St. Louis Symphony Orchestra to perform at Bedell

The sounds of Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky will be heard today when the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra returns to Cape Girardeau for an engagement at the River Campus.

The symphony, under the direction of Steven Jarvi, will make its fourth appearance at the River Campus since 2008, performing Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake Suite Op. 20a" and Symphony No. 4 In F Minor Op. 36, two of the legendary composer's most popular musical pieces.

"Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake' just carries you away," said Bob Cerchio, assistant director of the River Campus. "And for me, his Symphony No. 4 is one of his most beautiful."

Tchaikovsky, who died in 1893 at age 53, was a Romantic composer who successfully merged nationalistic energies with the classical symphonic tradition. His expression of strong emotion and sense of rhythmic character made masterpieces out of the opera "Eugene Onegin" and the ballets "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker." The intensity of his music brought Tchaikovsky immediate success, and the compositions remain popular.

The performance of Tchaikovsky's works by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is a major plus for the community, Cerchio said.

"They're probably one of the top three orchestras in the country," he said. "People think, 'Oh, it's just St. Louis,' but they lose sight of the fact that it's a world-renowned symphony. They are truly world class."

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, now in its 134th season, was founded in 1880 and is the second oldest symphony in the United States. The symphony has received six Grammy awards and 56 Grammy nominations and is widely considered one of the finest in the world. The group presents a full season of classical programs as well as hundreds of free education and community programs each year.

Dr. Sara Edgerton, director of the Southeast Missouri State University Orchestra and professor of applied low strings at Southeast, said hosting the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at the River Campus will be a treasure.

"They're just up the road from us and we welcome them back," Edgerton said. "We hope lots of people come to hear their performance."

Edgerton said even casual fans of classical music will enjoy the symphony's performances of Tchaikovsky's compositions.

"The great thing about Tchaikovsky is that everything he has written is so accessible," she said. "A person has probably heard 'Swan Lake' before, and they'll enjoy it more when they hear it performed by the St. Louis symphony."

The performance by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Bedell Performance Hall. Tickets for the event are on sale for $45 and $39 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the River Campus box office at 518 S. Fountain St. Tickets can also be purchased by calling 651-2265 or visiting rivercampusevents.com.

klewis@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address: 518 S. Fountain St., Cape Girardeau, MO