The HK Phil's 50th Season Culminates with
Performances Led by Jaap van Zweden and Tarmo Peltokoski
Swire Community Concert: Summertime, Party Time (15 June)
Opera in Concert: Jaap | The Flying Dutchman (21 & 23 June)
Farewell to Our Music Director (25 & 26 June)
Season Finale: Tarmo Peltokoski & Seong-Jin Cho (5 & 6 July)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: 
Dennis Wu
Director of Marketing 
Tel: (852) 2721 9035
Email: dennis.wu@hkphil.org 

Emily Hui
Media Relations and Communications Manager
Tel: (852) 2721 1585
Email: emily.hui@hkphil.org

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[31 May 2024, Hong Kong] To mark the grand finale of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil)'s 50th Season, HK Phil Music Director Jaap van Zweden and guest conductor Tarmo Peltokoski are set to dazzle audiences with a stellar lineup of world-class soloists including vocalists Brian Mulligan, Jennifer Holloway, Nikolai Schukoff, Richard Trey Smagur, Ain Anger, Maya Yahav Gour, and pianist Seong-Jin Cho in a series of performances throughout June and July. Tickets are limited, so don't miss out on these extraordinary musical experiences!

Swire Community Concert: Summertime, Party Time (15 June)

Kickstart your summer with the HK Phil and Maestro Jaap van Zweden in a joyful celebration of beloved classical favourites. Join us for this inclusive, family-friendly “Swire Community Concert: Summertime, Party Time” concert designed for all, including those with special needs. Don't miss this chance to enjoy jubilant music in a welcoming environment!

“Swire Community Concert: Summertime, Party Time” will be held on 15 June 2024 (Sat) at 3PM & 5PM in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. The admission is free, and all tickets have been registered online. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.

Opera in Concert: Jaap | The Flying Dutchman (21 & 23 June)

Following the HK Phil’s acclaimed Ring Cycle in concert, Jaap van Zweden continues with concert performances of Richard Wagner’s opera. The Flying Dutchman is an opera based on the Dutch legend of the phantom ship and its doomed master. American bass-baritone Brian Mulligan stars as the cursed Dutchman, alongside soprano Jennifer Holloway as the woman determined to redeem his soul. Audiences will be transported across the stormy seas of the opera’s thrilling and emotionally-charged narrative.

“Opera in Concert: Jaap | The Flying Dutchman”will be held on 21 June 2024 (Fri) at 7:30PM and 23 June 2024 (Sun) at 3PM in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Tickets priced at HK$1,080, 880, $680 and $480 are available at URBTIX. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.

Farewell to Our Music Director (25 & 26 June)

Join us as we bid a fond farewell to Maestro Jaap van Zweden, in his final concerts as Music Director of the HK Phil. Experience the magic of the most beloved orchestral works through an audience poll, in a heartfelt tribute featuring masterpieces by Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, alongside Johann Strauss II’s The Blue Danube and the electrifying “Ride of the Valkyries” by Wagner. The evening will commence with a special work composed by HK Phil's Principal Timpani, OZNO (James Boznos), in celebration of this momentous occasion.

“Farewell to Our Music Director”will be held on 25 & 26 June 2024 (Tue & Wed) at 8PM in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Limited tickets priced at HK$680, $540, $400, $260 and $50 are available at URBTIX. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.

Season Finale: Tarmo Peltokoski & Seong-Jin Cho (5 & 6 July)

The HK Phil’s golden jubilee celebration comes to a stunning close with a festive finale that features the brilliant Seong-Jin Cho, one of today’s most sought-after pianists, performing Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto. Finnish conductor Tarmo Peltokoski concludes the concert with Mahler’s sublime Fifth Symphony. This promises to be a fitting end to the HK Phil’s 50th Season, brimming with excitement, passion, and beauty.

“Season Finale: Tarmo Peltokoski & Seong-Jin Cho” will be held on 5 & 6 July (Fri & Sat) at 8PM in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Limited tickets priced at HK$680, $540, $400 and $260 are available at URBTIX. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.

