Experience Strauss: A Space Odyssey with Yan Pascal Tortelier and the Colorado Symphony

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Internationally-renowned French conductor Yan Pascal Tortelier leads Colorado Symphony in a thrilling evening of Berlioz, Mozart and Strauss in first Masterworks weekend of 2011/12 season

Internationally-renowned French conductor Yan Pascal Tortelier leads the Colorado Symphony in a thrilling weekend of Berlioz, Mozart and Strauss on Friday, September 23 and Saturday, September 24 as the Colorado Symphony presents Strauss: A Space Odyssey. Tortelier, who holds the position of principal conductor of the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra, enjoys a distinguished career as a guest with the world’s most prestigious orchestras and makes his much-anticipated return to the Colorado Symphony in this Masterworks opening weekend.

Immortalized in Stanley Kubrick's epic science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey, Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra was inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical novel of the same name. It delights with powerful brass, lustrous strings and sheer, expressive musical power. Concertgoers will also enjoy a crowning jewel of Mozart's oeuvre, his Symphony No. 40 in G minor "The Great G minor Symphony." Instantly recognized for its sense of dramatic restlessness, Mozart's Symphony No. 40 reaches a level of intensity only found in his last works. This must-see concert opens with Berlioz's Le Corsaire, inspired in some measure by the poet Lord Byron, a wild sea voyage captained by a pirate, and the romance of ancient French ruins. Tickets for this extraordinary musical journey currently start at $19 and are on sale now.

Also an acclaimed recording artist, Tortelier holds the position of principal guest conductor at the Royal Academy of Music in London in addition to his role in Sao Paulo. He served as chief conductor of the BBC Philharmonic from 1992 to 2003 and led the orchestra's successful tour of the United States to celebrate its 60th anniversary season. He began his musical career as a violinist, and at 14, won first prize for violin at the Paris Conservatoire and made his debut as a soloist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

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