Tchaikovsky, Massenet and Mozart on Dec. 9

MIDDLETOWN — The SUNY Orange Community Orchestra will perform music from Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Jules Massenet and Wolfgang Mozart during its upcoming concert, scheduled for 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9 in Orange Hall Theater. The musical program will be a celebration of Mozart’s birth (Jan. 27, 1756) and the romantic ideals of forbidden love between ‘unlikely suitors.’ Under the direction of Dr. Hilarie Clark Moore, the orchestra will open its performance with Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet Overture.” This ‘fantasy overture’ combines the chemistry of Tchaikovsky’s wonderful melodic invention and attractive instrumentation with the cry, color, and poetry of Shakespeare’s play. The orchestra will also perform the ballet suite from Massenet’s opera, “Le Cid,” which is another story of a couple who are torn apart by family loyalties. The concert will close with Mozart’s popular Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K.550. This symphony is described as both a classical and romantic piece as it is a work of passion, violence, and grief combined with classic form structures. Orange Hall Theater, located in Orange Hall, is universally accessible. General parking is available in the college parking lot at the intersection of Wawayanda and Grandview avenues. Admission is free, but $5 donations will be accepted at the door. For additional information, contact the Arts and Communication Department at 845-341-4787.