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Michael Stern lifts his baton for the final times at the Lyric Theatre and Yardley Hall this weekend as the Kansas City Symphony closes out its performances in those venues. In honor of the occasion, Stern has invited guest violinist Stefan Jackiw to the stage. Jackiw, who has performed in Kansas City before with the Harriman-Jewell Series, is a brilliant young performer who has never failed to thrill audiences here in Kansas City and everywhere else he performs.

Next year, as all readers of this column know, the Symphony will move its classical series performances, and all other performances, to Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. That will include the Sunday matinee performances, some of which have been performed at Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College for the past several years.

The core of the Symphony concert will be one of the towering works of the symphonic repertoire, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4.  Along with his sixth symphony, Tchaikovsky’s fourth is considered the finest example of his symphonic compositional technique.  As always with Tchaikovsky, this work radiates with brilliant melody, clever orchestration and wild swings of emotion.

The Fourth Symphony is dedicated to “my best friend,” which unquestionably meant Mme. Von Meck, Tchaikovsky’s longtime patroness, and came in the years before her withdrawal of her support (for financial reasons, apparently, and not artistic ones) which led the composer to be overtaken by despair in his later years. Thus, the Fourth is perhaps the happiest and most convivial composition by this usually morose and despondent musician.  As such, it forms a kind of precursor to the more despair aspects of his last two symphonies, the Fifth and the Sixth, which are far more serious in tone.

Among the Fourth Symphony’s charms are the clever timpani solo in the first movement and the sparkling, almost happy mood of the third movement.  Tchaikovsky never seemed in a better spirits than here.

The two other pieces on the concert are Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, often called “Fingal’s Cave” for the famous Scottish landmark which inspired it, and another Scottish work, Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy for violin and orchestra.

The last piece, of course, features Stefan Jackiw. The work's dark and brooding Introduction was inspired by the writings of Sir Walter Scott describing “an old bard contemplating the ruins of a castle, and lamenting the glorious times of old.” Each of its four movements, in turn, is inspired by a separate Scottish folk song, including the Finale which is taken from the unofficial Scottish national anthem, “Scots, Wha Hae,” Robert Burns’ tribute to the 1314 Battle of Bannockburn.

Following its composition in 1879-80 and its performance by the Spanish violin virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate, to whom it is dedicated, the Scottish Fantasy lay almost unperformed for over 60 years, until rescued from oblivion in a 1947 recording by the brilliant violinist Jascha Heifetz. Since then it has been a repertory standard.

Sunday’s concert will mark the last mainstage performance at the Lyric Theatre of its three principal tenants.  The Lyric Opera and Kansas City Ballet took their farewells to the theater earlier in the spring.  Farewell, Lyric Theatre! The hall has served the Symphony, Lyric Opera and Kansas City Ballet well, but all three organizations will sound and look far better in the new Kauffman Center next fall. We can hardly wait.

PREVIEW:
Kansas City Symphony
Season Final: Tchaikovsky’s Fourth
Friday, June 17 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 18 at 8:00 p.m.
Lyric Theatre
11th and Central Streets, Kansas City, Missouri
Sunday, June 19 at 2:00 p.m.
Yardley Hall at Carlsen Center
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Boulevard, Overland Park, Kansas

For tickets call 816-471-0400, or purchase tickets online at www.kcsymphony.org.

By Don Dagenais

City Classics Music and Dance Columnist; Classical Contributor

A lifelong classical music fan, Don Dagenais is a frequent preview speaker for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and has taught classical music and opera courses at several Kansas City venues. He has served on the boards of directors of a number of performing arts organizations including the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, the Lyric Opera Guild, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, Opera Volunteers International, the Civic Opera Theater of Kansas City, Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony, Octarium, and the Friends of the Symphony.  He has been the past president of most of these organizations and is current the president of the Friends of the Symphony. 

Dagenais co-authored a history of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, published on the occasion of its 50th anniversary (2007) and has written books on the histories of both the Lyric Opera Guild and Opera Volunteers International, as well as an introductory book for opera novices (Your Passport to the Opera).  He has received several local and national awards for outstanding volunteer work for the arts, including a lifetime achievement award from The Coterie Theatre in 2000, the Kansas City Musical Club's annual award in 2001, a Partners in Excellence Award from Opera Volunteers International in 2002, a Bravo Award from Opera Volunteers International in 2004 and a community service award from the Daughter of the American Revolution in 2008 honoring him for his community service to the arts.

In addition to his music interests, Don is president of the board of directors for the Metropolitan Ensemble Theater and has served on the boards of The Coterie Theatre and the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, serving as president of each organization.  He publishes newsletters for seven arts organizations.  When not involved in the performing arts, Don is a senior real estate attorney with Lathrop & Gage LLP in Kansas City, Missouri, where he has practiced law since 1976 after graduating from the Cornell Law School.

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