Mobile Symphony presents Modern Romance,
Just days before the international holiday for romance, the Mobile Symphony Orchestra (MSO) offers a musical Valentine with Modern Romance Saturday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 9, at 2:30 p.m., at Mobile’s historic Saenger Theatre.
The concert is a thrilling blend of Philip Glass' contemporary timpani concerto with Prokofiev's dynamic Romeo and Juliet. MSO’s Principal Timpanist Laura Noah is one of the featured soloist along with the acclaimed Peter Ferry. Tickets start at $20, students $10.
“Modern Romance begins with Philip Glass’ Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists, starring our own Principal Timpanist Laura Noah alongside guest percussionist Peter Ferry,” MSO Music Director Scott Speck explains. “Glass’ mesmerizing concerto is a rhythmic blast, showcasing the timpani’s versatility and expressive power in a dialogue that spans resonant depths and ethereal heights.
“The concert concludes with a suite from Sergei Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet,” Speck adds. “Many musicians list this piece among their favorites to perform, and it’s easy to hear why: Prokofiev’s musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragic love story unfolds with vivid orchestral colors and emotional intensity, driving the iconic tale with passion and turmoil. Our orchestra brings Prokofiev’s evocative melodies to life,
immersing our audience in a torrent of love, fate, danger and beauty.”
Laura Noah has been the MSO’s principal timpanist since 2007. She is also principal timpanist with other Gulf Coast orchestras and an educator at the University of West Florida and McGill-Toolen Catholic High School. “This piece is so special to me because it was commissioned by my teacher at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore,” she says. “It has been my dream to perform this fantastic piece with Scott and the MSO.”
Peter Ferry has been acclaimed for his virtuosic expressivity and dedication to creating arresting musical experiences. As a soloist and chamber musician currently based in Phoenix, his performances have spanned the U.S., Canada, South America and Europe, bringing him to the world’s finest institutions including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Patrons can enjoy an informative pre-concert talk before each performance. These TakeNote lectures begin at 6:30 p.m. before Saturday classical performances and 1:30 p.m. before Sunday classical performances in Room 1927 adjacent to the Saenger entrance on Joachim Street.
Coming up, the MSO offers two concerts in April: On April 5 and 6, Best of the Best celebrates music from some of the best movies of all times. On April 26 and 27, the orchestra is joined by the University of South Alabama Concert Choir, Mobile Opera Chorus and four international soloists for an epic performance Handel’s Messiah.
Tickets are $20-$96 and can be purchased online at mobilesymphony.org, by phone at 251-432-2010 or at the symphony box office, 257 Dauphin Street. Bring a group of 10 or more and receive 20% off your order! Four-concert discounted season memberships are $70 -$288.
Student tickets are $10. Through the MSO Big Red Ticket program sponsored by the Alabama Power Foundation and the Figures Foundation, students in grades K-12 can attend any of the season’s six classical Sunday performances free when accompanied by a paying adult. More details can be found online at www.mobilesymphony.org.
Modern Romance is sponsored by the J.L. Bedsole Foundation, the Shirk Family Foundation and Andra Bohnet. WKRG/Gulf Coast CW is the media sponsor. All concerts have been made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
