Berkeley Symphony Will Continue its Chamber Series with Play On Words This Month

Berkeley Symphony will continue its Chamber Series with Play On Words on Sunday, April 14, 2024, at 4 p.m. at the Piedmont Center for the Arts.

Rounding out the series,  Play on Words continues Berkeley Symphony's celebration of poetry and literature from the season, with muscial settings of works by Emily Dickinson, John Keats, and William Shakespeare, highlighted by Gordon Getty's Four Dickinson Songsand Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Suite from Much Ado About Nothing. The journey into poetic expression will also feature Jake Heggie's Shed No Tear,  a setting of poetry by John Keats. The performance will culminate with Franz Schubert's masterpiece, his Piano Trio in E-flat major, Opus 100.

Guest artists Lisa Delan, soprano; Rene Mandel, violin; Evan Kahn, cello; and Kevin Korth,piano, will open with Korngold's Suite from Much Ado About Nothing for Violin and Piano, a musical embodiment of Shakespeare's wit, showcasing Korngold's blend of cinematic and classical styles. It is followed by Gordon Getty's Four Dickinson Songs for Soprano and Piano, where Emily Dickinson's introspective verse is given new life through Getty's melodic compositions. Jake Heggie's Shed No Tear for Soprano, Violin, and Piano, inspired by John Keats, merges contemporary composition with romantic lyricism, exploring themes of grief and consolation. The evening concludes with Schubert's Trio in E-flat major, Opus 100 for Piano, Violin and Cello, offering a journey through the full spectrum of human emotion.

“Play on Words seamlessly blends poetry and music, intertwining the extraordinary contemporary voices of Getty and Heggie with the sublime romantic classics of Korngold and Schubert,” said Mandel. “We are thrilled to welcome back soprano Lisa Delan, pianist Kevin Korth, and cellist Evan Kahn, who will once again grace us with their incomparable artistry.  We are grateful to the Piedmont Center of the Arts for their 11-year partnership with the Berkeley Symphony and Friends Chamber of Music series.”

Tickets for Play on Words are available now at berkeleysymphony.org or by calling the box office at 510.841.2800.