Kirill Karabits
Conductor
The 2018-19 season will mark Kirill Karabits' 10th anniversary as Chief Conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. His relationship with the BSO has been celebrated worldwide and together they have made many critically acclaimed recordings and appeared regularly at the BBC Proms. In September 2016, Karabits assumed the position of General Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Deutsches Nationaltheater and Staatskapelle Weimar and has led many acclaimed productions and recently led the Staatskapelle Weimar on their first tour of the USA. In August 2018, they presented the world premiere of Sardanapalo, a rediscovered Italian opera by Franz Liszt.
Karabits has worked with many of the leading ensembles of Europe, Asia and North America, including the Cleveland, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Chicago Symphony orchestras, Munich Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, Philharmonia Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Filarmonica del Teatro La Fenice and the BBC Symphony Orchestra – including a concertante version of Bluebeard’s Castle at the Barbican Centre. Kirill enjoys a special relationship with the Russian National Orchestra with whom he recently returned to the Edinburgh Festival and during the 2018-19 season he will embark on a North American tour with Mikhail Pletnev and George Li. Other highlights of the current season include debuts with the Toronto, Cincinnati and Seattle Symphony orchestras as well as the Wiener Symphoniker at the Musikverein, and a return to the Deutsche Oper and a UK tour with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
A prolific opera conductor, Karabits has worked with the Deutsche Oper (Boris Godunov) and Oper Stuttgart (Death in Venice). He has also conducted at Glyndebourne Festival Opera (La bohème and Eugene Onegin), Staatsoper Hamburg (Madama Butterfly), English National Opera (Don Giovanni), Bolshoi Theatre and he conducted a performance of Der fliegende Holländer at the Wagner Geneva Festival in celebration of the composer’s anniversary.
Working with the next generation of bright musicians is of great importance to Karabits and as Artistic Director of I, CULTURE Orchestra he conducted them on their European tour in August 2015 with Lisa Batiashvili as soloist and a summer festivals tour in 2018, including concerts at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Montpellier Festival. In 2012 and 2014 he conducted the televised finals of the BBC Young Musician of the Year Award (working with the Royal Northern Sinfonia and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra).
He was named Conductor of the Year at the 2013 Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards.
Performances with the RNO
November 2019
28 Thu
Tonhalle
Düsseldorf
Germany
Program
- Tchaikovsky
- Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, op. 23
- Rimsky-Korsakov
- Sheherazade, op. 35
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
26 Tue
Elbphilharmonie
Hamburg
Germany
Program
- Tchaikovsky
- Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, op. 23
- Rimsky-Korsakov
- Sheherazade, op. 35
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
24 Sun
Auditorium Giovanni Agnelli
Torino
Italy
Program
- Tchaikovsky
- Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, op. 23
- Rimsky-Korsakov
- Sheherazade, op. 35
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
22 Fri
Teatro Nuovo Giovanni
Udine
Italy
Program
- Tchaikovsky
- Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, op. 23
- Rimsky-Korsakov
- Sheherazade, op. 35
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
February 2019
20 Wed
Lincoln Center - David Geffen Hall
New York
NY
Program
- Rachmaninov
- Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
- Symphonic Dances, Op. 45
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
18 Mon
Peace Center
Greenville
SC
Program
- Glazunov
- Chopiniana, Op. 46
- Chopin
- Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11
- Prokofiev
- Symphony No. 6 in E-flat minor, Op. 111
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
George Li, Piano
16 Sat
Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College
St. Augustine
FL
Program
- Rachmaninov
- Vocalise
- Tchaikovsky
- Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, TH 59
- Glazunov
- Symphony No. 8 in E-flat major, Op. 83
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Alexey Bruni, Violin
15 Fri
University of Florida
Gainesville
FL
Program
- Rachmaninoff
- Vocalise
- Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
- Symphonic Dances, Op. 45
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
George Li, Piano
14 Thu
Indian River Symphonic Association
Vero Beach
FL
Program
- Rachmaninoff
- Vocalise
- Symphonic Dances, Op. 45
- Chopin
- Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
George Li, Piano
12 Tue
Barbara B. Mann Hall
Fort Myers
FL
Program
- Rachmaninov
- Vocalise
- Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
- Symphonic Dances, Op. 45
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
George Li, Piano
10 Sun
Kravis Center
West Palm Beach
FL
Program
- Rachmaninoff
- Vocalise
- Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
- Symphonic Dances, Op. 45
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
George Li, Piano
November 2018
01 Thu
Great Hall of the Regional Philharmonic
Krasnoyarsk
Russia
Program
- Bizet
