As Mother Nature puts on her annual display of colour, the New Westminster Symphony Orchestra presents its first fall concert with a vast array of colourful music to match.
Maestro Jin "Jack" Zhang opens the Nov. 10 concert at the Massey Theatre with the famous toe-tapping overture to Glinka's opera, Ruslan and Lyudmila - a thoroughly entertaining piece of Russian classical music that concertgoers will immediately recognize, according to local arts promoter, Tony Antonias.
Finnish composer Jean Sibelius of the late Romantic period follows with The Karelia Suite - a collection of orchestral pieces Sibelius wrote for a patriotic historical pageant to be presented by students of the University of Helsinki.
More family music follows with the NWSO performing the very popular and beautiful music by Borodin known as The Polovetsian Dances. They happen to be the best-known selections from Borodin's exceptional, yet seldom performed opera, Prince Igor. Asked why Prince Igor is rarely staged, a world-renowned conductor once replied, "the casting is extremely difficult to fill the various singing roles."
Immediately following intermission, Zhang will lead the NWSO in a performance of a great masterwork by British composer, Sir Edward Elgar, Enigma Variations.
Antonias points out Elgar composed his Variations on an original theme for orchestra; a set of 14 variations on a hidden "theme" that is, in Elgar's words, "not played."
As history tells us, Elgar dedicated the piece to "my friends pictured within," each variation being an affectionate portrayal of one of his close acquaintances. The enigma is the hidden theme.
"This is going to be one of the most beautiful classical concerts you've heard in ages," says Antonias. "So don't miss it!"
The concert takes place Sunday, Nov. 10, 2 p.m. at Massey Theatre.
As always, admission is by donation.
For more about the orchestra, check out its website at www.nwso.ca.
