Boston Symphony Conductor Emeritus Bernard Haitink

The BSO entered the brave new world of the post-Jimmy era when it announced the 2011-12 season today. Yes, there are echoes of James Levine - whose six-season tenure ends in September, after a plague of illnesses - throughout the calendar. (To no one's surprise, the BSO announced late Friday afternoon that Levine, on the advice of doctors, had cancelled all of his 2011 Tanglewood appearances.) The orchestra will complete Levine-initiated two-year cycle of John Harbison symphonies, including the world-premiere of the Levine/BSO-commissioned Symphony No. 6. Elliott Carter - the subject of an intensive Levine survey - is present with his Flute Concerto. And BSO conductor emeritus Bernard Haitink's performances of Beethoven's first, sixth and ninth symphonies recall Levine's own illness-thwarted programming of the complete Beethoven symphony cycle.

Haitink is among a number of returning, distinguished venerable visiting conductors: Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Christoph von Dohnányi, and Kurt Masur. But a lot of us will be casting our ears to a younger crop of conductors making their Symphony Hall debuts: Jirí Belohlávek, Ricardo Chailly, Juanjo Mena, Andris Nelsons, Juraj Valcuha, and Jaap van Zweden. Add to this a returning list of Myung-Whun Chung, Ludovic Morlot, Stephane Denève, Marcelo Lehninger, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Though it's hard to find a conductor among the bunch who doesn't have extensive commitments over the next few years, that still makes a great audition pool.

Other highlights this season include superstar violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter performing and conducting all five Mozart concertos, soloists Yo-Yo Ma, Leif Ove Andsnes, Emanuel Ax, Yefim Bronfman, Gidon Kremer, Garrick Ohlsson, Peter Serkin, and singers Chrstine Brewer, Michelle DeYoung, and James Morris.

From the press release, opening weekend through October's 2011-2012 schedule is as follows:

Friday, September 30, 6 p.m.

Opening Night at Symphony

Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin and conductor

ALL-MOZART PROGRAM

Violin Concerto No. 3 in G, K.216

Violin Concerto No. 5 in A, K.219

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Saturday, October 1, 8 p.m.

Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin and conductor

ALL-MOZART PROGRAM

Violin Concerto No. 2 in D, K.211

Violin Concerto No. 1 in B-flat, K.207

Violin Concerto No. 4 in D, K.218

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Thursday, October 6, 8 p.m.

Friday, October 7, 1:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 11, 8 p.m.

Sean Newhouse, conductor

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, piano

BRITTEN Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes

PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3

SIBELIUS Symphony No. 2

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Thursday, October 13, 10:30 a.m. (Open Rehearsal)

Thursday, October 13, 8 p.m.

Friday, October 14, 1:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 15, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, October 18, 8 p.m.

Juanjo Mena, conductor**

Yo-Yo Ma, cello

DVOŘÁK Cello Concerto

BARTÓK The Wooden Prince

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Thursday, October 20, 10:30 a.m. (Open Rehearsal)

Thursday, October 20, 8 p.m.

Friday, October 21, 1:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 22, 8 p.m.

Kurt Masur, conductor

Yefim Bronfman, piano

ALL-BRAHMS PROGRAM
Symphony No. 3

Piano Concerto No. 2

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Wednesday, October 26, 7:30 p.m. (Open Rehearsal)

Thursday, October 27, 8 p.m.

Friday, October 28, 1:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 29, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, November 1, 8 p.m.

Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, conductor

Gidon Kremer, violin

SCHUMANN Violin Concerto

STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben

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*connotes BSO debut

**connotes BSO subscription debut

For a full schedule visit bso.org.