Dreamweaver Marketing News, ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ FILM WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA NOVEMBER 6-8 AT HEINZ HALL

For Immediate Release

October 22, 2015

‘WEST SIDE STORY’ FILM WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA NOVEMBER 6-8 AT HEINZ HALL

PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, led by guest conductor Jayce Ogren, presents a not-to-be-missed cinematic symphony experience during the second weekend of the 2015-2016 PNC Pops season, November 6-8, at Heinz Hall.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will play Leonard Bernstein's electrifying score and memorable songs (with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim) from the iconic and award winning film “West Side Story” live. The newly re-mastered film, directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, will be shown in full high definition on the big screen highlighting Robbins' breathtaking choreography and a screenplay by Ernest Lehman based on the masterful book by Arthur Laurents.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. on Friday, November 6; 2:30 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 7; and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 8. Tickets, ranging in price from $24 to $99, can be purchased by calling the Heinz Hall box office at 412-392-4900 or visiting pittsburghsymphony.org/westsidestory.

The Pittsburgh Symphony would like to recognize and thank PNC for its 2015-2016 title sponsorship of PNC Pops.  Fairmont Pittsburgh is the official hotel of the Pittsburgh Symphony.

About the Artists

With mounting success in both symphonic and operatic repertoire, Jayce Ogren is building a reputation as one of the finest young conductors to emerge from the United States in recent seasons. Ogren has led new productions of Benjamin Britten's “Turn of the Screw” and Rossini's “Mosè in Egitto” for the New York City Opera, where he was music director. He conducted the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) in programs at Columbia University's Miller Theatre, Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival, and at the Wien Modern Festival; and all-Stravinsky programs with the New York City Ballet. He debuted with the New York Philharmonic on the CONTACT! Series conducting premieres of New York Philharmonic commissions and led performances of Mozart's “Le Nozze di Figaro” at the Verbier Festival Academy. In Europe, he premiered the film version of Bernstein's “West Side Story” with live orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, an event he repeated with the Detroit Symphony and with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa. Returning to London, he conducted the BBC Symphony at the Barbican in the world premiere of Nico Muhly's “Outrage” and European premieres of works by David Lang and Paola Prestini. Ogren holds a bachelor's degree in composition from St. Olaf College and his master's degree in conducting from the New England Conservatory.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, known for its artistic excellence for more than 120 years, is credited with a rich history of the world’s finest conductors and musicians, and a strong commitment to the Pittsburgh region and its citizens. Past music directors have included Fritz Reiner (1938-1948), William Steinberg (1952-1976), Andre Previn (1976-1984), Lorin Maazel (1984-1996) and Mariss Jansons (1995-2004).  This tradition of outstanding international music directors was furthered in fall 2008, when Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck became music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony. The orchestra has been at the forefront of championing new American works, and gave the first performance of Leonard Bernstein’s Symphony No. 1 “Jeremiah” in 1944 and John Adams’ “Short Ride in a Fast Machine” in 1986. The Pittsburgh Symphony has a long and illustrious history in the areas of recordings and radio concerts. As early as 1936, the Pittsburgh Symphony broadcast on the airwaves coast-to-coast and in the late 1970s it made the ground breaking PBS series “Previn and the Pittsburgh.” The orchestra has received increased national attention since 1982 through network radio broadcasts on Public Radio International, produced by Classical WQED-FM 89.3, made possible by the musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. With a long and distinguished history of touring both domestically and overseas since 1900—including 36 international tours to Europe, the Far East and South America—the Pittsburgh Symphony continues to be critically acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest orchestras.

Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts is owned and operated by Pittsburgh Symphony, Inc., a non-profit organization, and is the year-round home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, Heinz Hall also hosts many other events that do not feature its world-renowned orchestra, including Broadway shows, comedians, speakers and much more. For a full calendar of upcoming non-symphony events at the hall, visit heinzhall.org

Editors please note:

Friday, November 6 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, November 7 at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Sunday, November 8 at 2:30 p.m.

Heinz Hall

PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

PNC POPS: WEST SIDE STORY

JAYCE OGREN, conductor

*Two stills from the film are attached.

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Contact: Louise Sciannameo, Vice President of Public Affairs
Phone: 412.392.4866 | email: lsciannameo@pittsburghsymphony.org

Contact: Joyce DeFrancesco, Director of Media Relations
Phone: 412.392.4827 | email: jdefrancesco@pittsburghsymphony.org

Twitter: @pghsymphony |Facebook: facebook.com/PittsburghSymphonyOrchestra