The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) looks forward to a return to live performances in February, starting with Don Quixote on Thursday, February 10, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, February 12, at 8 p.m. in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.
Music Director Andreas Delfs opens the pre-Valentine’s Day program with Symphony No. 2, “Romantic” by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Howard Hanson, who was director of the Eastman School of Music for 40 years. Written in Rochester as a commission for the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s 50th Anniversary in 1930, it was immediately hailed as a triumph and “the epitome of the twentieth-century symphony.”
The second half of the program features Richard Strauss’s 1897 tone poem based on Miguel de Cervantes’ novel from the early 1600s, The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha, which also inspired the Broadway musical, Man of La Mancha. It uses varied orchestra instruments to represent a colorful array of amusing characters. World-renowned cellist Claudio Bohórquez depicts Don Quixote, while RPO Principal Viola Aaron Mossburg (The William L. Gamble Chair) is his squire, Sancho Panza.
Then, on Friday and Saturday, February 18 and 19, at 8 p.m. in Kodak Hall, Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik will lead a 90th birthday celebration for one of America’s greatest composers: Happy Birthday, John Williams. The concert includes music from some of the most iconic films of the 20th century, including Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and – of course – Star Wars. It will also feature Concertmaster Juliana Athayde and Principal Oboe Erik Behr on Williams’ “Theme” from Schindler’s List and “Theme” from Angela’s Ashes, respectively.
Next up, Enrico Lopez-Yañez conducts his rescheduled program, Pirates! The Quest for Blackbeard’s Treasure, for the second OrKIDStra concert of the season, now on Sunday, February 20, at 2 p.m. at Hochstein Performance Hall. Costumes, actors, and storytelling will launch families on a musical journey to sail the seven seas in search of Blackbeard’s legendary prize. Due to COVID, the pre-concert activity will be replaced by take-home activity kits. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children.
Patrons who hold tickets for the originally scheduled concert will receive updated tickets (same seats) with the new concert date by the second week of February. Alternatively, they may exchange tickets to a different show within the 21/22 season, donate the value for a tax credit, or receive a ticket credit. Email patronservices@rpo.org or call 585-454-2100 with any questions.
Those ticketing guidelines hold true as well for the rescheduled 2022 kick-off concert, Andreas Conducts Beethoven on Thursday, February 24, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, February 26, at 8 p.m. in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Updates on the RPO@Home digital version of this performance will be shared closer to the performance date.
This belated tribute to the composer’s 250th birthday in 2020 offers an opportunity for audiences to experience his growth during the 13 years that separated the first performances of Symphony No. 1 (1800) and Symphony No. 7 (1813).
Tickets start at $30 for adults, $18 for children (ages 3-17), and are available online anytime at rpo.org, by phone at 585-454-2100 (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and in-person 90 minutes prior to curtain at the Eastman Theatre Box Office (433 East Main Street) for Kodak Hall concerts.
The RPO is currently reevaluating its COVID protocols and will announce changes before any February concerts. Current protocols call for patrons aged 12 and up to show proof of vaccination plus photo ID, and all patrons are required to wear masks during the entire performance. Venue capacity is currently at 80%, and areas are available for those who feel more comfortable with social distancing.
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