Daniel Harding Leads Bernstein & Brahms
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Daniel Harding, Leif Ove Andsnes, Avery Amereau
Walt Disney Concert HallSouth Hope Street, Los Angeles 90012
Daniel Harding conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic in his first Walt Disney Concert Hall program of 2026, joined by Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes and mezzo-soprano Avery Amereau. The program opens with Betsy Jolas’ Latest, a colorful, jazz-infused and percussive work by the Paris-based composer, who turns 100 in 2026. Amereau takes the solo role in Bernstein’s Symphony No. 1, Jeremiah, whose three movements trace Prophecy, Profanation, and Lamentation. After intermission, Andsnes joins the orchestra for Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2.
Harding is the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s incoming Music Director and is celebrated by Bachtrack for a “high-definition reading” marked by attention to “contrast, detail, and thrills.” Andsnes is an acclaimed Norwegian pianist, returning to a concerto he describes as “glorious and happy music,” built on a balanced dialogue between piano and orchestra. Brahms’ Second is technically demanding and symphonic in scale, but its character is one of crafted elegance. In this work, Chicago Classical Review has praised Andsnes for playing that “[blends] intimacy and bravura.” Bernstein’s First Symphony, subtitled for the Biblical prophet Jeremiah, brings a different weight: raw emotional power and the composer’s own “crisis of faith” in a modern, tumultuous world.
Designed by Frank Gehry, this concert hall is a striking architectural landmark with sweeping stainless steel curves that catch the light outside, while inside, its acoustics are meticulously crafted to deliver rich, clear sound to every seat. The auditorium seats over two thousand people in a space where the audience is fully immersed in the music, surrounded by warm wood paneling and a stage that brings performers close to listeners. The venue hosts ticketed performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and other ensembles, offering an evening focused on attentive listening rather than casual socializing. Nearby bars and restaurants in Downtown Los Angeles provide options for pre- or post-show dining, but inside, the experience centers on the music in a refined, elegant setting.