around the world, the series has earned 67 Emmy Awards and six Peabody Awards. The Great Performances website hosts exclusive videos, interviews, photos, full episodes and more. The series is produced by The WNET Group. Great Performances is available for streaming concurrent with broadcast on PBS.org and the PBS Video App , available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO

About NY Phil
The New York Philharmonic connects with up to 50 million music lovers each season through live concerts in New York and around the world, as well as broadcasts, recordings and education programs. The 2022–23 season marks a new chapter in the life of America’s longest living orchestra with the opening of the reimagined David Geffen Hall and programming that engages with today’s cultural conversations through explorations of “Home,” “Liberation,” “Spirit” and “Earth” in addition to the premieres of 16 works. This marks the return from the pandemic, when the NY Phil launched NY Phil Bandwagon, presenting free performances across the city, and 2021–22 concerts at other New York City venues. The Philharmonic has commissioned and / or premiered important works, from Dvořák’s “New World Symphony” to Tania León’s Pulitzer Prize–winning “Stride.” The Orchestra has released more than 2,000 recordings since 1917, streams performances on NYPhil+, and shares its extensive history free online through the New York Philharmonic Shelby White & Leon Levy Digital Archives. Founded in 1842, the New York Philharmonic is the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States, and one of the oldest in the world. Jaap van Zweden became Music Director in 2018–19, succeeding titans including Bernstein, Toscanini, and Mahler.

UNDERWRITERS

Series funding for Great Performances is provided by The Joseph & Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, the Abra Prentice Foundation, LLC, Jody and John Arnhold, The Starr Foundation, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, the Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, Seton J. Melvin, the Estate of Worthington Mayo-Smith, the Jack Lawrence Trust, and Ellen and James S. Marcus. Funding for Great Performances: NY Phil Reopening of David Geffen Hall was provided by Leni and Peter May.

TRANSCRIPT

♪♪ Narrator: Next on "Great Performances"... ♪♪ ...the New York Philharmonic commemorates its return to their revitalized home, the newly renovated David Geffen Hall, with a triumphant performance of Beethoven's iconic Ninth Symphony.

♪♪ Connecting the past with the present, the concert also features a world premiere by composer Angélica Negrón honoring the ritual of communities gathering to experience art and music.

[ Chorus vocalizing ] ♪♪ Join us for a joyful celebration of new beginnings with the New York Philharmonic reopening of David Geffen Hall.

[ Chorus singing in German ] ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ Major funding for "Great Performances" is provided by... ...and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

Major fund [ Vehicle horns honking ] -Good evening.

I'm Katherine Farley, Chair of the Board here at Lincoln Center.

And I'd like to welcome you as we celebrate the reopening of David Geffen Hall.

For us, this new hall is so much more than a renovation.

It's an entirely new space that we've aspired to for decades.

And it's now a promise fulfilled to one of the world's oldest -- and I think the best -- orchestras, the New York Philharmonic.

It's a place they will call home for decades to come.

We call tonight's program "The Joy" because it represents to all of us the joy of having a dream come true.

And who can express that feeling better than our musicians who make up this great orchestra?

I'm Anthony McGill, principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic.

My joy was finally experiencing this amazing new space when the first notes we played reverberated throughout our new hall.

All the years of planning and waiting had finally come to fruition.

The acoustics passed the test.

Instead of hard hats and hammers, we finally heard music, and I was happy to be home again.

I'm Rebecca Young, associate principal viola, and if you're curious about what's happening inside our new hall, all you'll have to do is visit our new public lobby and see our concerts streamed on the 50-foot digital wall.

And as you walk around the corner on Broadway, you'll see inside our new Sidewalk Studio where performances will take place during the day and at night.

I'm Carter Brey, principal cello.

I'm amazing by the flexibility and technical features of our new home, as well as its intimate feel.

When I played my first notes on stage, it felt like I finally didn't have to fight the hall to be heard.

The stage can also be reconfigured for different-sized ensembles, as well as cinema and even pop concerts.

Most importantly, the stage and wrap-around seating are designed for a closer connection between us and our audiences.

I'm Chris Martin, principal trumpet.

When I played my trumpet in our new hall for the first time, I was truly amazed by the acoustics.

I also get to toot my own horn by saying that it's only fitting we begin our gala with a brass fanfare to announce the start of a new era for the New York Philharmonic.

It's time to welcome you inside our new home, as the dancing of the firefly chandeliers overhead signal the concert is about to begin.

[ Applause ] And our maestro, Jaap van Zweden, makes his way to the podium.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Applause continues ] [ Applause stops ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] Narrator: The brass players of the New York Philharmonic, under the baton of Jaap van Zweden, have signaled the beginning of our joyous celebration, as the final sounds of Giovanni Gabrieli's "Canzon in echo duodecimi toni" reverberate through the newly reopened David Geffen Hall.

