National Chamber Ensemble Opens 19th Season with PARISIAN DREAMS: RAVEL AND SAINT-SAËNS

The National Chamber Ensemble (NCE) will launch its 2025–2026 season with PARISIAN DREAMS: RAVEL AND SAINT-SAËNS on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at 7:30 PM at the Gunston Arts Center – Theater 1.

The program invites audiences into the golden age of French music, celebrating the lyricism, elegance, and innovation that defined turn-of-the-century Paris.

In honor of Maurice Ravel’s 150th birthday, the concert features several of his most beloved works, including the sensual Habanera, the elegant Pavane for a Dead Princess, the luminous Le Tombeau de Couperin, and the virtuosic Alborada del gracioso for solo piano.

Completing the evening is Camille Saint-Saëns’ Piano Quartet in B-flat Major, a showcase of French romanticism’s passion and refinement, and Cécile Chaminade’s Rondeau, a sparkling gem by the first woman composer awarded the Legion d’Honneur.

Performing will be Carlos César Rodríguez (piano), Leo Sushansky (violin and artistic director), Uri Wassertzug (viola), and Steven Honigberg (cello).

“We are thrilled to begin our 19th season with music that captures the essence of Parisian elegance and imagination,” said Artistic Director Leo Sushansky. “It is a celebration of timeless artistry, beauty, and innovation that continues to inspire.”

In a fitting tribute to the program’s French theme, Sushansky recently visited the Reclining Statue of Liberty at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington, serenading the sculpture as a nod to the enduring cultural connection between France and the United States.