Immerse yourself in a unique experience at the intersection of two beloved art forms, as classical masterpieces and readings from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet showcase familiar works in a dramatic new light.
Beethoven, Brahms, & the Bard
Immerse yourself in a unique experience at the intersection of two beloved art forms, as classical masterpieces and readings from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet showcase familiar works in a dramatic new light.
About
Presented By: Portland Chamber Music Festival
7:30 PM
Exquisite threads of music and literature are woven together in this theatrical exploration of love and loss. The emotional resonance of Shakespeare’s timeless play becomes doubly dramatic through intertwining spoken passages with Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet Suite, a bold, 20th century interpretation of the star-crossed love story. Beethoven was inspired by the tragic tomb scene for the lovely and lyrical Adagio of one of his earliest string quartets. Finally, Brahms’ radiant String Sextet No. 2, infused with bittersweet longing and lush lyricism, was inscribed to a woman he loved from afar. Together, music and language form a poignant meditation on love’s beauty, fragility, and the timeless power of artistic expression.
PROGRAM Prokofiev: Suite from Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare: Selected readings from Romeo and Juliet Beethoven: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 18 Brahms: String Sextet No. 2, Op. 36, “Agathe” ARTISTS Walter van Dyk, reciter; Chad Hoopes, Anthony Marwood, Susie Park, violin; Melissa Reardon, Cara Pogossian, viola; Nina Lee, Raman Ramakrishnan, cello; Benjamin Hochman, piano