The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA To Perform Berlioz's SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA's 2024-2025 season continues with two of the most celebrated masterworks on February 22 at 7 p.m. and February 23 at 3 p.m. at Skyview Concert Hall. The program includes Berlioz's romantic Symphonie Fantastique and Mozart's lyrical Symphony No. 38 (Prague) conducted by VSO's Music Director and Maestro Salvador Brotons.

The program opens with W.A. Mozart's beloved Symphony No. 38, known universally as the “Prague.” The nickname is a lasting tribute to a city that Mozart found extremely congenial to him and his music. In fact, Mozart was so pleased by the first performance in Prague that he later wrote “My orchestra is in Prague, and my Prague people understand me.” The rich orchestration and depth of this music, particularly in Mozart's development, illustrates what is to come in the great final trilogy of symphonies he would compose in 1788.

In the second half of the program, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra will grow to the size needed to play one of the largest early romantic symphonies, the Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz. This masterwork is a landmark in the history of romantic music, using orchestral effects and instruments that had never been used in a symphony. Even more striking is the programmatic idea behind the score which represents Berlioz's obsession with English actress Harriet Smithson. To illustrate his affair, he creates a musical idée fixe (literally “fixed idea” or “obsession”) representing his changing view of his beloved throughout each movement.

The 2024-2025 Symphonic Series season is presented by United Grain Corporation.

3-pack symphonic subscriptions are on sale at vancouversymphony.org or by calling (360)735-7278. Virtual-only tickets are also available, and all in-person ticket holders will have the option of viewing virtually.

The Saturday performance at Skyview Concert Hall will begin at 7:00 pm. The celebrated VSO pre-concert show, hosted by a VSO musician or Maestro Salvador Brotons, will be available for concertgoers to attend before the program from 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm. The virtual live stream programming begins at 6:30 pm on Saturday to air Da Capo, a pre-recorded educational discussion of the composers and pieces being performed. The Sunday performance will begin at 3:00 pm, with the pre-concert show available to attend in-person from 2:00 pm to 2:30 pm. The virtual live stream programming begins at 2:30 pm on Sunday.

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