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Greater Bridgeport Symphony Takes On Revolutionary Theme This Season

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- The Greater Bridgeport Symphony (GBS) is tuning up for its 72nd season, announcing five concerts of groundbreaking works from Shostakovich, Casals, Beethoven, Gershwin and more.

Conductor Eric Jacobsen and the Greater Bridgeport Symphony open their 72nd season on Sept. 16.

Conductor Eric Jacobsen and the Greater Bridgeport Symphony open their 72nd season on Sept. 16.

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Centered on the theme “Revolutions and Revelations,” the season kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 16 with “Music Lovers of the World Unite,” a concert marking the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution and the music it inspired.

“When we thought about the Russian Revolution, 100 years ago, we began to think about what it did to and for the arts,” said GBS conductor Eric Jacobsen.  “Revolutions have repercussions beyond politics, and create revelations in music.”

 The evening will feature Glinka’s pre-revolution “Ruslan and Ludmilla Overture,” Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 5 in D Minor” and Sergei Rachmaninoff's soaring “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,” the last performed by 22-year-old Fairfield piano virtuoso Alexander Beyer.

Next up on Oct. 28 is “Arriba España,” a concert focusing on the music of Spain, Puerto Rico and South America. Donald Palma and Alberto Ginastera will guest conduct the evening featuring Joaquin Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez” and the music of Pablo Casals, Manuel de Falla and Roberto Sierra.

The holiday concert on Dec. 16 takes a break from revolutions with yuletide selections including Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” and “Symphony No. 5.”

Storm the Bastille on March 3, as the symphony turns to the revolutionary tunes of France with “Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Emperor Concerto,” which was initially composed for Napoleon, Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem” and Georges Bizet’s “Carmen Suite.”

April 28 brings the audience home for the American Revolution with U.S. song, including newly commissioned works by Jeremy Kittel, Aaron Copland’s sweeping “Appalachian Spring” and works by George Gershwin and Scott Joplin. Harding High School’s choir will join the symphony for Joplin’s seldom-heard opera “Treemonisha.”

All five concerts take place at 8 p.m. at The Klein Memorial Auditorium, 910 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport. For information on single tickets, subscriptions and family deals, visit www.GBS.org or call 203-576-0263.

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