- Suite from The Girl from Arles ("L'Arlesienne"), arr. M. Pletnev
- Ravel
- Concerto no.1 in G Major for Piano and Orchestra (for two hands)
- Rachmaninov
- Symphonic Dances, op. 45
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
November 2017
06 Mon
Great Hall, Moscow Conservatory
Moscow
Russia
Program
- Mozart
- Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 23 in A major, K 488
- Shostakovich
- Symphony No. 13 in B-flat minor, op. 113 (subtitled "Babi Yar")
Conductor:
Guest Artists:
Dmitry Shishkin, Piano
Nikolai Didenko, Bass
Popov Academy of Choral Arts Choir, Alexei Petrov, artistic director
04 Sat
Great Hall, Krasnoyarsk Regional Philharmonic
Krasnoyarsk
Russia
Program
- Mozart
- Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 23 in A major, K 488
- Shostakovich
- Symphony No. 13 in B-flat minor, op. 113 (subtitled "Babi Yar")
Conductor:
Guest Artists:
Dmitry Shishkin, Piano
Nikolai Didenko, Bass
Popov Academy of Choral Arts Choir, Alexei Petrov, artistic director
September 2017
23 Sat
Tchaikovsky Concert Hall
Moscow
Russia
Program
- Prokofiev
- "Dreams"
- Saint-Saëns
- Concerto for Piano & Orchestra No. 2 in G minor, op.22
- Lyatoshinsky
- Symphony No. 3 in B minor, op. 50
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
August 2016
21 Sun
Usher Hall
Edinburgh
Program
- Silvestrov
- Elegy
- Tchaikovsky
- Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, op. 23
- Scriabin
- Symphony No. 2 in C minor, op. 29
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Denis Matsuev, Piano
20 Sat
Usher Hall
Edinburgh
Program
- Mussorgsky
- Introduction and Gopak from "The Fair at Sorochinsk"
- Mozart
- Piano Concerto No. 25 in C minor (KV503)
- Tchaikovsky
- Symphony No. 2 in C minor, op. 17 ("Little Russian")
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Paul Lewis, Piano
March 2016
09 Wed
Phillips Center, Univ. of Florida
Gainesville
FL
Program
- Borodin
- "In the Steppes of Central Asia"
- Prokofiev
- Violin Concerto no.2 in G Minor
- Stravinsky
- "The Firebird" (1945)
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Stefan Jackiw, Violin
08 Tue
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
Sarasota
FL
Program
- Borodin
- "In the Steppes of Central Asia"
- Prokofiev
- Violin Concerto no.2 in G Minor
- Stravinsky
- "The Firebird" (1945)
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Stefan Jackiw, Violin
07 Mon
Kravis Center, Dreyfoos Hall
West Palm Beach
FL
Program
- Borodin
- "In the Steppes of Central Asia"
- Prokofiev
- Violin Concerto no.2 in G Minor
- Stravinsky
- "The Firebird" (1945)
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Stefan Jackiw, Violin
06 Sun
Community Church
Vero Beach
FL
Program
- Borodin
- In the Steppes of Central Asia
- Mendelssohn
- Violin Concerto, op.64, in E minor
- Prokofiev
- Suite from "Romeo and Juliet" (Mikhail Pletnev, arr.)
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Stefan Jackiw, Violin
04 Fri
Copeland Hall
Wilmington
DE
Program
- Glazunov
- Suite "From the Middle Ages"
- Mendelssohn
- Violin Concerto, op.64 in E minor
- Prokofiev
- Suite from "Romeo and Juliet" (arr. Pletnev)
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Stefan Jackiw, Violin
03 Thu
Center for the Performing Arts
University Park
PA
Program
- Glazunov
- Suite "From the Middle Ages"
- Mendelssohn
- Violin Concerto, op.64 in E minor
- Prokofiev
- Suite from "Romeo and Juliet" (arr. Pletnev)
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Stefan Jackiw, Violin
September 2014
18 Thu
Tchaikovsky Concert Hall
Moscow
Russia
Program
- Prokofiev
- Sinfonietta for Orchestra
- Piano Concerto No. 3
- Tchaikovsky
- Symphony No. 3
Concert Sponsor
Conductor:
Guest Artist:
Simon Trpceski, Piano
Program
Symphony No. 13 in B Minor, Op. 113 "Babi Yar"
I. Babi Yar: Adagio ~ 15.18
II. Humour: Allegretto ~ 7.30
III. In the Store: Adagio ~ 11.45
IV. Fears: Largo ~ 11.07
V. A Career: Allegretto ~ 12.30
Oleg Tsibulko, bass
Popov Academy of Choral Arts Choir, Alexei Petrov, artistic director
Kozhevnikov Choir, Nikolai Azarov, artistic director
Russian National Orchestra, Kirill Karabits, conductor
MOVING PORTRAIT OF LIFE UNDER SOVIET REIGN
The Russian National Orchestra continues its Shostakovich cycle with Symphony No. 13, “Babi Yar”, together with bass Oleg Tsibulko, the Popov Academy of Choral Arts Choir, the Kozhevnikov choir and maestro Kirill Karabits. Inspired by Yevgeny Yevtushenko’s poem “Babi Yar” about a Nazi massacre of Jews just outside Kiev in 1941, Shostakovich based the Symphony on five of the author’s poems. The texts reflect on the peculiarities of daily existence in Stalinist Russia, providing a deep insight into life under Soviet reign. After the sombre, impressive opening movement, Shostakovich alternates between a satirical stance, humour, and portraying the hardships of the Stalinist reality, leading up to the innocent beauty of the symphony’s finale. One special aspect of this recording is the Russian National Orchestra’s collaboration with an Ukrainian bass soloist and conductor, underlining the shared cultural and political heritage of both countries.
The Russian National Orchestra is among the most important orchestras in the world and has a vast, multi-award-winning PENTATONE discography. Kirill Karabits features on Tchaikovsky Treasures (2019) with Guy Braunstein and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Oleg Tsibulko, the Popov Academy of Choral Arts Choir and the Kozhevnikov choir all make their PENTATONE debut.