Alan Gilbert leads bass-baritone and New York Philharmonic Artist-in-Residence Eric Owens in songs by Richard Strauss songs — “Ruhe, meine Seele,” Op. 27, No. 1; “Cäcilie,” Op. 27, No. 2; “Pilgers Morgenlied,” Op. 33, No. 4 — and the Final Scene from Act III of Wagner’s Die Walküre alongside with soprano Heidi Melton, with performances January 7 through 9 and 12. The program also includes Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries and Sibelius’s tone poem En saga, one of several programs this season honoring the 150th anniversary of the Finnish master’s birth. At an additional matinee concert on January 9, Alan reprises his “exciting account” (New York Times) of Sibelius’s Symphony No. 4, precluded by Grieg’s String Quartet performed by New York Philharmonic principal musicians.
