Don Quixote

The Oregon Symphony is bringing Don Quixote to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on Sunday, April 11, 2027, at 2 PM. The afternoon is conducted by Mario Venzago, and the program pairs two musical portraits of literary heroes—Lord Byron's Manfred and Cervantes' Don Quixote—with an orchestral version of Alban Berg's Piano Sonata.

That Sonata is the dark, expressionist piece that legendary pianist Glenn Gould once hailed as one of the most auspicious Opus Ones ever written. It's paired with Robert Schumann's Manfred Overture, which takes its cue from Byron's poem and starts in a gloom that gradually builds into passionate energy. Then comes the main event: Richard Strauss' tone poem that follows the adventures of Cervantes' madman, the titular Don Quixote.

Behind it all is the Oregon Symphony, a Grammy-nominated orchestra founded in 1896. It's the oldest on the West Coast and has built a reputation for adventurous programming that blends classical music with jazz, indie, and hip hop, and for collaborations with artists like The Decemberists, esperanza spalding, and Rick Ross. The state recognizes it as an Oregon 'History Maker.'

The concert is at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205, on Sunday, April 11, 2027, at 2 PM.