
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.
Presented by Eugene Symphony