Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream June 23, 2012

Gil Shaham, violin; Bebe Neuwirth, narrator; Orchestra of St. Luke’s; Roberto Abbado, conductor
Mendelssohn’s masterful incidental music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream was begun as a teenager (the Overture) and completed toward the end of Mendelssohn’s life. He evokes the fantastical, supernatural whimsy found in Shakespeare’s characters. Readings of excerpts of Shakespeare’s play will contextualize this symphonic masterpiece, from the iconic Wedding March to the unforgettable Scherzo. Conductor Roberto Abbado leads the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and violin virtuoso Gil Shaham makes a special appearance in Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto.

Program: Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto in E minor; Mendelssohn, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (selections)

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