Plymouth Symphony Orchestra plays at Sterts, Liskeard, and Plymouth Guildhall

Sunday June 17 at 5.30pm (Sterts Theatre), and Wednesday June 20 at 7.30pm (Plymouth Guildhall)

Here’s news about Plymouth Symphony Orchestra’s summer concerts.

Join the Plymouth Symphony Orchestra (PSO) on Sunday 17th June at 5.30pm at Sterts Theatre, Liskeard or on Wednesday 20th June at Plymouth Guildhall at 7.30pm, for their summer concerts featuring Rossini, Bizet, Verdi and Glazunov. Anne Kimber conducts, with Dave Adams leader.

PSO Publicity Officer, and principal cellist Emma Batley writes: ‘A perfect warm-up for an evening of symphonic music is one of the most well-known overtures in the Classical repertoire, that of The Barber of Seville. Rossini composed this opera in less than three weeks and unusually the overture itself contains none of the themes of the opera.

‘This is because he actually recycled an overture that he had previously used with two other operas. Due to its immediate success and popularity the overture was from then on known only in association with The Barber of Seville.

‘Maintaining the Spanish connection, the orchestra will play a selection of movements from the two Suites from Carmen by Bizet. The disquieting elements of the story of Carmen may have shocked the audience of the day, making its debut a failure, but it is for these reasons that it has also become a riveting theatrical experience. Along with Bizet’s genius for melody and rich orchestral sonorities this makes Carmen a mainstay in popular culture.

‘Remaining in the world of grand opera, next is the Grand March from Verdi’s Aida. Preceded by a grand trumpet fanfare, the March accompanies the victorious Egyptian army led by Radames, as it approaches the King’s throne at the gates of Thebes, capital of ancient Egypt.

‘Next, to Russia, and Glazunov’s 5th Symphony – his most well-known. At the premiere in St Petersburg in 1896, a Leipzig newspaper called the symphony ‘very profound’ and ‘sparkling’. This symphony is known as the ‘Heroic’ and is a synthesis of nationalistic and cosmopolitan influences.’

PSO is one of the longest-established orchestras in the country and attracts many distinguished soloists, with Ralph Kirshbaum, Guy Johnston, Tasmin Little, Joanna MacGregor, Michael Petrov and Martin James Bartlett amongst the performers to play with the orchestra.

For ticket information, please visit the PSO Website.

Philip R Buttall

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Philip Buttall

Philip R Buttall was the Classical Music Writer at Plymouth Herald from 1997-2017. He is a sought-after piano teacher, composer and arranger, and online concert and CD reviewer. Further information and contact details are available at www.philiprbuttall.co.uk