PSO Tuesday Classical Features a Night
of Romance
PORTLAND, ME: The
Portland Symphony Orchestra’s (PSO) Tuesday Classical concert on February 14, is
the ultimate Valentine’s Day extravaganza. Under the direction of Music Director
Robert Moody, the PSO will perform some of the most evocative, romantic music
ever written for orchestra. The concert features guest pianist and Maine native
Henry Kramer, and guest artists from Portland Stage. The concert will be held at
7:30 PM at Portland’s Merrill Auditorium.
The program opens with Peter Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy,
lushly beautiful and ripe with the conflict of this tale of star-crossed lovers.
Pianist Henry Kramer will be the featured soloist in W.A. Mozart’s Piano
Concerto No. 21 in C Major, an exuberant piece with a sublime and romantic
Andante at its heart. The evening concludes with selections from Sergei
Prokofiev’s ballet score, Romeo and Juliet. The movements are arranged in
dramatic order, beginning with the ominous “Montagues and Capulets” and moving
into the sweeter “Young Juliet,” and on to “Masks,” “Balcony Scene,” “The Death
of Tybalt,” and “Friar Lawrence,” before concluding with the heartbreaking
“Romeo at Juliet’s Tomb.” Interspersed throughout and corresponding with the
music, four actors from Portland Stage will narrate selections from
Shakespeare’s play.
A native of Cape Elizabeth, Henry Kramer is a recent winner of the National
Chopin Competition, has performed in Maine with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra
and the Bowdoin International Music Festival, and in recital across Europe.
Kramer is a recent graduate of The Juilliard School, where he is currently
working on his master’s.
A Concert Conversation will be held in the Rehearsal Hall at 6:15 PM. The
PostConcert Q&A on stage with the artists will be followed by a casual gathering
at the nearby restaurant Grace. This concert will be broadcast on MPBN’s Maine
Stage at 8 PM on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 and is sponsored by Maine Medical
Center.
Tickets are available through PortTIX.com, 207-842-0800 or at the box office at
20 Myrtle St.; box office hours are noon – 6 PM Monday through Saturday. Single
ticket prices range from $20 to $70 with special pricing available for students,
seniors and subscribers. All ticket prices include a $2 Merrill Restoration fee,
and phone and internet orders are subject to a $6-per-ticket PortTIX handling
fee.
For complete season information, visit
www.portlandsymphony.org. Founded in 1923, the Portland Symphony Orchestra
(PSO) is the largest performing arts organization in Maine and is widely
regarded as one of the top symphony orchestras of its size in the country. Made
up of more than 80 professional musicians, the PSO is renowned for its
critically acclaimed performances and broad community engagement.
