Long Beach Symphony Celebrates Nature With Classics Concert

Long Beach Symphony turns nature into sound with a spectacular concert featuring Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” violin concertos and Mozart’s stormy Symphony No. 40 in G minor on Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Terrace Theater.

The evening celebration of timeless classical music from the 1700s will be under the direction of Maestro Eckart Preu, with each of Antonio Lucio Vivaldi’s seasons exquisitely presented by Long Beach Symphony’s stellar lead violinists Roger Wilkie, Agnes Gottschewski, Chloé Tardif and Chyi-Yau Lee.

“It’s actually pretty magical for audiences to hear the different seasons musically portrayed, envisioning the warmth of springtime, the intensity of a winter freeze or a scorching hot summer day,” Long Beach Symphony President Kelly Ruggirello said.

“The Four Seasons,” created by the Italian composer in 1725, is among the world’s most popular and recognized pieces of Baroque music. Audiences will recognize pieces of it from many wedding ceremonies as well as blockbuster films such as James Bond’s “A View to Kill,” the horror thriller “What Lies Beneath” and even romantic comedies such as “The Other Sister.”

Vivaldi’s most famous work will be showcased alongside Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 40, created in 1788 and reflecting the Austrian composer’s interest in the Sturm und Drang (Storm and Stress) movement meant to evoke emotional intensity and storm-like tension. Some say portions of the composition imitate the natural sounds of a forest.

“The combination of these two well-loved masterworks provides audiences with virtuosic playing by world-glass musicians,” Ruggirello said.

The concert is part of the award-winning Long Beach Symphony’s 88th season.

Long Beach Symphony performs Saturday, Feb. 4, at 8 p.m. at the Terrace Theater, with the doors opening at 6:30 p.m. for a 7 p.m. pre-concert talk that promises additional insights into the evening. Individual concert tickets start at $32. Subscription packs are also available for additional savings.

Visit  LongBeachSymphony.org or call 562-436-3203, ext. 1 for details.