The centerpiece of tonight's program will be Beethoven's epic Ninth Symphony, with its triumphant finale, "Ode to Joy."

But first we will hear the world premiere of a new work commissioned by the Philharmonic from Puerto Rican-born composer Angélica Negrón entitled "You Are the Prelude."

[ Applause ] Maestro Jaap van Zweden returns to the podium to lead the orchestra and the New York Philharmonic Chorus.

[ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Chorus vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] Under the baton of conductor Jaap van Zweden, the orchestra and the New York Philharmonic Chorus premiere Angélica Negrón's "You Are the Prelude."

Negrón's work celebrates the new concert hall and the joy shared by audiences and artists coming together again to experience live music.

Taking a bow is composer Angélica Negrón.

She set her work to an original choral text by poet Richardo Alberto Maldonado written to honor the impact of the new hall's design on the communal experience of sound.

[ Applause ] Next on our program, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

It premiered in Vienna in 1824, in the US at the New York Philharmonic in 1846, and has achieved iconic status for centuries all over the world.

The grand chorale finale is set to Friedrich Schiller's poem "Ode to Joy," a source of inspiration for the entire work.

Also called "The ChoralSymphony," it was the firt symphony to include vocal soloists and chorus into what, until then, had been a purely instrumental genre.

Maestro Jaap van Zweden returns to the podium to lead the Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic Chorus in Beethoven's Symphony Number 9.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] Entering the stage are soloists soprano Joélle Harvey, mezzo-soprano Kelley O'Connor, tenor Issachah Savage, and bass-baritone Davóne Tines.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ O Freunde ♪ ♪ Nicht diese Toene ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Sondern lasst uns angenehmere ♪ ♪ Anstimmen ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Und freudenvollere ♪ ♪ Und freudenvollere ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Freude ♪ ♪ Freude ♪ ♪ Freude ♪ ♪ Freude ♪ ♪ Freude schoener Goetterfunken ♪ ♪ Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Wir betreten feuertrunken ♪ ♪ Himmlische, dein Heiligtum ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder ♪ ♪ Was die Mode streng geteilt ♪ ♪ Alle Menschen werden Brueder ♪ ♪ Wo dein sanfter Fluegel weilt ♪ [ Chorus singing in German ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Wem der grosse Wurf gelungen ♪ ♪ Eines Freundes Freund zu sein ♪ [ All singing in German ] ♪♪ ♪ Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund ♪ ♪ Und wer's nie gekonnt, der stehle ♪ ♪ Weinend sich aus diesem Bund ♪ [ Chorus singing in German ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Singing in German ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Singing in German ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Chorus joins ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Freude schoener Goetterfunken ♪ ♪ Tochter aus Elysium ♪ ♪ Wir betreten feuertrunken ♪ ♪ Himmlische, dein Heiligtum ♪ ♪ Deine Zauber binden wieder Was die Mode streng geteilt ♪ ♪ Alle Menschen werden Brueder ♪ ♪ Wo dein sanfter Fluegel weilt ♪ [ Singing in German ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Seid umschlungen, Millionen ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Chorus singing overlapping verses in German ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Soloists singing overlapping verses in German ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Narrator: The New York Philharmonic's Gala Celebration comes to a rousing conclusion with the finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, "Ode to Joy."

Maestro Jaap van Zweden gestures to the 84 musicians of the orchestra to stand and receive the ovation of this Gala audience.

[ Cheers and applause ] The Maestro shakes hands with the Concert Master, Frank Huang.

[ Cheers and applause continue ] Tonight's soloists -- Joélle Harvey, Kelley O'Connor, Issachah Savage, Davóne Tines -- return to the stage with director Malcolm J. Merriweather, who gestures the 120-member chorus to stand.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Pop ] And with a celebratory pop, the newly renovated David Geffen Hall receives a shower of sparkling confetti, a toast to the joy of tonight's performance and to a bright future ahead for the New York Philharmonic.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] The new David Geffen Hall - inaugurated in this Gala homecoming for the New York Philharmonic - will be a place where the joy of music can be shared by artists and audiences for years to come!

Now in his fifth season as music director, Jaap van Zweden has served through one of the most challenging periods in the orchestra's history, a long journey to their new home celebrated tonight with a fanfare, a world premiere, and a joyful finale.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] To find out more about this and other "Great Performances" programs, visit PBS.org/greatperformances.

Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

[ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] ♪♪

You May Also Like

Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles

Foo Fighters – Landmarks Live in Concert

Making Shakespeare: The First Folio

Now Hear This “The Schubert Generation”

Now Hear This “Haydn: King of Strings”