Sinfonia da Camera: Spellbound: Spanish Sorcery

Drawing on themes of magic, ritual, and transformation, this program brings together a series of vividly imaginative works that showcase the orchestra’s expressive range. Dukas’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice opens with playful virtuosity and narrative flair, while Bizet’s Habanera introduces a sultry, vocal presence featuring contralto Marissa Simmons. Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, featuring guitarist Alejandro Sanchez Portuguez, provides a lyrical and deeply expressive centerpiece, blending intimacy with orchestral color. The ritualistic intensity of de Falla’s El amor brujo deepens the program’s sense of atmosphere and mysticism. The evening concludes with Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, a work of unbridled energy and supernatural drama. Together, these pieces create a compelling arc, moving from charm to enchantment to a powerful and electrifying conclusion.

Program:

Paul Dukas: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Georges Bizet: “Habanera” from Carmen
Marissa Simmons, contralto

Joaquín Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez
Alejandro Sanchez Portuguez, guitar

Manuel de Falla: El amor brujo
Marissa Simmons, contralto

Modest Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain