Carnegie Hall

On Monday, December 14 at 7:00 p.m., Carnegie Hall presents Sting in his highly acclaimed concert Symphonicities in a one-night-only gala benefit concert with Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by Rob Mathes.

Symphonicities features Sting’s greatest hits reimagined for symphonic arrangement with orchestrations by Jorge Calandrelli, David Hartley, Michel Legrand, Rob Mathes, Vince Mendoza, Steven Mercurio, Bill Ross, Robert Sadin, and Nicola Tescari. Selections include fan-favorites such as “Roxanne,” “Next To You,” “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” and “Every Breath You Take,” plus songs from his enduring solo career—“Englishman in New York,” “Fragile,” “Russians,” “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You,” “Fields of Gold,” and “Desert Rose.”

The concert marks Sting’s first time headlining a full performance at Carnegie Hall. He will also be joined by a quintet comprised of Dominic Miller (Sting’s longtime guitarist), Jo Lawry (vocalist), Ira Coleman (bassist), Joe Bonadio (percussionist), and Mike Ricchiuti (keyboards). All proceeds from the performance will benefit Carnegie Hall’s artistic and music education programs.

"It was an absolute joy to discover a whole new palate of musical colors and reinvent the songs that have been the staples of my live performances for over thirty years,” commented Sting. “I’m thrilled to now bring Symphonicities to Carnegie Hall and to help support their dynamic arts education programs.”

Sting first performed at Carnegie Hall in March 1991 at the first of many concerts benefiting the Rainforest Fund, the non-profit organization he co-founded with his wife Trudie Styler in 1989. He has since appeared 18 other times in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at performances supporting important causes, including 16 additional Rainforest Fund benefit concerts; a 1997 concert benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation; and Carnegie Hall’s 120th Anniversary Gala in April 2011, created and hosted by singer-songwriter James Taylor.

The December 14 gala benefits Carnegie Hall’s artistic and education programs. Gala Chairmen include Mercedes T. Bass; Clarissa and Edgar Bronfman, Jr., Susan and Ed Forst; Annette de la Renta; Sana H. Sabbagh; Beatrice Santo Domingo, and David M. Siegel and Dana Matsushita. Gala benefit tickets for An Evening with Sting: Symphonicities include the best possible concert seating as well as admission to either a pre-concert cocktail reception at Carnegie Hall’s Rohatyn Room for $1,000 or one of two post-concert options. Starting at $2,500, gala ticket buyers can opt for post-concert Cocktails and Supper Club for an informal party with a DJ in the Weill Music Room. Gala table buyers interested in a post-concert Seated Dinner in the Weill Terrace Room can purchase Tables of 8 or 10, which begin at $25,000. All gala tickets are available for purchase by calling the Special Events office at 212-903-9679 or visiting us online at carnegiehall.org/sting.

A limited number of concert-only tickets, priced $125–$350, are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800, or visiting online at carnegiehall.org/sting.

About The Artists
Composer, singer, author, actor, and activist, Sting has earned 16 Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, three Oscar nominations, and has sold close to 100 million albums from his combined work with The Police and as a solo artist. He is a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and received the Kennedy Center Honors in December 2014. Sting has appeared in more than 15 films and authored two books, including The New York Times best-selling memoir, Broken Music. His fourteenth solo album is inspired by the story of The Last Ship, his acclaimed Broadway musical for which he composed the music and lyrics and received a Tony Award® nomination for Best Original Score. The Last Ship, named Best Musical of 2014 by USA Today, draws upon his memories of the shipbuilding community of Wallsend in the North East of England. His support for human rights organizations such as the Rainforest Fund, co-founded with his wife Trudie Styler in 1989, mirrors his art in its universal outreach.

Sting’s first venture into the classical realm began with the success of his #1 album, Songs from the Labyrinth, a lute-based interpretation of the music of sixteenth century composer John Dowland, released in 2006 on Deutsche Grammophon. After completing The Police reunion world tour, Sting returned to pursue his passion for uniting musical genres with his 2009 release If On A Winter's Night... which debuted at #1 on Billboard's classical chart. Also in 2009, he reworked selections from his expansive catalogue joining members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in performance. Eager to explore the possibilities of further symphonic collaboration, Sting then joined The Philadelphia Orchestra for a concert commemorating the 153rd anniversary of the Academy of Music in 2010. In May 2010, Sting embarked on the worldwide Symphonicity tour and released the studio album Symphonicities on Deutsche Grammophon later that year. sting.com.

Rob Mathes is an Emmy winning, Tony and Grammy nominated arranger / composer and music producer / director. He has produced recordings by Sting, Carly Simon, Rod Stewart, Bettye LaVette, Vanessa Williams, and Panic At The Disco, among others. He won the Emmy for his work on the Kennedy Center Honors, a program he’s musically directed for a decade. He directed President Obama’s Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial and PBS’s Great Performances 40th Anniversary Special. He’s arranged and conducted music for artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Lou Reed, Beck, James Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, and Tony Bennett and also classical artists like Yo-Yo Ma, Luciano Pavarotti, Bryn Terfel and Renée Fleming. He’s written the soundtrack for two HBO documentaries and has written music for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Nashville Symphony, The National Symphony, and The Royal Philharmonic. In 2014, he supervised and orchestrated Sting’s Broadway show The Last Ship.

Orchestra of St. Luke’s (OSL) is one of America’s most versatile and distinguished orchestras, collaborating with the world’s greatest artists and performing approximately 70 concerts each year—including its Carnegie Hall Orchestra Series, Chamber Music Series at The Morgan Library & Museum and Brooklyn Museum, and summer residency at Caramoor Music Festival. In its 41-year history, OSL has commissioned more than 50 new works; has given more than 170 world, US, and New York City premieres; and has appeared on more than 100 recordings, including four Grammy Award winners and seven releases on its own label, St. Luke’s Collection. Pablo Heras-Casado, named 2014 Conductor of the Year by Musical America, is OSL’s principal conductor.

Program Information
Monday, December 14, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
AN EVENING WITH STING: SYMPHONICITIES
A Gala Benefit 
Sting
Orchestra of St. Luke's
Rob Mathes, Conductor
Dominic Miller, Guitar
Ira Coleman, Double Bass
Joe Bonadio, Percussion
Jo Lawry, Vocals
Mike Ricchiuti, Keyboards

Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of Carnegie Hall.

 

Ticket Information

Gala benefit tickets for An Evening with Sting: Symphonicities include the best possible concert seating as well as admission to either a pre-concert cocktail reception at Carnegie Hall’s Rohatyn Room for $1,000 or one of two post-concert options. Starting at $2,500, ticket buyers can opt for post-concert cocktails and supper club ambiance in the Weill Music Room. Patrons interested in a post-concert seated dinner in the Weill Terrace Room for Tables of 8 or 10 begin at $25,000. All gala tickets are available for purchase by calling the Special Events office at 212-903-9679 or visiting online at carnegiehall.org/sting.

A limited number of concert-only tickets, priced $125–$350, are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800, or online at carnegiehall.org/sting.