All Concerts

Cellist Joshua Roman takes center stage to perform Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, a masterful work showcasing the cello’s expressive depth and technical brilliance.  Program BENJAMIN BRITTEN “Four Sea Interludes” from Peter Grimes, Op. 33a I. Dawn II. Sunday Morning III. Moonlight IV. Storm — Intermission — Anna CLYNE Color Field ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104 I. Allegro II. Adagio ma non troppo III. Finale. Allegro moderato   Program Notes “Four Sea Interludes” from Peter Grimes, Op. 33a BENJAMIN BRITTEN Born: November 22, 1913, Lowestoft, England Died: December 4, 1976, Aldeburgh, England Composed: 1944–45 Premiered: June 7, 1945, London, England (full opera); June 14, 1945, Cheltenham, England (interludes only) Duration: 17 minutes “Drawn” from his opera Peter Grimes, Britten’s “Four Sea Interludes” offer a vivid orchestral portrait of the sea and the coastal village life that frames the opera’s tragic narrative of a fisherman ostracized by his community after the death of his apprentice at sea. While originally conceived as scene changes within the opera, Britten recognized the independent strength of these interludes and arranged them into a concert suite, which quickly became one of his most frequently performed orchestral works. Each interlude evokes a different mood and aspect of the sea, integral to the opera’s setting and psychological landscape. “Dawn” opens with shimmering strings and high woodwinds that conjure the expansive stillness and quiet majesty of morning over the North Sea. This music sets a tone of eerie calm that belies the tensions simmering beneath the surface of the opera’s plot. “Sunday Morning” captures the bustle and brightness of a seaside town awakening to church bells and communal routines. With its bell-like percussion and lively rhythmic interplay, the movement reflects the surface respectability of the village, which contrasts sharply with its judgmental undercurrents. “Moonlight” offers a moment of reflection and nocturnal beauty. Slow-moving, with luminous orchestration it evokes the silvery glow of ...

Richard Strauss’s Tod und Verklärung opens the concert with a powerful meditation on life, death, and transcendence. Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana erupts with driving rhythm, unforgettable melodies, and the combined force of St. Mary's College Belles Voix, South Bend Chamber Singers (with Dr. Nancy Menk directing), the Notre Dame Glee Club, and the Notre Dame Children's Choir. Alastair Willis, conductor St. Mary’s College Belles Voix South Bend Chamber Singers Dr. Nancy Menk, director Notre Dame Glee Club Notre Dame Children's Choir   Program RICHARD STRAUSS Tod und Verklärung — Intermission — CARL ORFF Carmina Burana I. O Fortuna, velut Luna II. Fortune plango vulnera III. Ecce gratum IV. Tanz-Uf dem anger V. Floret silva VI. Were diu werlt alle min VII. Amor volat undique VIII. Ego sum abbas IX. In taberna quando sumus X. In trutina XI. Dulcissime XII. Ave formosissima XIII. Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi   Program Notes Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration) Richard Strauss Born: June 11, 1864, Munich, Germany Died: September 8, 1949, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany Composed: 1888–89 Premiered: June 21, 1890, Eisenach, Germany, conducted by Richard Strauss Duration: 25 minutes Richard Strauss was just 25 when he composed Tod und Verklärung, yet the tone poem grapples with one of the most profound human experiences: the transition from life to death, and the idea of spiritual transfiguration beyond the mortal realm. The work reflects Strauss’s fascination with narrative in music, as well as his deepening command of orchestral color and emotional pacing. The piece unfolds in a single continuous movement but is often described in four distinct sections: the dying man’s illness, his life flashing before him, the moment of death, and his transfiguration. It opens with hushed, irregular “heartbeats” in the low strings and a plaintive oboe line, painting the quiet agony of a man on his deathbed. This leads to more vigorous music as memories of youth wake a struggle against death ...

Kodály’s Dances of Galánta launches the program with rhythmic bite and radiant color, followed by Strauss’ Horn Concerto No. 1. Elgar’s Enigma Variations concludes with sharply etched musical portraits and a commanding orchestral finish.

The evening opens with sharp brass and fast-moving momentum from Wagner’s Die Meistersinger Overture, followed by Anna Clyne’s Glasslands, a vivid saxophone performance. Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 delivers drama and a propulsive conclusion.

Carlos Simon’s The Block opens with striking presence, followed by the sweep and drama of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition closes with rich scenes, framed by the “Promenade,” and a monumental finale of “Great Gate of Kyiv.”

Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection” unfolds in one great, uninterrupted arc, building from a dramatic opening to an ending with soloists and chorus.

Maestro Willis’ signature series turns the concert into an experience—part performance, part storytelling. With an actor onstage and Maestro as your guide, you’ll hear Tchaikovsky in a fresh, theatrical way, from ballet sparkle and virtuosic violin to a blazing, crowd-pleasing finale.