Dvořák Symphony No. 8

The North Carolina Symphony is bringing Dvořák's Symphony No. 8 to the Meymandi Concert Hall at Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh over three dates in March 2027. It's a big, melodic piece of the Romantic repertoire, and the symphony is running it as a weekend series rather than a one-off, so you've got a few different times to choose from.

On the podium is conductor Jonathan Taylor Rush, and the program features violinist Stella Chen. The symphony is the main event here, and since it's a full orchestral work, you'll have the whole ensemble behind it. If you're not familiar with the Eighth, it's one of Dvořák's most accessible symphonies—broad melodies and a bright, folk-inspired character that doesn't lean as hard into the heavy drama of his Seventh.

There are three performances in total. The first two are in downtown Raleigh at the Meymandi Concert Hall: Friday, March 19, at 8 PM and Saturday, March 20, at 8 PM. The third is a matinee on Sunday, March 21, at 3 PM, but that one moves over to Chapel Hill. If you're staying in the city, the Friday and Saturday night slots are your best bets; if you'd rather a weekend afternoon, the Sunday show is the one.

Tickets run from $33.77 to $103.77, depending on where you sit. One practical thing to keep in mind: children aged two and under aren't permitted. Between the two evening shows downtown and the Sunday matinee, there's enough of a spread that you can pick the night and time that actually fits your schedule.