All Is Illusion: Music from Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

On October 25, 26, and 27, world-renowned Wagner conductor Marek Janowski leads Wagner + Beethoven 2, a program of thrilling orchestral masterpieces by two of history’s most revolutionary composers. In this post, discover some of the moving and festive music Wagner composed for his opera Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Visit houstonsymphony.org for tickets and more information. The idea for … Continued

This is Halloween! at the Houston Symphony

Halloween is around the corner! Get in the spooky spirit with these Houston Symphony concerts filled with frights and musical delights. Mendelssohn & Mahler October 4–6 Betrayal. Murder. Pagan rituals. Ghost stories. The choral masterpieces on this program, Mendelssohn’s Die erste Walpurgisnacht and Mahler’s Das klagende Lied (perhaps inspired by the Grimms’ story The Singing … Continued

Brave Laughter: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2

On October 25, 26, and 27, world-renowned conductor Marek Janowski leads Wagner + Beethoven 2, a program of thrilling orchestral masterpieces by two of history’s most revolutionary composers. In this post, discover how Beethoven composed one of his most up-beat works in the midst of personal crisis. Want to learn more? Check out our podcast on … Continued

The Voices of the Houston Symphony Chorus

Even longtime Houston Symphony subscribers may be surprised to learn that Houston Symphony Chorus members are all volunteers. Led by Houston Symphony Chorus Director Betsy Cook Weber, the Chorus features gifted vocalists from all walks of life, each bringing their passion for music to every performance. From a German-language cantata to a contemporary Spanish-language oratorio, … Continued

Pagans and Pitchforks: Mendelssohn’s Die erste Walpurgisnacht

On October 4, 5, and 6, Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada conducts Mendelssohn and Mahler, a program of spooky masterpieces featuring the Houston Symphony Chorus. In this post, discover the secret pagan rituals of Mendelssohn’s choral masterpiece, Die erste Walpurgisnacht. Visit houstonsymphony.org for tickets and more information. To this day, people throughout Northern and Eastern Europe continue to frighten … Continued

Star Wars Generation

On November 7, 8, 9, and 10, the Houston Symphony continues to explore John Williams’s iconic music with performances of the score to Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back live to picture. Many Houston Symphony musicians are also big Star Wars fans, including Phillip Freeman, the Houston Symphony’s bass trombonist. Here, Freeman shares … Continued