Music ON-CAMPUS AUDIENCE ONLY: ASO with Stravinsky’s "Pulcinella" and "Petrushka"

UPDATE: From now until at least May 1, all Amherst College events are restricted to Amherst students, faculty, and staff (Amherst ID required).

The Amherst Symphony Orchestra (ASO) presents the fourth in its yearlong series of concerts devoted to the music of classical Russian Masters with a program of works by 20th-century modernist Igor Stravinsky.

The program will feature music from two of Stravinsky’s seminal ballet scores: the orchestral suite derived from Pulcinella, as well as the complete music to Petrushka. Mark Lane Swanson, music director, conducts, and Faith Wen ’20 is the featured pianist in Petrushka.

Both ballets feature Pulcinella, a stock character of 17th-century Neapolitan commedia dell’arte and comic puppet popular ever since throughout Europe (e.g., known as Punch in England, Petrushka in Russia). Pulcinella is in Stravinsky’s “neoclassical style” and is derived from pre-existing works by Italian Baroque composers, including Pergolesi. Petrushka is in Stravinsky’s fiery primitivist and radical rhythmic “signature” style, full of coloristic effects and exoticisms. In Pulcinella, our marionette hero loves elusive Pimpinella; in Petrushka, he competes with a Moor for the attentions of a ballerina. In both, he dies and is brought back to life by a magician.

Tickets are available at the door beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for the general public; $5 for senior citizens, students with ID and children under 12; and free to Amherst and all Five College students with ID.