The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Music Director Stéphane Denève, and pianist Víkingur Ólafsson embark on five-city European tour, March 23-30

(January 19, 2023, St. Louis, MO) – The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Stéphane Denève will embark on an eight-day, five-city European tour, March 23-30—the orchestra’s first tour with Denève and first visit to Europe since 2017. One of today’s most sought-after artists, pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, will join the orchestra on tour, performing Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto. Ólafsson first collaborated with the SLSO and Denève in November 2021 with concerts in St. Louis at the orchestra’s home, Powell Hall.

The 2023 tour includes stops at some of Europe’s most-celebrated concert halls, including the Vienna Konzerthaus (Vienna, Austria); Centre for Fine Arts (Brussels, Belgium, as the finale concert of the Klara Festival); Muzikgebouw Eindhoven (Eindhoven, the Netherlands); Concertgebouw (Amsterdam, the Netherlands); and Auditorio Nacional de Música (Madrid, Spain).

In addition to Ólafsson’s performances of Grieg’s Piano Concerto, the program includes the rarely performed The Love for Three Oranges Suite by Sergei Prokofiev, and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances.

The SLSO invites St. Louisans to hear the tour program at its home in Powell Hall for a one-night-only concert with Ólafsson on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at 7:30pm CST.

Stéphane Denève, Music Director of the SLSO, said, “It is with great pride and excitement that we bring the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra to Europe, to showcase their extraordinary artistry as one of the leading American orchestras and ambassador to our St Louis region. We look forward to performing in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls and to connecting with audiences in each of these wonderful cultural capitals of Europe.”

Marie-Hélène Bernard, President and CEO of the SLSO, said, “It is an honor to represent St. Louis on the global stage, serving as cultural ambassadors for the city and country we so dearly cherish. We look forward to showcasing the palpable energy shared between our orchestra and Stéphane. We are excited to showcase the top caliber of the musicians who call St. Louis home.”

Jason Hall, Chief Executive Officer of Greater St. Louis, Inc., said, “St. Louisans have long known that the SLSO is world-class and now the world gets to hear firsthand what we are talking about. The SLSO will shine on the global stage and shine the spotlight on the tremendous cultural assets we have here in St. Louis.”

Kathleen “Kitty” Ratcliffe, President of Explore St. Louis, said, “The SLSO has long enjoyed international accolades, enhancing our presence on the global stage as a world-class arts destination. In concert with our new non-stop service to Frankfurt, the SLSO’s tour is well-positioned to showcase the rich experiences that await visitors when they journey to St. Louis.”

SLSO Tour History
Throughout its 143-year history, the SLSO has regularly toured nationally and internationally to critical acclaim. The orchestra’s first performance in Carnegie Hall was in 1950. Regular performances at that venue have charmed critics and audiences alike ever since. Most recently, the SLSO performed John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary at Carnegie Hall as part of the composer’s 70th birthday celebration. International tours began in 1978 with the first European tour, including three concerts at the Athens Festival in Greece. In the more than 40 years since that first tour, the SLSO has given concerts in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The SLSO’s most recent international tour was a three-city tour of Spain under former Music Director David Robertson with violinist Gil Shaham and trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger in February 2017. The SLSO also tours extensively throughout the Midwest, collaborating regularly with higher education institutions including the University of Missouri, Indiana University-Bloomington, the University of Illinois, and the University of Nebraska.

The SLSO’s European tour is made possible by the generous support of the William T. Kemper Foundation, Steve and Linda Finerty, Isabelle and Jean-Paul Montupet, Kathleen Clucas, Mr. and Mrs. Barry H. Beracha, Ms. Phoebe Dent Weil, and Marjorie M. Ivey.

Tour Schedule
Stéphane Denève, conductor
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano

Sergei PROKOFIEV The Love for Three Oranges Suite
Edvard GRIEG Piano Concerto
Sergei RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances

Thursday, March 16, 2023, 7:30pm Central Standard Time
Powell Hall, St. Louis, Mo.

Thursday, March 23, 2023, 7:30pm Central European Time (CET)
Vienna Konzerthaus, Vienna, Austria

Sunday, March 26, 2023, 3:00pm CET
Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR), Brussels, Belgium
Part of the Klara Festival

Monday, March 27, 2023, 8:15pm CET
Muziekgebouw, Eindhoven, the Netherlands

Tuesday, March 28, 2023, 8:15pm CET
Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Thursday, March 30, 2023, 7:30pm CET
Auditorio Nacional de Música, Madrid, Spain

The Tour is arranged by Harrison Parrott and managed by Classical Movements.