There may be no greater love story than that of Romeo and Juliet. Passion, romance, drama, and tragedy are emotions evoked by the mere mention of this story.
Tchaikovsky was similarly moved. Shakespeare's plays deeply inspired him and not only did he compose the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture based on the play of the same name, he also wrote works based on Shakespeare's Hamlet and The Tempest.The Canton Youth Symphony is set to perform this legendary overture on Sunday, February 23. To add to the love quotient, the youth orchestra will also perform Bizet'sL'Arlesienne Suite No. 1, originally composed for a play about a girl from Arles (Provence, France) and her fiancé, Fréderi who approaches madness in his love for his lady.Rachel Waddell, Canton Youth Symphony Music Director, stated emphatically, "There is a long-standing tradition of romantic tragedies. The works on our program musically tell three different stories. Despite the fact that these stories come from different periods of history and different cultures, the music somehow conveys a universal sense of love and loss. I think our audience will be very impressed with our orchestra's technical ability but even more amazed by their musicality. These young musicians perform at an artistic level far beyond their physical ages."Videos