Upcoming Performances

In composing his epic, moving Requiem, Damien Geter was inspired by those composed earlier by Mozart, Berlioz, Brahms, and especially Verdi. Within the traditional Latin text, Geter’s Requiem weaves the words of victims of lynching and of those who dared speak out. “A Requiem memorializes a person,” Geter has stated. “We need to memorialize these folks in some way, to keep their names alive. And this is the way I choose to honor them.”

Madison Symphony Orchastra’s new year begins with Gabriela Lena Frank’s Escaramuza (meaning “skirmish” in Spanish) — a dynamic and colorful work inspired by her Peruvian heritage. This spirited piece captures the energy of the lively Kachampa Andean dance celebrating the agility and strength of Inca warriors. Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier Suite is a symphonic distillation of his beloved opera, bursting with elegance, humor, and romantic nostalgia — sweeping waltzes and tender love duets that have enchanted audiences for more than a century. Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 is a monumental work that combines virtuosic piano passages with symphonic grandeur.

George Gershwin, Cuban Overture

Aaron Zigman, Tango Manos Piano Concerto

Arnold Schoenberg, Pelléas et Mélisande, Op.5