CONCERT PROGRAM

The WSO heads to the south end of the city!

This fall, join Music Director Daniel Raiskin and the orchestra for our first-ever solo performance at the acoustically stunning Desautels Concert Hall.

Experience Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in an intimate, up-close setting. Premiered in 1800 when he was just 29, this was the work that announced him to Vienna — the music of a young composer stepping onto the symphonic stage for the first time, already hinting at the musical revolution to come!

Whether you’re drawn to the violins, trumpets, or flutes, you’ll enjoy Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol — a true showpiece for the orchestra! The composer himself called it “a brilliant composition for orchestra.” Based on Spanish folk melodies, the work gives nearly every section of the orchestra a chance to shine. It’s your chance to experience the remarkable virtuosity of your WSO musicians!

Also on the program is Rossini’s William Tell Overture — the curtain-raiser to his final opera. This miniature four-movement symphony remains one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music in pop culture. You may remember hearing its rousing finale, The March of the Swiss Soldiers, as the galloping theme of The Lone Ranger!

Finally, Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings brings quiet intensity to the evening. One of the most performed and recorded works of the 20th century, its simple, arching melody and slow, continuous build make it deeply moving — as unforgettable in the concert hall as it is on screen in films like Platoon and The Elephant Man.