
Nicknamed for the king of the Roman gods, Mozart’s iconic final symphony is full of striking drama and moments of musical perfection, regarded by many as among the greatest symphonies in classical music. Brilliant, expansive, and radiant with clarity, it channels complexity into grace, reconciling tension with poise.
This program opens with Missy Mazzoli’s Music for Orbiting Spheres: “music in the shape of a solar system.” With pulsing rhythms and luminous textures, it evokes both the mystery and the inevitability of celestial motion—a sound world both mechanical and strangely human.
Bridging the span from cosmic to psychological is Barber’s Medea’s Meditation and Dance of Vengeance. Based on Euripides’ tragic heroine, the piece traces a descent from brooding stillness into violent release. Medea’s fury feels at once mythic and disturbingly human—an emotional orbit governed not by reason, but by primal urge and near-mechanical compulsion. There’s no redemption here, only the spiraling gravity of vengeance.
David Amado, guest conductor
PROGRAM:
MISSY MAZZOLI: Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres)
BARBER: Medea’s Meditation and Dance of Vengeance
MOZART: Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter”
RUN TIME: Approximately 2 hours, including an intermission.
ADULT and CHILD & STUDENT prices are available online for this event.
GROUP 10+ is available via phone & in-person only.
Per ticket service fee is based on a percentage of the ticket price.
Tuesday, October 28, 2025 7PM
Tickets
$113 / $93 / $92 / $74 / $72 / $59 / $57 / $54 / $42 / $39 / $37 / $29 / $15
*before fees
merrill
auditorium
A beautifully restored 1,900-seat performance venue, this majestic hall is one of the gems of Portland’s downtown Arts District and close to plenty of restaurants to grab a bite before the show.
Merrill Auditorium is owned and operated by the City of Portland.
Merrill Auditorium
20 Myrtle Street
Portland, ME 04101

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