The Cleveland Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor

Program:
SHCHEDRIN Carmen-Ballet Suite
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4

Passionate music, passionate lives. This concert offers two dramatic works in which each composer poured out his heart and exposed his soul.

Tchaikovsky sought refuge in music when his life was in disarray. He entered into a disastrous marriage that only lasted six weeks. Nearly mad with passion, he poured his feelings into his Fourth Symphony, and the act of writing the music helped to rebalance his sanity. He said of the finale, “Rejoice in the happiness of others, and you can still live.”

Shchedrin’s colorful and flamboyant opera Carmen, with its eye-popping portrayal of on-the-street life filled with women who smoke, fight and drink, scandalized Parisian audiences but became wildly famous for its music and emotional intensity. Franz Welser-Möst offers a different look at this beloved work through a brilliant arrangement for string orchestra and percussion, created as a ballet score by Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin for his dancer wife, prima ballerina Maya Plisetskaya. The intense passions of this famously tune-filled opera are revealed in unexpected detail across 13 movements that just beg you to dance.

Presented by The Cleveland Orchestra in partnership with the Adrienne Arsht Center.

Arsht Center Commitment to Health and Safety
The Arsht Center remains deeply committed to the health and peace of mind of our guests, artists and staff. Based on guidance from national and local health officials, masks and proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test are required. Guests may volunteer proof of vaccination in lieu of a negative test. Learn more here. This event will be seated at full capacity. We will also maintain enhanced cleaning, sanitation and air filtration procedures. Any policy changes will be sent directly to ticketholders and updated regularly at arshtcenter.org/covid-19.