Program

• AUERBACH

  Icarus

  1 min note

  One Minute Note

  Contemporary composer Lera Auerbach’s Icarus is abstract music, but its title beckons the listener to reflect on the mythical Icarus, his fatal flight and the human desire to transcend limits.

• DEBUSSY

  Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun

  1 min note

  One Minute Note

  A sleeping faun, represented by a languid, sensual flute solo, dreams of a romantic tryst with forest nymphs. Like the poem it is based on, this music is impressionistic—offering a series of sensations without formal structure.

• BARBER

  Medea’s Dance of Vengeance

  1 min note

  One Minute Note

  Samuel Barber’s music captures the essence of a tragic Greek myth—Medea and her murderous revenge after being abandoned—in emphasizing the psychological states of vengeance and jealousy rather than a literal retelling of the story.

• RAVEL

  Daphnis and Chloe

  1 min note

  One Minute Note

  This ballet reveals Classical myth as seen through the lens of French impressionism. Daphnis and Chloe (“Chloé” in French) dance to opulent music, spurning all rivals—but pirates attack and carry off Chloe. The god Pan responds to the entreaties of onlookers and, with a flash of the supernatural, he drives off the enemy. The reunited lovers thank him, and the entire crowd takes part in a joyful dance.