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### Event Description: Beethoven and Brahms - Minnesota Orchestra **Event Title:** Beethoven and Brahms - Minnesota Orchestra **Dates:** Thursday, July 10, 2025 - Saturday, July 12, 2025 **Venue:** Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403 **Duration:** 2 hours, including intermission **Program:** - **WEBER:** Overture to Der Freischütz - **BEETHOVEN:** Romance Nos. 1 and 2 for Violin and Orchestra - **BRAHMS:** Symphony No. 2 **Artists:** - **Minnesota Orchestra:** The Grammy Award-winning Minnesota Orchestra, now in its second century, ranks among America’s top symphonic ensembles. The orchestra is known for its acclaimed performances, award-winning recordings, broadcasts, educational engagement programs, and a commitment to featuring works by composers of color. - **Kensho Watanabe, Conductor:** Recognized as one of the most exciting and versatile young conductors from the United States, Kensho Watanabe has held prestigious positions and made notable debuts with major orchestras around the world. - **Cecilia Belcher, Violin:** Acting Associate Principal Second Violin of the Minnesota Orchestra, Cecilia Belcher has an impressive performance history with various renowned orchestras and festivals globally. **Event Highlights:** - Johannes Brahms’ Second Symphony, written at a beautiful summer resort in Austria, evokes imagery of rippling streams, blue skies, sunshine, and cool green shadows, reminiscent of a perfect day in Minnesota. - Tickets for this concert are available now when you purchase a package. Save up to 15% and receive subscriber perks when you buy 3 or more concerts. Individual tickets go on sale July 29. **Plan Your Visit:** - **Pre-concert activities:** Enhance your concert experience with various pre-concert activities. - **Valet Parking:** Convenient valet parking is available. - **Pre-order Beverages:** Skip the lines by pre-ordering your beverages. - **Directions & Parking:** Parking is just steps away from Orchestra Hall in the city-owned and skyway-connected 11th and Marquette Ramp. - **Accessibility Services:** Armless & bariatric chairs, assistive listening devices, large-print programs, noise-cancelling headphones, service animals, and wheelchair & accessible seating are available upon request. **Additional Information:** - **Download the MinnOrch App:** With the mobile app, you can pre-order intermission drinks, scan your ticket for entry, and access exclusive deals. - **Presented by:** The 2024-2025 Classical Season is presented by Ameriprise Financial. Join us for an enchanting evening of classical music featuring the timeless works of Beethoven and Brahms, performed by the esteemed Minnesota Orchestra under the baton of Kensho Watanabe, with the exquisite violin artistry of Cecilia Belcher.

Harry Potter™ learns on his 11th birthday that he is the orphaned son of two wizards and possesses magical powers of his own. At Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he learns the high-flying sport of Quidditch™ and plays a thrilling "live" chess game en route to facing a Dark Wizard bent on destroying him.

When Jon Kimura Parker was appointed Creative Partner of Summer at Orchestra Hall, we knew he was high-energy. Six years later, this true entertainer is still going strong and has become a favorite among Minnesota Orchestra audiences. Parker’s performance of Schumann’s concerto anchors this concert of 19th-century gems, including Tchaikovsky’s sublime and dream-like Swan Lake Suite.

Pirouette into summer with this program featuring music inspired by dance, including pieces by Dvořák, Ginastera and many more. Composers are often inspired by dance and movement, from the percussive sound of tap shoes to elegant ballet combinations. This program will have you leaping out of your seats and onto the dance floor!

Small ensembles of Minnesota Orchestra musicians perform chamber music on the Orchestra Hall stage.

Let one pianist loose on the 88 keys and—voilá! Magic. Multiply that by four and unite them on stage, and the effect is spectacular. The Grand Piano Spectacular returns again this summer—and it is a real thrill to see and hear! Creative Partner Jon Kimura Parker reprised this long tradition of Sommerfest, the Orchestra’s beloved summer festival that dates back to 1980. This summer, we welcome pianists representing the next generation of great recitalists who will perform alongside Parker.

Right before he mustered up the nerve to compose his First Symphony, Brahms wrote a set of variations based on a simple chorale by Haydn. As his imagination took flight, he created a showpiece for orchestra. Also on the program, Jon Kimura Parker performs a beloved piano concerto that drew international attention to Norway’s young Edvard Grieg.

Three-time Grammy Award-winner Joyce DiDonato’s rise to the top included many moments when she felt she had a lot inside of her that nobody was seeing…or hearing. Today, she’s an artist determined to make the most of every performance. Her presence alongside Thomas Søndergård adds up to a season opener you won’t want to miss.

Béla Bartók was being treated for leukemia in a New York hospital and was all but bankrupt when contemporary music champion Serge Koussevitzky persuaded him to write his Concerto for Orchestra. The reluctant Bartók composed an orchestral showpiece that many would say was the highlight of his career.

The battle for the galaxy intensifies in this thrilling fifth episode of the unfolding saga. As Imperial Forces launch an all-out attack on the Rebel Alliance, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) flee to Cloud City where they are captured by Darth Vader. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) journeys to the mysterious, marshy planet of Dagobah, where the wise Jedi Master Yoda teaches the young hero the ways of the Force. Little does Luke know that all his Jedi training will be called upon so soon. A stunning revelation–and a seeming life-or-death duel with Darth Vader–await.