Guest Conductor Nicholas McGegan Leads Atlanta Symphony, May 24-26

Guest conductor Nicholas McGegan will lead the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in a program featuring the Atlanta Symphony premiere of Handel's Concerto Grosso in G Major as well as the subscription premiere of Gluck's "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" from Orfeo ed Euridice. Guest violinist Stefan Jackiw will make his Atlanta Symphony debut playing Bruch's Scottish Fantasy. Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4, "Italian," is also on the program. The performances will take place tonight, May 24, and May 25, and 26, 2012, at 8:00 p.m. in Atlanta Symphony Hall at the Woodruff Arts Center.

These performances will mark Mr. McGegan's ninth appearance with the Orchestra. He most recently conducted the Atlanta Symphony in October 2008. About the Repertoire HANDEL Concerto Grosso in G Major George Frideric Handel composed his magnificent twelve Concerti Grossi, Opus 6, with incredible (but not atypical) speed. Handel completed the entire set between September 29 and October 30, 1739... (more) BRUCH Scottish Fantasy Throughout his career, Max Bruch received inspiration from the folk music of various countries... GLUCK "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" from Orfeo ed Euridice 1

Guest conductor Nicholas McGegan will lead the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in a program featuring the Atlanta Symphony premiere of Handel's Concerto Grosso in G Major as well as the subscription premiere of Gluck's "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" from Orfeo ed Euridice. Guest violinist Stefan Jackiw will make his Atlanta Symphony debut playing Bruch's Scottish Fantasy. Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4, "Italian," is also on the program. The performances will take place May 24, 25, and 26, 2012, at 8:00 p.m. in Atlanta Symphony Hall at the Woodruff Arts Center.

These performances will mark Mr. McGegan's ninth appearance with the Orchestra. He most recently conducted the Atlanta Symphony in October 2008.

George Frideric Handel composed his magnificent twelve Concerti Grossi, Opus 6, with incredible (but not atypical) speed. Handel completed the entire set between September 29 and October 30, 1739.

BRUCH Scottish Fantasy Throughout his career, Max Bruch received inspiration from the folk music of various countries.

In 1761, the German composer Christoph Willibald Gluck, and the Italian writer, Ranieri Calzabigi, met in Vienna. Both Gluck and Calzabigi were troubled by what they perceived as 18th-century Italian opera's emphasis of vocal display at the expense of drama.