World-Renowned Puppeteer Basil Twist Joins The Phoenix Symphony For Stravinsky's Petrushka

Concert Features Stunning Puppet Staging for Petrushka, Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 and Spotlight Composer Jennifer Higdon's Fascinating SkyLine

PHOENIX - The Phoenix Symphony performs Stravinsky's whimsical Petrushka with puppeteer Basil Twist November 6-8 at Symphony Hall. World-renowned puppeteer Basil Twist brings the score of Stravinsky's ballet to life with a lush and imaginative production utilizing large scale puppets to portray the roles of Petrushka, the Moor and the Ballerina.

Mr. Twist has continually sought to expand the craft of puppetry, earning two Drama Desk nominations, an OBIE award, and a Guggenheim fellowship for his efforts in this complex art form. Using Czech and Japanese inspired puppetry, nine puppeteers will work together on stage to add life to the three characters of the story: Petrushka, the Ballerina and the Moor. Mr. Twist's interdisciplinary rendition aims to awe audiences of all ages--tapping the electricity from Stravinsky's musical backdrop. While Mr. Twist's presentation is often performed with two pianos, The Phoenix Symphony and Virginia G. Piper Music Director Michael Christie will preserve Stravinsky's orchestral instrumentation and perform this masterpiece in full scale.

The program also includes Beethoven's Symphony No. 2, a work showing Beethoven's lighter, humorous side and Spotlight Composer Jennifer Higdon's most performed work: SkyLine from City Scape. Thursday and Saturday's concert will also feature the World Premiere of Michael Daugherty's March of the Metro, commissioned by Clem and Mary Jo Hellmann, to commemorate the completion of the METRO Light Rail. Thursday evening's concert, sponsored by Citi Private Bank, begins at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday evening's concert, sponsored by Michael and Mary Carey, begins at 8 p.m. The Friday morning Coffee Concert begins at 11 a.m. and consists of one hour of music selected from the evening's program.

Tickets for "Stravinsky: Petrushka" range from $22 to $72 and can be purchased by calling the Phoenix Symphony Box Office at 602-495-1999 or by visiting www.phoenixsymphony.org. Other highlights of The Phoenix Symphony's 2008-09 Season include "Pictures at an Exhibition" (November 28-29), "Stravinsky: The Firebird" (February 19-21) and "Carmina Burana" (April 23 and 25).

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About Basil Twist: Originally from San Francisco, Basil Twist is a third generation puppeteer who lives and works in New York. He is the only American to graduate from the École Supérieure Nationale des Arts de la Marionnette in Charleville-Mezieres, France, one of the world's premiere puppetry training programs. Twist's work was first spotlighted in New York in 1995 with his creation The Araneidae Show. Later presented in the 1996 International Puppetry Festival at The Public Theater, the show garnered Twist a 1997 Bessie Award and a UNIMA Citation of Excellence. His work for Theatre Couture's Off-Broadway hit Tell Tale earned him a Drama Desk nomination, and for Symphonie Fantastique, Twist received a second Drama Desk nomination, a UNIMA Citation of Excellence, the Henry Hewes Design Award and an OBIE Award. Since 1998, Twist has continually expanded the realm of puppetry by creating and touring new works, focusing especially on work integrated with live music. In 2000, Lincoln Center commissioned Twist for Petrushka, which premiered in New York and has toured festivals nationwide including the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. He is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and is a United States Artists Fellow.

About Music Director Michael Christie: Michael Christie begins his fourth season as the Virginia G. Piper Music Director of The Phoenix Symphony with the 2008-09 season. He also serves as Music Director of the Colorado Music Festival and of the Brooklyn Philharmonic. He has appeared with orchestras across the United States, Europe, and Canada, as well as with the Finnish National Opera, Queensland Opera, and Zürich Opera. In 1995, Mr. Christie was awarded a special prize at the First International Sibelius Conductor's Competition. Following the competition, he became an apprentice conductor with the Chicago Symphony. Michael Christie graduated from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music with a bachelor's degree in trumpet performance. His conducting teachers have included Daniel Barenboim, Robert Spano, Eiji Oue, and Peter Jaffe.

About The Phoenix Symphony: The Phoenix Symphony has been proudly serving the citizens of the Phoenix metropolitan area and Arizona since 1947. What began as an occasional group of musicians performing a handful of concerts each year (in a city of fewer than 100,000 people) today serves more than 300,000 people annually, with 275 concerts and presentations throughout the greater Phoenix area and beyond.

Under the artistic leadership of Michael Christie as the Virginia G. Piper Music Director and administrative leadership of President Maryellen H. Gleason, the orchestra is overseen by the non-profit Phoenix Symphony Association under Board Chairman Ed Wolf.

The 76-member Phoenix Symphony presents an annual season from September through the beginning of June, featuring full-length classical and pops concerts at Symphony Hall in downtown Phoenix, as well as concerts in Scottsdale, Mesa, Prescott and throughout central Arizona. The Symphony performs for more than 50,000 students and children, helping to introduce music to new generations through a variety of education and youth-engagement programs.

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STRAVINSKY: PETRUSHKA
Symphony Classics Concert No. 4
Friday Morning Coffee Classics No. 2

November 6 - Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m.
November 7* - Friday morning at 11:00 a.m.
November 8 - Saturday evening at 8:00 p.m.
Symphony Hall

THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY
Michael Christie, conductor
With special guest, Puppeteer Basil Twist

HIGDON - "SkyLine" from City Scape
BEETHOVEN - Symphony No. 2
STRAVINSKY - Petrushka

The magic of music is on display with Stravinsky's rambunctious Petrushka. While special guest and puppeteer Basil Twist brings the comical music of Petrushka to life, audiences will also delight in Beethoven's more humorous and energetic side with his Symphony No. 2.

*The Friday coffee concert is one hour of music selected from the evening's program.

Tickets: $22, $32, $42, $52, $62, $72
Friday Coffee Concert: $22, $28, $34
Friday "Meet the Artists" Luncheon: $25
PHOENIX SYMPHONY BOX OFFICE: 602-495-1999 or www.phoenixsymphony.org