WKO x Frank Dupree - A Jazz Christmas

The slightly different Christmas program with the Frank Dupree Trio and its guests Libor Šima and Maria Stange takes us deep into the world of jazz. We will experience well-known Christmas melodies and "Focus" by Eddie Sauter. This unique Christmas program features the Frank Dupree Trio along with its guests: Libor Šima, a long-time solo bassoonist with the SWR Symphony Orchestra, jazz saxophonist, and arranger, as well as Maria Stange, a professor of harp in Stuttgart and Karlsruhe and also a sought-after soloist. We will enjoy familiar Christmas tunes such as "White Christmas" and Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride," as well as excerpts from Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker," all in jazz arrangements by the Frank Dupree Trio. The main work of the evening, "Focus" by Eddie Sauter, famously interpreted by Stan Getz, captivates with its innovative blend of classical string orchestra and jazz elements, a Concerto Grosso with improvisational elements and subtle rhythmic structures. The versatile pianist, drummer, and conductor Frank Dupree, who has been the Artistic Partner of the WKO since 2023, is known for his ability to explore and transcend boundaries, and he has designed this program specifically for this occasion.