Eugene Symphony: Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet

Joseph Young, conductor 

Pallavi Mahidhara, piano

Lera Auerbach: Icarus 

Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2 

Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet 

William Shakespeare’s tale of star-crossed lovers has inspired many musical settings, including operas, overtures, and ballets. Sergei Prokofiev’s interpretation brings out the hope of love and the agony of loss, taking us all on a moving emotional journey. Russian composer Lera Auerbach’s retelling of the myth of Icarus, whose audacity took him too close to the sun, is captivating and fresh. In between, Camille Saint-Saëns’s Concerto has the perfect balance of virtuosity and heart, played by pianist Pallavi Mahidhara, whose performance of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in 2019 brought our audience to their feet.