The Symphony kicks off its 40th Season with Showcase of the Stars—a magnificent program showcasing the talent of our Symphony Orchestra and renowned pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and a spectacular performance of one of Mozart’s greatest compositions—his 40th Symphony. In a career that has spanned more than 25 years, McDermott has played concertos, recitals and chamber music in hundreds of cities throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. Also on the program are Beethoven’s Leonore Overture and Gina Gillie’s Philharmonic Fanfare for brass ensemble.

Join us for a FREE 30-minute preview talk about the performance presented from The Lensic stage by Maestro Figueroa at 3:00 PM.

OF NOTE!

• There are three versions of the overture to Leonore—the original version of the opera Fidelio—plus a fourth one that is now used in Beethoven’s only opera. Overture No. 1 was composed for a production in Prague that never took place. The second overture was used for the opera’s premiere in 1805, but its difficulty (particularly for the wind players) led to the third iteration, which is being performed at this concert. 
• Prokofiev played the solo piano part at the 1921 premiere of his Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Chicago Symphony. At first, the piece was not popular, but the following year, a performance in Paris conducted by Serge Koussevitzky received rave reviews, cementing the work’s place in the classical canon.
• Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 has been referred to as the “Great G minor symphony,” to distinguish it from the “Little G minor symphony,” No. 25. The latter was written in 1773, when the composer was only 17; No. 40 was written 15 years later. They are the only minor-key symphonies Mozart wrote.