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Artists

Swire Community Concert: Summertime, Party Time

Opera in Concert: Jaap | The Flying Dutchman

Farewell to Our Music Director

Jaap van Zweden, conductor [full description]

Over the past decade, conductor Jaap van Zweden has become an international presence on three continents. Currently Music Director of the HK Phil, he is also Music Director of the New York Philharmonic. He has appeared as guest conductor with leading orchestras such as, in Europe, the Orchestre de Paris, Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra, and, in the US, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Opera in Concert: Jaap | The Flying Dutchman

Brian Mulligan, bass-baritone as The Dutchman [full description]

Baritone Brian Mulligan is equally renowned as an interpreter of classic works by Wagner, and Strauss as of the most challenging 20th and 21st century operas. His striking stage portrayals have taken him to leading opera houses throughout Europe and North America. He makes regular appearances with the leading American orchestras and in recital. He begins the 2023/24 season with a return to San Francisco Opera in his role debut as Telramund in a new David Alden production of Lohengrin with Eun Sun Kim conducting. He then makes his role and house debut as Barak in Die Frau ohne Schatten at the Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse.

Jennifer Holloway, soprano as Senta [full description]

In recent years, American soprano Jennifer Holloway has established herself internationally as one of the leading sopranos in the dramatic repertoire. In the 2023/24 season, Jennifer Holloway returned to the Bavarian State Opera as Senta (Der fliegende Holländer). At the Hamburg State Opera she made her role debut as Fidelio-Leonore and can be heard as Ellen Orford (Peter Grimes). Under Kirill Petrenko, she sang Chrysothemis (Elektra) in Bergen. In Leipzig, she made a guest appearance as Chrysothemis. Houston Opera presents the sought-after artist in one of her parade roles of Salome.

Nikolai Schukoff, tenor as Erik [full description]

The Austrian tenor Nikolai Schukoff is internationally recognised for his versatility. He opened the 2023/24 season as Jim Mahoney in Weill’s Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny at the Nederlandse Opera Amsterdam. He was then engaged in Bergen for concert performances of Elektra as Aegisth. Teatro Sao Carlos Lisbon presented the tenor as Florestan in Beethoven’s Fidelio. At the Teatro Real Madrid he sang the role of Walter in Weinberg’s Die Passagierin. Together with Diana Damrau he will go on tour with an Operetta Gala. Concerts take Nikolai Schukoff to Malmö for Mahler’s TheSong of the Earth and to the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra for Mahler’s Eighth Symphony.

Ain Anger, bass as Daland [full description]

Estonian bass Ain Anger is a regular presence on the world’s most celebrated operatic and concert stages and was honoured as Kammersänger by the Austrian government in 2020. Since his 2004 house debut at Wiener Staatsoper as Monterone (Rigoletto), Anger has sung more than forty roles on that same stage. His 2023/24 season commitments are his return to both Teatro alla Scala as Fiesco (Simone Boccanegra) and Il grande Inquisitore (Don Carlo) conducted by Lorenzo Viotti and Riccardo Chailly respectively and to Bayerische Staatsoper as Landgraf (Tannhäuser) under Sebastian Weigle and Daland (Der fliegende Holländer) with Lothar Koenigs. He returns to Wiener Staatsoper as Gremin (Eugene Onegin).

Richard Trey Smagur, tenor as Steuermann [full description]

American tenor Richard Trey Smagur, winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2017, has been praised by Opera Today for his “attractive lyric tenor” and “vivid presence”. This season, Mr Smagur returns to Opera Philadelphia for his role debut of Adorno in Simon Boccanegra, alongside Quinn Kelsey and Ana María Martínez. He reprises the role of Števa in Jenůfa in his debut at Lyric Opera of Chicago alongside Nina Stemme and Lise Davidsen, conducted by Jakub Hrůša. He makes his house debut as Don Jose in Carmen at Austin Lyric Opera, and sings Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with Vancouver Symphony and conductor Otto Tausk.

