In a riveting finale, Xian Zhang ties the season’s threads together. Beethoven 250, artist-in-residence Louis Lortie and spellbinding ballet works from Stravinsky and Bartók are all in the spotlight in this not-to-be-missed concert program.

XIAN ZHANG conductor

LOUIS LORTIE piano

BEETHOVEN Egmont Overture

A journey from darkness to light, a powerful expression of freedom and a thrilling, virtuosic conclusion—this overture encapsulates everything we love about Beethoven in just over 10 minutes.

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 24

After making a splash for our celebration of Beethoven’s 250th birthday, artist-in-residence Louis Lortie returns to play Mozart’s most dramatic piano concerto—famous for its interplay of woodwinds and piano. After hearing Mozart’s concerto for the first time, Beethoven said, “We shall never be able to do anything like it!”

STRAVINSKY Divertimento from The Fairy’s Kiss

Based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, Stravinsky paid homage to Tchaikovsky with this delightful ballet music ful of spiky rhythms, graceful melodies and glittering orchestration.

BARTÓK Suite from The Miraculous Mandarin

This masterpiece from Bartók was banned after its first performance but is now recognized as one of the 20th century’s most thrilling and evocative examples of the power of a live orchestra—full of violence, love, horror and wonder.