Event
Strauss and Storytelling
Naples Philharmonic Masterworks
Naples Philharmonic
Alexander Shelley, artistic and music director
Gabriela Montero, piano
Strauss — Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks
Prokofiev — Piano Concerto No. 3
Mozart — Symphony No. 31, “Paris”
Strauss — Suite from Der Rosenkavalier
Pianist and improvisational virtuosa Gabriela Montero joins the Naples Philharmonic under the direction of Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley for a performance of Prokofiev’s brilliant Piano Concerto No. 3.
Sparkling, satirical and extroverted, Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto was written in the summer of 1921 as a vehicle to power Prokofiev’s concert performances as a soloist. This piece, a quintessential example of Prokofiev’s compositional writing, is lyrical, at times whimsical, motoric and unconventional compared to preceding 19th-century Romantic concertos that preceded it. Matching Prokofiev’s sardonically witty masterpiece with Montero’s extraordinary technical skills and musical artistry ensures nothing short of a mesmerizing performance.
The program also includes two dramatic compositions by Richard Strauss — Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks and Suite from Der Rosenkavalier — and Mozart’s lively and animated “Paris” Symphony, creating an evening of vibrant and entertaining music.
Prelude at 6:30pm
Join the conductor before the performance for an insightful 30-minute prelude discussion about the program.
Music and Museum
All Masterworks tickets include same-day admission to The Baker Museum. Museum hours on day of performance: 10am-7:30pm. In addition, the doors to Hayes Hall will open 90 minutes prior to this performance. Arrive early to enjoy the exhibitions and light fare available at Heidi's Place.
The Artistic and Music Director position is generously endowed by Sharon and Timothy Ubben.
Tickets start at $29.
Naples Philharmonic
Naples Philharmonic
Founded in 1982, the Naples Philharmonic normally performs over 140 orchestral and chamber concerts, as well as opera and ballet, education, community and special event concerts from September through June each year.
Meet the Musicians
Alexander Shelley
Artistic and Music Director Meet Alexander
Jack Everly
Principal Pops Conductor Meet Jack
James Ehnes
Artistic Partner Meet James
Manuel López-Gómez
Associate Conductor Meet Manuel
Alvin Ho
Assistant Conductor Meet Alvin
Alexander Shelley
Alexander Shelley
A “natural communicator, both on and off the podium” (The Daily Telegraph), Alexander Shelley performs across six continents with the world’s finest orchestras and soloists. A passionate and articulate advocate for the role of music in society, he has spearheaded multiple award-winning and groundbreaking projects unlocking creativity in the next generation and bringing symphonic music to new audiences.
With a conducting technique described as “immaculate, everything crystal clear and a tool to his inborn musicality” (Yorkshire Post), Alexander is known for the precision and integrity of his interpretations, for his creative programming and for the breadth of his repertoire. He collaborates with artists such as Lang-Lang, Joshua Bell, Daniel Hope, Hélène Grimaud, Itzhak Perlman, Renée Fleming and Thomas Hampson alongside some of the finest orchestras of Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australasia.
As of January 2015, Alexander has served as principal associate conductor of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom he curates an annual series of concerts at Cadogan Hall and tours both nationally and internationally. In September 2015, Alexander succeeded Pinchas Zukerman as music director of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, the youngest in its history.
In 2016, Alexander was awarded the ECHO prize for his second Deutsche Grammophon recording, Peter and the Wolf, and both the ECHO and Deutsche Grunderpreis in his capacity as artistic director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen’s Zukunftslabor, a visionary project of grass-roots engagement, which uses music as a source for social cohesion and integration.
He has a wealth of experience conducting and presenting major open-air events; in Nuremberg alone, he has, over the course of nine years, hosted more than half a million people at the annual Klassik Open Air concerts — Europe’s largest classical music event.
Meet Alexander
Gabriela Montero
Gabriela Montero
Gabriela Montero’s visionary interpretations and unique compositional gifts have garnered her critical acclaim and a devoted following on the world stage for her crackling rhythmic brio, subtle shadings, steely power, soulful lyricism and unsentimental expressivity.
Recent highlights include performances with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony, a tour with the City of Birmingham Symphony and regular appearances at the National Arts Centre of Canada, where she served as creative partner.
Celebrated for her exceptional musicality and ability to improvise, Montero has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras. She is a frequent recitalist and chamber musician, having performed at such venues as the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Vienna Konzerthaus and many others.
Montero’s recording of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and her first orchestral composition, Ex Patria, won a Latin Grammy for Best Classical Album. She also received a Grammy nomination for her album Baroque.
Montero has earned many awards and recognitions, including the 2012 Rockefeller Award for her contribution to the arts, and was a featured performer at Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential inauguration.
