beethoven
brahms and
the bard

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:
Sergei Prokofiev | Suite from Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare | Selected readings from Romeo and Juliet
Ludwig van Beethoven | String Quartet No. 1 in F Major, Op. 18
Johannes Brahms | String Sextet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 36, “Agathe”

Visit pcmf.org for artist information and program notes. Programs and artists subject to change.

RUN TIME: 2.5 hours