Asheville Symphony: Romeo and Juliet February 12, 2011

Continuing with music inspired by Shakespeare, we invite you to join us on Valentine's weekend for William Walton's heartfelt music to Henry V and Prokofiev's brilliant score to 'Romeo and Juliet.' Prokofiev takes you right into the heart of the drama, from the humble, palpitating pangs of first love to the tumult of inter-family strife. The swordfights, the clandestine rendezvous, and the cries of horror and joy are all clearly delineated in this dramatic score. In complete contrast, Rachmaninoff's simple 'Vocalise' is a song without words -- a lovely homage to romance. We also look forward to the debut of young Georgian pianist Dudana Mazmanishvili. Dudana has already made major US and European debuts, and we are thrilled to engage her early in what should prove to be an impressive career as an artist. She will play one of Mozart's loveliest works, requiring the soloist to play virtuoso and poet, in Mozart's !Elvira Madigan' concerto.