Ars Lyrica Houston To Present CLASSICAL COLLABORATIONS In May

Ars Lyrica Houston concludes its 2024/25 season with Classical Collaborations on Friday, May 23, 2025, at 7:30 PM in Zilkha Hall at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts.

This elegant and illuminating program brings together the central genres of the Viennese classical tradition—concerto, sonata, symphony, and variations—while celebrating the often-overlooked contributions of women composers to this rich musical culture. A blend of familiar voices and fresh perspectives, Classical Collaborations offers a compelling finale to a season devoted to musical connection.

Featured works include Marianna Martines's spirited Concerto in G Major for Fortepiano and Orchestra, Josepha Auernhammer's inventive Papageno Variations, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's charming Sonata in F Major, K. 376, and Joseph Haydn's grand Symphony No. 48 (“Maria Theresia”). Each piece exemplifies the elegance, clarity, and expressive depth of the Classical style, while drawing attention to the brilliance of women composers working alongside their more known contemporaries.

“Her Concerto in G Major perfectly embodies the description given by Metastasio, who characterized her music as ‘an agreeable mix of Antico e Moderno' (Old and New),” writes Artistic Director Matthew Dirst. “The first movement… showcases the keyboard in seamless dialogue with the orchestra, highlighting the graceful virtuosity of the fashionable galant style.”

Making their Ars Lyrica debuts are two exceptional artists: Spanish-born fortepianist Patricia Garcia Gil, recognized for her “sparkling technique and poetic insight,” and violinist Cynthia Roberts, a pioneer of historically informed performance and one of the most respected Baroque specialists in the U.S.