Lexington Philharmonic - Rite of Spring

LexPhil’s 2024/25 Season finale concert bursts forth into spring with Hector Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture followed by the evocative Cyber Bird Concerto by Takashi Yoshimatsu. The three movement work follows “an imaginary bird in the realm of electronic cyberspace”. Described as a ‘triple concerto’ the piece features saxophonist Jichen Zhang, pianist Meng Liu and percussionist Ben Stone.

The concert reaches its climactic finale with Igor Stravinsky’s formidable work, The Rite of Spring, originally a ballet but performed most often as a stand alone orchestral tour de force. Stravinsky’s angular motifs and furious rhythmic writing exemplifies the pagan rituals depicted in the ballet. The haunting opening bassoon solo is a foreboding beginning to the tumultuous journey that unfolds. The Rite of Spring is a wildly electric apex to the season that deserves to be experienced.

Mélisse Brunet, conductor
Singletary Center for the Arts

HECTOR BERLIOZ - Roman Carnival Overture
TAKASHI YOSHIMATSU - Cyber Bird Concerto 
Jichen Zhang, saxophone
Meng Liu, piano
Ben Stone, percussion
IGOR STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring