NJSO Presents SPANISH INSPIRATION, 2/24-26

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and guest conductor Xian Zhang explore the wealth of music Spanish culture has inspired in a program featuring Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio espagnol, Verdi's La forza del destino Overture and Ravel's Mother Goose Suite from February 24–26. Violinist Clara-Jumi Kang performs Lalo's Symphonie espagnole. A special Spanish luncheon ticket package is available for the February 26 performance.

Of the program's theme of Spanish music written by non-Spanish composers, Music Director Jacques Lacombe says: "There are so many foreign composers who have written Spanish music; there is something characteristic about the folklore-the castanets, the dance rhythms…There are a lot of rich stories in the opera tradition that take place in Spain, like Verdi's La forza del destino.  

"Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio espagnol is more folkish. He uses castanets, fandango and all these Spanish dances. It's interesting because when you hear Capriccio espagnol, it's definitely Russian, but it's also definitely Spanish. So it's how these composers combine [their own heritage] with sounds that are so attached to a specific nation, how they respect that and make it their own-that's what so fascinating and so irresistible about Spanish music." 

Performances take place on Friday, February 24, (8 p.m.) and Sunday, February 26, (3 p.m.) at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark and Saturday, February 25, (8 p.m.) at the State Theatre in New Brunswick. A Classical Conversation begins at 2 p.m. on February 26 and is free to all ticketholders.