Heavy-hitters of classical music coming to Kansas City for Harriman-Jewell Series

The Harriman-Jewell Series has announced its 2022-2023 season and it’s a doozy.

For the past couple of years, COVID has made it nearly impossible for large orchestras to travel, but next season they’re coming back to Kansas City in a big way. Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, Filharmonie Brno and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra will all be making appearances.

But what will be an especially poignant concert is when Riccardo Muti will make his last appearance in Kansas City as conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Muti is stepping down from that position at the end of the 2022-2023 season.

Of course, there’s the usual Harriman-Jewell star-studded throng of solo instrumentalists, dance companies and vocalists.

“We really wanted to come back strong with ensembles, particularly orchestras,” said Clark Morris, executive and artistic director of the Harriman-Jewell Series. “Our hope for the 58th season is that we can bring back some of the greatest orchestras in the world and some that have never been to Kansas City.”

Muti, a true living icon, has made several stops in Kansas City, thanks to the Harriman-Jewell Series. Over the years, a real love affair has developed between Muti and Kansas City, so I would expect more than a few tears when he leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Feb. 26.

“I can’t imagine we’ll ever have the opportunity to bring him back to Kansas City,” Morris said. “To bring Riccardo Muti one more time with this ensemble is really special.”

The acclaimed Marin Alsop, who will lead Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, will be making her first appearance in Kansas City.

“She’s certainly one of the most important female conductors in the world,” Morris said. “We feel it’s important to not only bring this orchestra, which has never been to Kansas City, but to bring Marin. That’s a special opportunity.”

Violinist Nicola Benedetti will lead the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Benedetti made her first appearance on a free Harriman-Jewell Series Discovery concert and is now a certifiable classical music superstar.

And there are many other stellar musicians making appearances, like cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Maxim Vengerov and pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Khatia Buniatishvili.

It seems to be an especially strong year for choral music. Two superb but very different ensembles will be making appearances.

“Voctave, a really fun and exciting vocal ensemble, will present a holiday program in December,” Morris said. “They have done Disney soundtracks and a lot of different music with an incredible blend of sound. On the more ancient music side, we’re bringing the British ensemble Tenebrae. Both of these groups are regarded as some of the finest vocal ensembles in the world.”

The Harriman-Jewell Series has quite the reputation for introducing Kansas City to the world’s greatest singers, most famously when it presented Luciano Pavarotti’s international recital debut in 1973.

“Next season, I’m excited to bring Pretty Yende, the South African soprano,” Morris said. “She’s risen to the top of the opera world and is in such demand that to get a recital with her is such a feather in our cap and reflective of the great tradition we’ve had with the world’s best opera singers.”

Harriman-Jewell is not afraid to stretch the boundaries of classical music. For example, next season, performance artist Laurie Anderson will appear with Filharmonie Brno in a multimedia production about Atchison, Kansas aviator Amelia Earhart. And Tony-winning Broadway star Renée Elise Goldsberry will present an evening of show tunes.

Trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard has recently made his mark as an opera composer with “Fire Shut Up In My Bones,” the first opera composed by an African American presented at the Metropolitan Opera. Blanchard will open the Harriman-Jewell season on Oct. 2.

“Terence Blanchard has become such an incredibly important figure in the musical world,” Morris said. “We’re delighted to bring him in a really interesting program with his jazz ensemble, The E-Collective, and the Turtle Island String Quartet.”

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has a long history with the Harriman-Jewell Series going back to the company’s first American tour in 1968. Richard Harriman, the series’ founder, was also instrumental in forming the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey. The group will perform on March 24.

It’s been a couple of frustrating years for the Harriman-Jewell Series, with cancellations, postponements and all the other difficulties caused by the pandemic. But it’s obvious the revered Kansas City arts presenter is back and stronger than ever.

“We hope people will get out and experience these artists,” Morris said. “I think you can hold next season up against opportunities in the major cities of the world, and you’d be really proud of who’s coming to Kansas City. I think they will bring people a lot of joy.”

Harriman-Jewell Series 2022-23 season

For tickets and more information, 816-415-5025 or hjseries.org.

7 p.m. Oct. 2: Terence Blanchard with The E-Collective and Turtle Island String Quartet (Atkins Auditorium, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art)

7 p.m. Oct. 10: Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo with Marin Alsop, conductor (Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts)

6 p.m. Oct. 16: Maxim Vengerov, violin (Folly Theater, 300 W. 12th St.)

7 p.m. Oct. 22: Scottish Chamber Orchestra with Nicola Benedetti, violin (Helzberg Hall)

6 p.m. Nov. 13: Harmony Zhu, piano (Folly Theater)

6 p.m. Nov. 20: “Our Song, Our Story: The New Generation of Black Voices” with Raehann Bryce-Davis, mezzo soprano; Brandie Inez Sutton, soprano; and string quartet (Folly Theater)

7 p.m. Dec. 9: Voctave, vocal ensemble (Folly Theater)

7 p.m. Jan. 7: Pretty Yende, soprano (Folly Theater)

7:30 p.m. Feb. 5: Dublin Irish Dance (Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts)

7 p.m. Feb. 18: Filharmonie Brno with Dennis Russell Davies, conductor, and Laurie Anderson, soloist (Helzberg Hall)

7 p.m. Feb. 25: Kodo, taiko performing arts ensemble (Helzberg Hall)

7 p.m. Feb. 26: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Riccardo Muti, and violinist Julia Fischer (Helzberg Hall)

7 p.m. March 5: Tenebrae, choral ensemble (Folly Theater)

7:30 p.m. March 24: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (in partnership with Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey) (Muriel Kauffman Theatre)

7 p.m. March 31: Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott, cello and piano (Folly Theater)

3 p.m. April 1: Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano (Folly Theater)

7 p.m. April 16, 2023: An Evening With Renée Elise Goldsberry (Folly Theater)

7 p.m. May 13, 2023: Khatia Buniatishvili, piano (Folly Theater)

7 p.m. May 21, 2023: Jordan Bak, viola (in partnership with Harmony Project KC) (Folly Theater)

You can reach Patrick Neas at patrickneas@kcartsbeat.com and follow his Facebook page, KC Arts Beat, at www.facebook.com/kcartsbeat.