Playful Pursuits

Name: Playful Pursuits
Start: 2026-02-20T19:30:00-06:00
End: 2026-02-20T21:30:00-06:00
Location: Overture Center for the Arts

Schedule

Fri Feb 20 2026 at 07:30 pm to 09:30 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

Overture Center for the Arts | Madison, WI

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Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a decidedly playful overture by a very youthful Felix Mendelssohn (composed when he was just 17 years old). This sparkling work captures the magic of the fairy kingdom, the humor of the lovers’ entanglements, and the grandeur of Theseus’ court.
Violinist Rachel Barton Pine returns to play Korngold’s Violin Concerto — a lush and romantic work that glows with cinematic beauty and emotional depth — bridging the worlds of classical music and Hollywood film scores.
Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune is dreamlike music inspired by Stéphane Mallarmé’s poem about a faun’s sensual reverie that paints a lush and languid musical landscape, and a sense of wonder.
Stravinsky’s ballet Petrushka tells the story of a tragic puppet brought to life by a magician, set against the vibrant backdrop of a Russian fair. All four of these lively pieces of music will fill us with a lightness of being.
Be sure to join us an hour before the concert for a Prelude Discussion led by guest conductor Tania Miller to learn about the pieces before you hear them performed live!