The Woodlands, Texas – You’re invited to the party of the year at the Houston Symphony’s 20th Season Celebration Concert June 12 at 8 p.m. This event commemorates the past 20 years of extraordinary performing arts events at The Pavilion. Guests can celebrate at this festive birthday party with clowns, magicians, stilt walkers, jugglers, games, arts and crafts, and even cake! Radio Disney also is on hand with dancing, games and prizes. No need to bring a gift, just enjoy the fun!
Robert Franz directs the Houston Symphony throughout the evening, providing guests with jubilant selections from Russian ballets, operas and orchestral compositions. The evening begins with Mikhail Glinka’s Overture to “Ruslan and Ludmila,” originally composed between 1837 and 1842. This operatic work incorporates aspects of Russian folk music and the overture is the most famous piece of the opera. Next, the symphony performs Polovtsian Dances, the most well-known selections from the opera “Prince Igor” composed by Alexander Borodin and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Continuing the Russian musical theme, the Waltz from “The Sleeping Beauty,” the second of Tchaikovsky’s three ballets, is expertly performed by the symphony. The score for this ballet was completed in 1889 and has been considered Tchaikovsky’s greatest ballet, incorporated into many famous ballets around the world.
The symphony continues its musical journey with two pieces composed by Anatoly Liadov. “Baba-Yaga,” Opus 56, a symphonic poem composed between 1890 and 1904, and “Kikimora,” Opus 63, portray Slavic mythological creatures as main characters. These short tone poems are considered Liadov’s most famous works and are very programmatic, creating descriptive scenes and images within the audience’s mind. The evening concludes with the Suite from “L’oiseau de feu (The Firebird),” the 1910 ballet composed by Igor Stravinsky based on Russian folk-tales of a magical glowing bird known as The Firebird.
Pre-concert activities for 20th Season Celebration Concert begin at 7 p.m. in the Fidelity Investments Plaza. Woodlands Online, Woodforest National Bank, Amazing Siding, Houston Family Magazine, Radio Disney and Audi of America, official automobile sponsor of The Pavilion, are all a part of the pre-concert activities throughout the plaza. The Pavilion Partners offers its popular Instrument Petting Zoo, sponsored by Music & Arts, that allows children to gain hands-on experience with an array of musical instruments. Kids can then create their own birthday hats at The Pavilion Partners arts and crafts booth, making them feel part of the celebration. Also, guests can register to win Tommy Bahama’s “Best Seats in the House” for the next symphony event. All pre-concert events are free to everyone attending the performance. The first 250 guests at 20th Season Celebration get a free t-shirt as their party favor.
Tickets to the 20th Season Celebration Concert are $15 for orchestra seating. Mezzanine and lawn seating is free courtesy of Macy’s and tickets are not required. Half-price tickets for orchestra-level seating are available with the password STARS and may be purchased at The Pavilion Ticket Office, located at 2005 Lake Robbins Drive in The Woodlands. The Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on event days through the start of the show. Tickets also are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, including Macy’s, Fiesta, select FYE, H-E-B and Ritmo locations, Wherehouse Music and Media Magic, by calling 800-745-3000, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Some service charges may apply.
Preferred parking is available in the on-site Town Center Garage, located along Six Pines Drive. Parking is $5 per vehicle for this and most performing arts events. Tickets for on-site parking can be purchased in advance at all Ticketmaster locations and The Pavilion Ticket Office. Guests also may park in any of the five free parking lots on the southwest side of The Pavilion. The free, color-coded lots are connected to The Pavilion by corresponding pathways with signs leading across The Waterway.
At the symphony, have a picnic in your seat or on the hill during the concert. Mezzanine and lawn seating is free courtesy of Macy’s. Free lawn chairs also are available for this and other applicable performing arts events. Keep in mind that beverages cannot be brought into The Pavilion.
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion's 20th Performing Arts Season is presented by The Woodlands Development Company and sponsored by Donoho’s Jewellers, Audi of America, the Community Associations of The Woodlands, Houston Community Newspapers, The Pavilion Partners, The Wortham Foundation, and Continental Airlines, official airline of The Pavilion.
If you would like more information about The Pavilion and its 20th Performing Arts Season, please visit www.woodlandscenter.org or look for The Pavilion on MySpace and Facebook.
# # #
Photo by Jeff Fitlow
Robert Franz gets the party started with the Houston Symphony’s 20th Season Celebration June 12 at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. This event commemorates the past 20 years of extraordinary performing arts events at The Pavilion. Tickets are $15 for orchestra-level seating. Mezzanine and lawn seating are free.
# # #
Celebrating its 20th season in 2009, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is part of The Center for the Performing Arts at The Woodlands, a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides diverse, high-quality performing arts events for the entertainment and enrichment of a broad regional audience. Through numerous educational and community outreach programs, The Center is a catalyst for attracting new audiences to the performing arts and building strong ties between the arts and educational institutions. |
