Minnesota Orchestra to Perform Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet at Orchestra Hall

The Minnesota Orchestra will perform Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet on February 9 and 10, 2024. Ruth Reinhardt will conduct the performances, which will include music by Bedřich Smetana, Billy Childs, and Sergei Prokofiev. Saxophonist Steven Banks will participate in the Minnesota premiere of Childs’ Diaspora, a saxophone and orchestra concerto. The performances will be held at Orchestra Hall, with the February 9 performance broadcast live on Twin Cities PBS and YourClassical Minnesota Public Radio.

Bedřich Smetana, born on March 2, 1824, in Leitomischl, Bohemia, is known for his symphonic poem, Šárka, from Má vlast (My Homeland). Composed in 1875, the piece is based on a Bohemian folklore tale. Despite his German education, Smetana, a founder of Czech national music, had difficulty expressing himself in Czech. His music, however, reflects his love for his homeland.

Billy Childs, born on March 8, 1957, in Los Angeles, premiered his Diaspora on February 10, 2023. The concerto, inspired by the poetry of Nayyirah Waheed, Claude McKay, and Maya Angelou, tells a story of Black experiences in America. Childs stated that he composes his music melodically, comparing melody to a well-constructed sentence.

Sergei Prokofiev, born on April 23, 1891, in Sontsovka, Russia, is known for his ballet Romeo and Juliet, which premiered on December 30, 1938. Eight pieces from the ballet, selected by Ruth Reinhardt, will be included in the Minnesota Orchestra performances. The ballet was first proposed by the Kirov Theater in Leningrad in 1934, but was later taken over by the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow due to issues.

The upcoming Minnesota Orchestra performances of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet will feature the works of three notable composers. The performances aim to entertain and offer insight into the histories and inspirations behind the compositions.

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