Program

Arturo Márquez: Danzon No.2

Florence Price: Dances in the Canebrakes (orch. by William Grant Still)

I. Nimble Feet

II. Tropical Noon

III. Silk Hat and Walking Cane

Florence Price: Suite of Dances

— Intermission —

Georges Bizet: selections from Carmen

Clara Osowski, mezzo claraosowski.com

The Mississippi Valley Orchestra launches its 2026-2027 season with a vibrant, dance-themed program that brings an irresistible groove to the concert hall. The concert opens with Arturo Márquez’ Danzon No.2, written in 1994 and blasted into the music world’s consciousness during the 2007 North American tour by Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra. Then, two sets of lively Afro-Caribbean-influenced dances composed in 1953 by this season’s Foreground Composer Florence Price (Dances in the Canebrakes and Suite of Dances) will evoke the lively rhythms and familiar genres of early music and dance culture in the Deep South. After intermission, we are absolutely thrilled to join with superstar multi-international-award-winning mezzo-soprano Clara Osowski for selections from George Bizet’s unforgettable Carmen. You’ll go home light on your feet, with a song in your heart!

Tickets

FREE. ALWAYS. This has been and remains our motto! Starting this year, we're introducing advance registration for our free concerts (you can also register at the door, but reserving ahead of time is easier!). We'll be tracking attendance through this new registration process so we can better understand and serve our audience — and it will help us make the case for grants that keep these concerts free. Just click this link to reserve your free "ticket(s)”.