ABT announced today that the Shostakovich Symphony No. 1 that was supposed to be part of Ratmansky's Shostakovich Trilogy has been replaced by Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor for Piano, Trumpet and Strings – a lighter, much happier, less angsty piece of music.
Now this is interesting news.
[Pause for Haglund to adjust his 20/20 speculation spectacles.]
What if – just what if – Dmitri Maximovich Shostakovich were to drop by to play his grandfather's concerto at The Met? What if – just what if – Maxim Dmitrievich Shostakovich were to drop by to conduct some of his father's music? Listen up, folks, the two have recorded this concerto together with The Orchestre de Chambre I Musici de Montréal and are or have been Manhattan residents. Here they are in the Allegro Moderato:
If Haglund is right on this, he may have to bestow a Pump Bump Award on himself.
And continuing the exercise in speculation, note that Ratmansky/Shostakovich are in the House of Balanchine on the same evening as ABT's premiere but also on the following Tuesday. A Shostakovich as guest pianist or conductor at NYCB on Tuesday could turn Lincoln Center into Ratmansky-Shostakovich Central for several days.
Let's dream about this for a while.