Strauss’s Die Fledermaus Overture opens with effervescent energy and irresistible charm, setting the tone for an evening of wit and drama. Bartók’s Romanian Dances follow with vivid folk-inspired rhythms and bold, earthy textures that evoke the vibrant spirit of Eastern Europe. The rarely performed Trois Légendes Femmes by Mel Bonis offers a lush, intimate portrait of three iconic women—Ophelie, Salome, and Cleopatra—each captured through evocative melodies and vivid atmospheres. The program closes with Debussy’s Printemps, a radiant celebration of spring’s renewal, bursting with light, freshness, and impressionistic brilliance.

From sunlit overtures to symphonic grandeur, this concert echoes with beauty and soul. Nielsen’s Helios Overture paints a radiant musical journey from sunrise to sunset, setting the stage with warmth and breathtaking themes. An unforgettable performance by Demarre McGill, one of today’s most captivating flutists, brings his charm to Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1 in G Major. Opening with quiet tension and building to sweeping grandeur, Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1 surges with Nordic expression, romanticism, and the bold voice of a rising symphonic hero.

Lili Boulanger’s Un matin de printemps opens with luminous textures and graceful lyricism, capturing the quiet beauty and renewal of a spring morning. Elgar’s In the South (Alassio) follows with sweeping grandeur and Mediterranean warmth, a vivid impression of the Italian Riviera that blends nobility, nostalgia, and drama. Though written in Finland, Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2 shares that same Italian spark—it was conceived during a stay in Tuscany, and its sunlit lyricism, organic structure, and surging emotional arc reflect both personal reflection and a stirring sense of national identity. Often seen as a turning point in Sibelius’s career, the symphony merges Romantic tradition with a voice that is unmistakably his own.

Join us for an unforgettable night of unstoppable energy as Symphony Tacoma and Symphony Tacoma Voices unite with America’s Got Talent finalist Jimmie Herrod, a Tacoma native whose powerhouse vocals have taken the nation by storm! From Motown magic and the British Invasion to disco grooves, rock anthems, and dance-floor favorites, this electrifying concert will have you singing and maybe even dancing in the aisles.

This is Tacoma’s chance to welcome home one of its brightest stars; you don’t want to miss it!