LPO Presents: Mozart Symphony No. 31 “Paris”
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Join the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra at the New Marigny Theatre for an evening inspired by the music and culture of Paris. Matthew Kraemer leads a program spanning three centuries of music, from Rameau and Offenbach to Milhaud, Debussy, and Mozart's celebrated "Paris" Symphony.
The evening opens with Offenbach/Dorati's La vie Parisienne: Overture, an exuberant introduction to nineteenth-century Paris. Offenbach's operetta turns the city itself into part of the story, poking fun at its social life and the visitors drawn to its pleasures. The overture captures that sense of movement with quick exchanges, playful melodies, and theatrical flair.
The program then reaches back to the French Baroque with selections from Rameau's Les Indes galantes. First performed in 1735, the opéra-ballet brought together elaborate dances and stories set in imagined lands beyond Europe. Rameau's music was adventurous for its time, and the work has continued to find new audiences centuries later. A 2019 production at the Paris Opéra famously paired its dances with contemporary hip-hop performers, creating an unexpected conversation between Baroque music and modern street culture.
Darius Milhaud's Le boeuf sur le toit takes us into 1920s Paris, where Brazilian popular music, jazz, and the city's avant-garde circles shaped Milhaud's musical imagination. Claude Debussy's Danse and Sarabande offer a more intimate turn, revealing his fascination with delicate textures, unconventional harmonies, and the expressive possibilities of the orchestra.
The evening concludes with Mozart's Symphony No. 31 in D Major, "Paris." Mozart wrote the symphony in 1778 while seeking recognition in the French capital. He adapted the work for Parisian audiences, expanding the orchestra and creating a more public, dramatic style. The result was a major success and one of the most significant works to emerge from his Paris visit.
About the Composers
Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880) became one of Paris's most successful composers of operetta, combining memorable melodies with theatrical humor and social satire. La vie Parisienne remains among his best-known works.
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764) was one of the leading composers of the French Baroque and an influential music theorist. Les Indes galantes demonstrates his extraordinary gift for dance, orchestration, and theatrical writing.
Darius Milhaud (1892–1974) was a member of Les Six, a group of French composers who challenged the conventions of early twentieth-century music. Le boeuf sur le toit reflects his fascination with Brazilian melodies and the jazz-filled artistic life of 1920s Paris.
Claude Debussy (1862–1918) reshaped French music through his approach to harmony, form, and musical texture. Danse and Sarabande reveal two sides of his distinctive style, from the lively character of the former to the more restrained atmosphere of the latter.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) composed his Symphony No. 31 during his 1778 stay in Paris. The work reflects his effort to appeal to French audiences while retaining the clarity and invention that defined his own musical voice.
The evening opens with Offenbach/Dorati's La vie Parisienne: Overture, an exuberant introduction to nineteenth-century Paris. Offenbach's operetta turns the city itself into part of the story, poking fun at its social life and the visitors drawn to its pleasures. The overture captures that sense of movement with quick exchanges, playful melodies, and theatrical flair.
The program then reaches back to the French Baroque with selections from Rameau's Les Indes galantes. First performed in 1735, the opéra-ballet brought together elaborate dances and stories set in imagined lands beyond Europe. Rameau's music was adventurous for its time, and the work has continued to find new audiences centuries later. A 2019 production at the Paris Opéra famously paired its dances with contemporary hip-hop performers, creating an unexpected conversation between Baroque music and modern street culture.
Darius Milhaud's Le boeuf sur le toit takes us into 1920s Paris, where Brazilian popular music, jazz, and the city's avant-garde circles shaped Milhaud's musical imagination. Claude Debussy's Danse and Sarabande offer a more intimate turn, revealing his fascination with delicate textures, unconventional harmonies, and the expressive possibilities of the orchestra.
The evening concludes with Mozart's Symphony No. 31 in D Major, "Paris." Mozart wrote the symphony in 1778 while seeking recognition in the French capital. He adapted the work for Parisian audiences, expanding the orchestra and creating a more public, dramatic style. The result was a major success and one of the most significant works to emerge from his Paris visit.
About the Composers
Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880) became one of Paris's most successful composers of operetta, combining memorable melodies with theatrical humor and social satire. La vie Parisienne remains among his best-known works.
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764) was one of the leading composers of the French Baroque and an influential music theorist. Les Indes galantes demonstrates his extraordinary gift for dance, orchestration, and theatrical writing.
Darius Milhaud (1892–1974) was a member of Les Six, a group of French composers who challenged the conventions of early twentieth-century music. Le boeuf sur le toit reflects his fascination with Brazilian melodies and the jazz-filled artistic life of 1920s Paris.
Claude Debussy (1862–1918) reshaped French music through his approach to harmony, form, and musical texture. Danse and Sarabande reveal two sides of his distinctive style, from the lively character of the former to the more restrained atmosphere of the latter.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) composed his Symphony No. 31 during his 1778 stay in Paris. The work reflects his effort to appeal to French audiences while retaining the clarity and invention that defined his own musical voice.
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Where is it happening?
New Marigny Theatre at Church Of Arts & Sciences, 2306 Marais St, New Orleans, LA 70117-8303, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherLouisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
