Barber’s Overture to The School for Scandal launches this thrills-filled program with quicksilver energy and playful charm. Inspired by Sheridan’s classic comedy, Barber’s first orchestral work captures both the wit and elegance of high society gone delightfully off the rails. Bright melodies, rapid shifts, and sparkling orchestration create a lively musical portrait full of surprises. 

Piano Concerto in G major shifts the mood with breezy sophistication and bursts of rhythmic vitality. Drawing from jazz, Spanish dance, and Parisian elegance, Ravel crafts a concerto that balances brilliance with reflection. Pianist Svetlana Smolina, an SFSO favorite, brings her signature artistry to this vibrant, blues-tinged masterpiece. 

Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 offers a sweeping finale, blending lyrical beauty with bold strength. Written in the final stages of World War II, the symphony is a towering work that captures the tension between hope and uncertainty through soaring melodies and powerful orchestral colors.