Robert Spano Leads World Premiere of Mark Grey's FIRE ANGELS Tonight

Music Director Robert Spano will lead the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO), soprano Jessica Rivera, and tenor Stuart Skelton in the world premiere of Mark Grey's Fire Angels tonight, March 20, 2014, at 8:00 p.m. and March 21, 2014, at 8:00 p.m. in Atlanta Symphony Hall at the Woodruff Arts Center.

Fire Angels originated as a composition for soprano, piano, and chamber orchestra to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The piece was commissioned by Carnegie Hall and Cal Performances and through Meet the Composer's Commissioning Music/USA program. Mr. Spano and the ASO later commissioned Mr. Grey to expand this story of love, connection, and transcendence into a full orchestral work, which features a libretto written by Niloufar Talebi.

"I wanted to reflect on where we are more than a decade after Sept. 11 - how we've progressed and how the world has grown," explained Mr. Grey. "What's interesting about this work is that the subject matter is an experience that we can all connect with."

The program will also include Mahler's Symphony No. 4, which incorporates the song "Das himmlische Leben" to present a child's vision of heaven. Ms. Rivera will perform the soprano solo in the work's fourth and final movement.

Single tickets for this performance are $24-$75. More details are available at aso.org/fireangels.

Music Director Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will return to the Savannah Music Festival on Saturday, March 22, 2014, to perform Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 with Daniel Hope and Mahler's Symphony No. 4 with Ms. Rivera.

The Savannah Music Festival is dedicated to presenting a world-class celebration of the musical arts by creating timeless and adventurous productions that stimulate arts education, foster economic growth, and unite artists and audiences in Savannah, Ga. The 2014 festival runs from March 20-April 5, 2014, and includes nearly 100 performances of world-class jazz, classical, blues, bluegrass, gospel, and other genres of American and international roots music in intimate venues throughout Savannah's historic district.

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