Pictures from an Exhibition

The indelible images of Musorgsky’s signature work make a vivid canvas for this guest conductor, who has already made headlines in her young career. The San Francisco Chronicle dubs Elim Chan “the real deal. … All she has to do is raise her arms and the orchestra responds with torrents of finely shaped sounds, as if she were some kind of … superhero, bending the sonic environment to her will.” 

More than color, rich images and sensations are evoked in the Debussy work on this program, set in a sun-dappled glade, where the heat of a drowsy summer afternoon shapes the dreams of mythical creatures. Chan’s gifts are on display in this classic, as well in performances of Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Du Yun’s Ears of the Book, commissioned by Yannick Nézet-Séguin and The Philadelphia Orchestra. Conceived as a series of snapshots, it’s a virtuosic concerto for award-winning pipa master Wu Man; the juxtaposition of the 2,000-year-old lute-like instrument with contemporary music is fascinating, inviting the listener to lean in.