A symphonic journey with Rick Steves, where the travel writer guides the audience through a musical tour of Europe with the Utah Symphony.
Rick Steves is teaming up with the Utah Symphony for A Symphonic Journey at Maurice Abravanel Hall on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Steves, who's known as America's leading authority on European travel, takes on the role of tour guide for the evening, leading the audience from the U.S. over to Europe. He'll use video montages and his knowledge of history and culture to set the scene for each piece, while the orchestra performs a selection of 19th-century Romantic-era anthems, each one honoring a different nationality.
The program is a broad tour of the continent. It opens with America the Beautiful before moving into Strauss's Emperor Waltz (Kaiser-Walzer), Op. 437, and the Prelude to Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Smetana's The Moldau (Vltava) from Má vlast brings in the Czech Republic, and Elgar's Military March No. 1 from Pomp and Circumstance represents Britain. Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio espagnol covers Spain, and Verdi's Triumphal March from Aida nods to Italy. Grieg's Morning Mood from Peer Gynt brings in Norway, and Saint-Saëns' French Military March from Suite algérienne takes on France. The whole thing closes with Beethoven's Ode to Joy from Symphony No. 9, which Steves describes as Europe's official anthem and a reflection of the continent's motto, 'United in Diversity.'
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The Utah Symphony presents the concert, with Kyle Dickson conducting. Tickets for the single performance went on sale August 3, 2026, and season-ticket and group packages have been available since March 25. Students and under-30s can save up to 50%. The show starts at 7:30 PM at Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101.
