Azul is the piece Golijov wrote for Ma, and hearing the cellist play it with the orchestra he has recorded it with is as close as this repertoire gets to a definitive reading. Tania León's new commission on the same bill means you get a premiere and a modern classic in a single hour. If you want a concert that feels contemporary without being difficult, this is the smartest ticket of the season's first week.
What to expect
A one-hour program with no intermission in the Wu Tsai Theater. Azul uses hyper-accordion and percussion alongside the orchestra, so the sound world is closer to Golijov's Latin American influences than to a standard concerto. The house will be full and the ovations long.
Good to know
- 66 St-Lincoln Center on the 1 train empties onto the plaza
- No intermission and a one-hour running time make this an easy weeknight out
- Seats to the conductor's left give the clearest sightline to a cello soloist
- The Lincoln Center plaza fountain is worth ten minutes before the doors open
- Suits listeners curious about living composers as much as about the star soloist
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Common questions
What is Azul?
A cello concerto by Osvaldo Golijov written for Yo-Yo Ma, scored with percussion and hyper-accordion alongside the orchestra.
Is there a world premiere on the program?
Yes. Tania León's Imágenes mestizas is a New York Philharmonic commission.
More this weekend
