- By LUCIA SERRANO
The month the LA Phil kicks off with Zemlinsky’s The Little Mermaid (Feb 7-9), conducted by Xian Zhang. This symphonic fairytale, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s story, captures the mermaid’s longing and heartbreak through beautiful, winding strings. Pianist George Li will also perform Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto, bringing a lyrical depth to the evening.
On February 7, Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Samara Joy makes her Walt Disney Concert Hall debut. The twenty-four-year-old Bronx native has been praised for her refined, distinctive style, drawing comparisons to jazz legends like Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. Her Grammy-winning album Linger Awhile showcases her deep curiosity for jazz history, with unique takes on classics like “Misty” and “Round Midnight.”
From February 13-16, Seong-Jin Cho joins the LA Phil for Ravel’s Concerto in G, one of his favorite works, with Paavo Järvi conducting. The program also includes Bacewicz’s Concerto for String Orchestra and Brahms’ Piano Quartet arranged for orchestra, a piece that was transformed by Schoenberg and premiered by the LA Phil.
The Mahler Grooves Festival (Feb 20-23, 27-28) concludes the month with Gustavo Dudamel conducting Mahler’s First and Tenthsymphonies, along with Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy’s Magic Horn), exploring themes of love, loss, and the supernatural. Baritone Simon Keenlyside and mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova will join this emotional exploration.
With such an extraordinary array of performances, February at Walt Disney Concert Hall promises a month to remember.
For more information and tickets, click here.
