15th annual New Year's Eve concert set at Lensic

Dec. 30—Classical revelers can ring out 2023 with Joe Illick and the New Year's Eve Orchestra at the Lensic Performing Arts Center on Sunday, Dec. 31.

The 15th annual concert features works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin, Max Bruch, Jules Massenet and a "Carmen Fantasy" with violinist Augustin Hadelich.

Conductor Illick envisioned the concert in 2008 after living in Vienna.

"In Vienna, there's always a New Year's Eve and New Year's Day concert; it's a celebratory time," he said. "I've always chosen uplifting repertoire. I always pick things the audience will say, 'I'm ready to go into the new year.' "

Beethoven may be known for his heaviness, but Illick has chosen his "Symphony No. 8, Op. 93."

"It's the happiest Beethoven symphony," he said. "He was just getting ready to do the ninth. It's cheerful and exuberant."

Illick will perform the third movement from Chopin's F minor concerto.

"Chopin was only 20 when he wrote it," he said. "Chopin has celebrated the brilliance of the instrument. There's always light and shadow with Chopin."

Three pieces starring violinist Hadelich follow the intermission. The Grammy Award-winning musician tours extensively around the world. He has performed with all the major American orchestras, as well as the Berliner Philharmoniker, Concertgebouworkest, Orchestre National de France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo and more.

Bruch's concerto in G minor features a lively first movement paired with a more intimate second. Illick called the third movement "a showcase piece."

"It's a German homage to gypsy music," he added.

A meditation from French composer Massenet's lyric comedy "Thäis" follows with the violin and orchestra.

The concert will end with the "Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25" by Pablo de Sarasate.

"All the melodic material is from the opera," Illick said. "Instead of a vocalist, there's a violin soloist.

"We all sing 'Auld Lang Syne' at the end."

Illick is the artistic director and principal conductor of the Fort Worth Opera. He has also served as the artistic director of Greater Miami Opera, Lake George Opera Festival, Shreveport Opera, Voices of Change (Dallas), Voces Intimae (Dallas) and Performance Santa Fe. He has conducted for Opera Theatre of St. Louis, San Francisco Opera (Merola), Opera Omaha, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Stadttheater Aachen, Vienna Chamber Opera, Covent Garden Ensemble, Teatro Lirico d'Europa, Santa Fe Symphony, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Augusta Symphony, Miami Symphony, Nevada Opera Theater and Opera Carolina.