Wheeling Symphony Orchestra To Present PAINTED ON THE SKY Featuring APPALACHIAN SPRING October 25
Performance includes collaboration with designer Doug Fitch and Oglebay Institute’s School of Dance.
By: A.A. Cristi Oct. 17, 2025
The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra (WSO) will open its 2025–26 Masterworks season on Saturday, October 25, with Painted on the Sky, a program featuring Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring and a new collaboration with lighting and set designer Doug Fitch and Oglebay Institute’s School of Dance.
The concert will take place at the Capitol Theatre as part of the WSO Capitol Series, presented by WesBanco and supported by Trinity Health Systems and Soft Stands.
“This performance is a collaboration that has been years in the making,” said WSO Music Director John Devlin. “It is such a thrill to bring Doug Fitch’s work here and unite his artistry with that of Cheryl Pompeo and the Oglebay Institute School of Dance. I am certain the finished product will mesmerize everyone in the audience.”
The program will include Britten’s Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia from Peter Grimes, enhanced by Fitch’s lighting design and large swaths of fabric suspended from the stage ceiling. Dancers from Oglebay Institute will incorporate mirrors, lighting, and choreography to create an immersive experience.
The evening begins with Eric Nathan’s Opening, featuring the WSO brass section performing from various points in the audience. Also on the program is Robert Schumann’s Konzertstück for four horns and orchestra, spotlighting Jason Allison, Garret Law, Emily Shelley, and Brooke Boehmer.
The performance concludes with Copland’s Appalachian Spring, originally composed for Martha Graham’s ballet and awarded the 1945 Nobel Prize for Music.
“Appalachian Spring tells the story of a young couple in an Appalachian farming settlement and captures the spirit of our region,” said Devlin. “It’s the perfect finale to a concert that celebrates music, dance, and our homeland.”
Tickets for Painted on the Sky start at $22. College students may attend free with ID, and all other students receive 50% off. Tickets are available at wheelingsymphony.com, by phone at 304-232-6191, or in person at the WSO Box Office, 1025 Main Street, Suite 811, Wheeling, WV 26003.
Love Theater in West Virginia? Join The Community!
Whether you've got past experience writing about theater or just starting, the BroadwayWorld Community offers a unique opportunity to become a champion for your local arts community, helping raise awareness of local offerings and adding another local voice to the conversation at a time arts coverage is shrinking in the press across the continent. Join us and become a pivotal part of the movement that celebrates and promotes the arts in the digital age.
Learn MoreVideos