Maya Yahav Gour, contralto as Mary [full description]

Israeli-Portuguese Maya Gour began her career as a jazz singer performing worldwide, particularly in NYC jazz clubs. After graduating from her vocal studies at the Mannes School of Music in NY she was immediately engaged by Seattle Opera for the role of Tisbe in La Cenerentola, and Hänsel by Marilyn Horne for Music Academy of the West. She then joined the Dutch National Opera as a studio member. For the 2023/24 season Maya joined the ensemble at Oper Köln where she performed Siébel in Faust, Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, and Giannetta in L’elisir d’amore. 

Hong Kong Philharmonic Chorus [full description]

Established in 1980, the HK Phil Chorus has collaborated with the HK Phil to perform a range of works over the years. In 2013, the Chorus undertook a new recruitment drive, and over 450 singers were attracted to attend the auditions. The first performance by the newly reformed Chorus was Handel’s Messiah. Since then, the Chorus has performed with the HK Phil in major works by composers including Britten, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Haydn and Mahler under renowned conductors Lorin Maazel, Jaap van Zweden and Nicholas McGegan. The Chorus’ Fellowship programme was inaugurated during the 2020/21 Season, setting the stage for aspiring professional singers to join this distinguished ensemble.

Netherlands Radio Choir [full description]

From a cappella choral music to pieces with symphony orchestra, and from romantic to contemporary: with this broad repertoire, the Groot Omroepkoor is at home in all markets. As a broadcasting choir, the ensemble can also be heard in abundance in the concert series on NPO Classical. In September 2017, together with the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the choir received the Concertgebouw Prize for the important contribution they have made over a long period to the artistic profile of the Amsterdam concert hall.

Season Finale: Tarmo Peltokoski & Seong-Jin Cho

Tarmo Peltokoski, conductor [full description]

Finnish conductor Tarmo Peltokoski was awarded the title of “Principal Guest Conductor” in January 2022 by the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the first conductor to hold this position in the orchestra’s 42-year history. Peltokoski also holds the positions of Music and Artistic Director of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse and Principal Guest Conductor of the Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest. In August 2022 at the age of 22, he completed his first Wagner Ring cycle at the Eurajoki Bel Canto Festival.  

Seong-Jin Cho, piano [full description]

With an overwhelming talent and innate musicality, Seong-Jin Cho has made his mark as one of the consummate talents of his generation and most distinctive artists on the current music scene. He was brought to the world’s attention in 2015 when he won the First Prize at the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. In 2016, he signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon. His latest recording is a solo album, The Handel Project, released in 2023, which has garnered impressive critical acclaim. Seong-Jin Cho maintains regular relationships with the world’s most prestigious orchestras, and in the 2024/25 season is Artist in Residence with the Berliner Philharmoniker. Further highlights of the forthcoming season include return engagements with the Wiener Philharmoniker, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony Orchestra as well as his debut with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich.

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SWIRE COMMUNITY CONCERT: SUMMERTIME, PARTY TIME

15 | 6 | 2024

SAT 3PM & 5PM

Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall

Suitable for all ages

All tickets have been registered online

Artists

Programme

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OPERA IN CONCERT: JAAP | THE FLYING DUTCHMAN

21 | 6 | 2024

FRI 7:30PM

23 | 6 | 2024

SUN 3PM

Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall

HK$1,080 $880 $680 $480

Tickets now available at URBTIX

For ages 6 and above

Artists

Programme

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FAREWELL TO OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR

25 & 26 | 6 | 2024

TUE & WED 8PM

Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall

HK$680 $540 $400 $260 $50

Limited tickets now available at URBTIX

For ages 6 and above

Artists

Programme

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SEASON FINALE: TARMO PELTOKOSKI & SEONG-JIN CHO

5 & 6 | 7 | 2024

FRI & SAT 8PM

Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall

HK$680 $540 $400 $260

Limited tickets now available at URBTIX

For ages 6 and above

Artists

Programme