Two of the world's finest concert violinists will occupy Tucson stages within 24 hours of each other next week.
First up is Joshua Bell, who joins the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Tuesday for "Bruch and the 'Red Violin,' " a concert that will include Bell performing Corigliano's beautiful "Pope's Concert" from the movie sensation "The Red Violin." (See related story, Page E1.)
On Wednesday, a half-hour shy of 24 hours later, Israel-born violinist Itzhak Perlman will perform a sold-out concert at Centennial Hall.
Perlman is largely and rightfully considered the world's finest living violinist; Bell is in line to ascend that throne.
Read reviews of both concerts in next Friday's Accent.
Itzhak Perlman
Age: 62.
Born: Israel.
Picked up the violin: Around age 4.
Educated: Tel Aviv Academy of Music, Juilliard School of Music.
Carnegie Hall debut: 1963 at age 18.
Performance style: Performs seated; Perlman survived polio as a child and relies on a crutch.
Awards: Multiple Grammys, Kennedy Center Honor, National Medal of Arts.
Violin: Either his 1714 Soil Stradivarius or his 1743 Sauret Guarneri del Gesu, each valued at several million dollars.
Critical acclaim: "Perlman is as good as gold." โ Chicago Tribune.
At the movies: Among his movie soundtrack work was the 1993 Oscar-winning "Schindler's List."
Ability to wow 'em: Perlman's Centennial Hall recital, as well as his concert at the Mesa Arts Center Tuesday sold out within days of tickets going on sale in late summer, early fall.
Joshua Bell
Age: 40.
Born: Indiana.
Picked up the violin: Age 4.
Educated: Indiana University.
Carnegie Hall debut: 1985, age 18.
Performance style: Energetic and expressive.
Awards: Three Grammys, the Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Avery Fisher Prize.
Violin: 1713 Gibson ex Huberman Stradivari, valued at $4 million.
Critical acclaim: "Mr. Bell made it clear that he is a complete violinist. All the bells and whistles of Romantic phrasing are under his control." โ The New York Times.
At the movies: Bell performed the soundtrack for the critically acclaimed 1999 film "The Red Violin." Composer Corigliano won an Oscar in 2000 for Best Original Score.
Ability to wow 'em: His last two Tucson performances โ with the TSO in 2005 and last year with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields at Centennial Hall โ sold out. There are very few tickets left for Tuesday's concert.
Preview
Joshua Bell with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Where: Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave., Downtown.
Tickets: $37-$86 (few remain) through the TSO, 882-8585.
Itzhak Perlman
Presented by: UApresents.
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Where: Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd., on the University of Arizona campus.
Tickets: Sold out.
