New Music Director Eckart Preu has created a night evoking the human yearnings of love and loss by taking us on a journey through music of the loss of lovers, friends, and family. Beginning with Richard Strauss’ dramatic tone poem portraying the legendary lover Don Juan’s quest to find the ideal woman, Preu will weave a dance of growth and learning capped by a performance of contemporary American composer Jennifer Higdon’s blue cathedral. This heartfelt symphonic memorial to her brother who died in 1998, represents, in the composer’s words, “our inner travels and the places our souls carry us, the lessons we learn and the growth we experience.” The otherworldly effects of this richly-textured work include the haunting sound of tuned water-filled glasses being rubbed along their rims. Our musical journey ends with Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet Suites No. 1 & 2, which are extractions that capture the crucial moments of the complete ballet, such as the famous balcony scene, dramatic climaxes such as The Death of Tybalt, the pulsating beat of Dance of the Knights and other highlights. Program and artists subject to change.