Houston Symphony Continues Free 2016 Summer Symphony Nights Series

The Houston Symphony's 2016 ExxonMobil Summer Symphony Nights concert series at Miller Outdoor Theatre continues with The Firebird at 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 24 and Prokofiev's Fifth at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 25.

During Friday's concert, emerging Portuguese-American conductor Jacomo Bairos makes his Houston Symphony debut leading the orchestra in a vibrant program of works inspired by dance from contemporary composers. Featured works include Aaron Copland's Suite from Billy the Kid; Refried Farandole, a postmodern adaptation by Sam Hyken of one of Georges Bizet's most famous compositions from the incidental music to Alphonse Daudet's play "L'Arlesienne"; Stravinsky's ballet Suite from L'oiseau de feu (The Firebird); and Arturo Márquez's staple of contemporary Mexican music literature, Danzón No. 2, which is humorously referred to as Mexico's second national anthem.

Also making his debut, guest conductor Yaniv Dinur will lead the Symphony in a program that will begin with Mozart's energetic opera, Overture to Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro). Then, cellist Christine J. Lee, the Silver Medalist of the 2016 Ima Hogg Competition will join the orchestra to perform her triumphant interpretation of Schumann's lyrical Cello Concerto in A minor. Concluding the program, Prokofiev's resilient Symphony No. 5 is a monumental "hymn to free and happy Man, to his might powers, his pure and noble spirit."

The remaining concert in the ExxonMobil Summer Symphony Nights series will take place Monday, July 4. Admission is free, but tickets are required for the covered seated area. Tickets are available at the Miller Theatre Box Office the day of the performance between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Any remaining tickets are released one hour before the performance time. Visit www.milleroutdoortheatre.com for more information.