May/June Classics at the BPO
Mendelssohn’s Italian
Sat May 10, 7:30pm
Sun May 11, 2:30pm
Fernanda Lastra, conductor
Avery Gagliano, piano
Under the baton of Fernanda Lastra, this concert opens with Berlioz’s Roman Carnival, a musical depiction of Italy’s festive spirit. The evening continues with Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 5, featuring the prodigiously talented Avery Gagliano, with a performance expected to weave a narrative of adventure and enchantment, echoing the composer’s impressions of Egypt. Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, “Italian,” concludes the program, a vibrant and joyful celebration of Italy’s landscapes, light, and color. This symphony, one of Mendelssohn’s most beloved works, captures the composer’s own Italian journey’s essence, making for an exhilarating conclusion to an evening of music inspired by travel and discovery.
Bernstein & Copland
Fri May 30, 10:30am
Sat May 31, 7:30pm
JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Tim McAllister, saxophone
Join JoAnn Falletta and the BPO for a vibrant celebration of American music, starting with Copland’s El Salón México, a piece that captures the spirit and rhythms of Mexican dance halls. The concert features the world premiere of Adolphus Hailstork’s Concerto for Saxophone, performed by the exceptional Tim McAllister, promising a work of great emotion and virtuosity that explores the saxophone’s expressive range. Ginastera’s Variaciones concertantes offers a showcase of Argentine musical traditions, while Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story close the evening with thrilling, jazz-infused melodies and the drama of New York’s city streets. This program highlights the diversity and innovation of American music, celebrating its power to tell stories and evoke vivid landscapes.
Beethoven & Strauss
Sat Jun 7, 7:30pm
Sun Jun 8, 2:30pm
JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Kenneth Broberg, piano
The season concludes with a powerful pairing of Beethoven and Strauss, under the skilled direction of JoAnn Falletta. Kenneth Broberg, celebrated for his profound musical insight and technical mastery, performs Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, a work of deep emotional resonance that showcases the composer’s revolutionary spirit. The concert culminates with Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, a grandiose tone poem that offers a complex, autobiographical portrait of the composer himself. This piece, with its vast orchestral forces and dramatic themes, provides a fitting close to a season of exceptional music-making. The program promises an evening of reflection on personal and artistic heroism, exploring the themes of challenge, triumph, and the artist’s role in society.