Light Classics
A Symphonic Road Trip For All Audiences
Tour Italia!™ is a symphonic crossover program designed for all audiences showcasing the timeless music of Italian Film Composers Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota. Their iconic compositions are performed alongside songs and arias featured in movies by opera composers such as Verdi and Leoncavallo, as well as works by Respighi.
This unique concert will immerse audiences in the rich tapestry of Italian music, spanning from the evocative soundscapes of spaghetti westerns to the grandeur of operatic masterpieces. Attendees will experience the diverse colors and breadth of styles that both Rota and Morricone employed in their cinematic compositions.
Presented seamlessly with the conductor's narrative of regional anecdotes, composer histories, and their collaborations with film directors, Emmanuel Fratianni plots a course for a delightful, rich, and satisfying concert experience for all concertgoers—from film music fans to masters' series ticket holders.
Suggested program:
O. Respighi, Rossiniana 4th mvmt., Burlesca Per Orchestra
E. Morricone, Cinema Paradiso, The Mission, The Untouchables and more
G. Verdi, La Forza Del Destino Overture
N. Rota, The Godfather Suite, Amarcord, Romeo & Juliet Suite and more
The Great American Songbook Reimagined
& Thierry Lang's STARS ON THE LAKE suite
Emmanuel Fratianni presents an evening of timeless classics from the Great American Songbook, reimagining this iconic art form with original arrangements for symphony orchestra reminiscent of Hollywood’s golden age and of the music of the French impressionists.
Joining him on stage is the Universal/Blue Note Swiss pianist and composer Thierry Lang, punctuating a program of well known standards with his original suite Stars On The Lake for orchestra, jazz combo and soloists to US audiences. Drawing inspiration from the great American Songbook, Lang’s new work represents a unique fusion of European and American sounds rooted in jazz as well as classical music.
From ballads to vibrant bossa-novas and up-tempo tunes, the program is a captivating journey of lyrical confluences,featuring top-tier vocalists and instrumental soloists interpreting familiar American classics and enticing original works.
Note: Stars On The Lake had a sold-out world premiere on September 16th 2023 in Switzerland with the Orchestre de Chambre de Fribourg. A live album recording will be released in the fall of 2025 on the UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP label.
Suggested program:
-The Shadow of your Smile, J. Mandel
-Emily, J. Mandel
-I love You , C. Porter
-Body and Soul, J. Green
-Stars On The Lake, Suite, Thierry Lang
Concerto for Tuba & Masterwork
With Gene Pokorny, principal tuba of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra by Lalo Schifrin was composed for Gene Pokorny, principal tuba of the Chicago Symphony, as soloist. Schifrin’s Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra (2017) reflects his life experience, incorporating Argentine tango, jazz, and classical music elements in a turbulently virtuoso three-movement mélange for tuba and orchestra. the Tuba Concerto is a bravura showpiece for the solo instrument.
Emmanuel Fratianni and Gene Pokorny delivered a stellar performance of the Tuba Concerto in April 2023 with the Santa Barbara Chamber Players, receiving great acclaim which served as a preview to the highly anticipated June 2023 performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by its eminent music director Riccardo Muti.
“Pokorny’s vaunted command of his oft-maligned instrument is, awesome. Tone quality and lyricism conjured sound images of caramel and melted butter; technique moved delicately but with the speed of light, unhampered by mere notes, of which there are plenty.” The Voice Magazine, Santa Barbara
“Pokorny received enthusiastic ovations from the audience and colleagues, with Muti giving Pokorny his patented affectionate face pats.“ Chicago Classical Review
Suggested program:
A. Borodine, In the Steppes of Central Asia
L. Schifrin, Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra
L. Schifrin, Mission Impossible Theme
E. Elgar, Enigma Variations
Family Film Concert
Peter and the Wolf Live
Peter and the Wolf Live, the stop-frame animation, directed by Suzie Templeton and produced by BreakThru Films, won an Oscar in 2008 for Best Animated Short Film and is performed live to Prokofiev’s score.
Perfect for family, school and general audiences, Peter & The Wolf Live has become many promoters’ preferred way to program Prokofiev’s iconic score. The 30 minute film is silent (with only a few sound effects) and there are a number of options available for an 1 hour performance.
Peter & The Wolf Live was performed with the Utah Symphony conducted by Emmanuel Fratianni in 2015 in Salt Lake City, Provo and Ogden, UT.
"Children and grown-ups roared as the duck skated on the ice, gasped as Peter lassoed the wolf and giggled as a flightless bird strapped a balloon on its back in an attempt to fly." The Guardian
Suggested program:
S. Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf Live
D. Dorff, Three Fun Fables (w/narrator)
American Premiere & Masterwork
September Suite
September Suite, by Emmanuel Fratianni is a contemporary Concerto Grosso for Jazz Quartet and Orchestra. The three-movement suite blends lush orchestral textures, drawing inspiration from the composer's early experiences as a jazz musician in Europe.
The piece evokes sounds and colors reminiscent of Debussy and Miles Davis, showcasing Fratianni's distinctive musical expression. The composition offers an alluring musical journey that traverses the realms of both classical and jazz traditions.
September Suite was commissioned by the City of Montreux, Switzerland for the opening of 1995 cultural season at Stravinsky Auditorium and performed by the composer’s Quartet with the Ensemble Orchestral de la Riviera.
Suggested program:
C. Debussy, Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
E. Fratianni , September Suite
A. Dvorak, Symphony no. 7