Playlist: Pictures at an Exhibition

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performs Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition at Powell Hall on Wednesday, January 20, 2027, at 6:30 PM. The concert is part of the SLSO's Playlist: Symphony Happy Hour series, which they've built for the classically curious: one-hour shows with no intermission, signature cocktails and mocktails, conductor insights, and a chance to mingle with the musicians. The performance is conducted by Samuel Hollister and presented by the William T. Kemper Foundation.

Pictures at an Exhibition is a suite that invites you to imagine strolling through an art gallery, with the music conjuring famous paintings as you go, using melody and timbre as your guide. Mussorgsky wrote it as a set of piano pieces, and the version the orchestra will play is the orchestration by Maurice Ravel, which expanded the work for a full symphony. It's one of the most recognized pieces in the classical repertoire, and here it's the sole focus of the hour.

The evening doesn't end when the music stops. The SLSO's After Party continues in the lobby with drinks and a set by DJ Limewire.prime, and you don't need a separate ticket to stay for it. Between the one-hour concert, the cocktails, and the post-show hang, it's a more social way to do a night at the symphony than a traditional program.

All the details: Pictures at an Exhibition at Powell Hall, Wednesday, January 20, 2027, starting at 6:30 PM.