“It feels wonderful to be able to welcome the audience back to the concert hall for the New Year’s Concert for the first time since 2019. After all, a concert like this can’t truly come into its own without the response of a festive audience,” says Pål Svendsberget, the new director of the KSO.

The New Year’s concerts in 2021 and 2022 were streamed online to residents of the region, as COVID-19 restrictions made it impossible to let party-loving Southerners into Kilden. Svendsberget believes the concerts on January 11–14 will be well received by the audience, both because it has been a long time since the last one and because of what will unfold on stage.

Cast

Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Case Scaglione

Hosts and performers: Evelyn Jons & Erik André Hvidsten

Gershwin

“We’ve organized this as a tribute to the melodic genius George Gershwin, with whom so many people have a strong connection. In 2023, it will be 125 years since Gershwin was born, and his music is perfectly suited for an occasion like this,” explains Svendsberget.

The gala concerts will be led by Swedish singer and artist Evelyn Jons, alongside singer and actor Erik André Hvidsten. The former is familiar to KSO audiences from both the 2018 New Year’s Concert and her spectacular tribute to Nadia Boulanger in the spring of 2022. Hvidsten made his breakthrough with audiences for his role as Malcolm I in *Blanket Messing* at Chateau Neuf in 2002, and has since made a name for himself in entertainment and musical theater over the past 20 years.

Repertoire

George Gershwin (arr.: R. McBride)
GIRL CRAZY, OVERTURE

George & Ira Gershwin (arr.: L. E. Gudim)
LET’S CALL THE WHOLE THING OFF

George & Ira Gershwin (arr.: Ø. Westby)
SLAP THAT BASS

George & Ira Gershwin (arr.: Sven Fridolfsson)
BY STRAUSS

George Gershwin
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

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The 2023 New Year's Concert will be held atperforming arts centre Kilden performing arts centre on Januaryperforming arts centre , 13, and 14, and at Arendal Kulturhus on January 12.

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George Gershwin (arr. by Sol Berkowitz)
PROMENADE – WALKIN’ THE DOG, THE REAL McCOY

George & Ira Gershwin (arr. by N. Rydh)
JUST ANOTHER RUMBA

George & Ira Gershwin (arr. by N. Rydh)
SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME

George Gershwin & Gus Kahn
LIZA

George Gershwin
CUBAN OVERTURE

George & Ira Gershwin (arr.: N. Rydh)
A FOGGY DAY

George & Ira Gershwin (arr.: H. Sunde)
S’wonderful

George & Ira Gershwin (arr. N. Rydh)
STRIKE UP THE BAND