Cape Symphony Orchestra to Perform “Fantastique”

The Cape Symphony Orchestra will present the second concert of its 2024/25 Masterpiece series on November 16 and 17 at the Barnstable Performing Arts Center. “Fantastique” will be conducted by Alyssa Wang. Internationally acclaimed pianist Martina Filjak will play Grieg’s Piano Concerto.

“Fantastique” will include Jessica Meyer’s Turbulent Flames, Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto, and the epic masterpiece for which the program is titled, Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique.

Ms. Wang is a passionate and versatile conductor, violinist, and composer. A recipient of the 2023 Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award and the 2022 St. Botolph Emerging Artist Award, she has explored diverse creative paths across several areas, with a focus on audience inclusivity and engagement. She is the co-founder, artistic director, and principal conductor of the Boston Festival Orchestra.

“I consider Symphonie Fantastique one of the greatest orchestral masterpieces of all time,” she says. “To engage with this piece is to put yourself into an extreme mindset, to be carried away by your emotions, to push yourself right to the very precipice. To perform this piece, you have to let yourself be consumed by an uncontrollable mania. It takes a lot of dedication and effort from every single person on stage. And hopefully, as an audience member you’ll be delighted, shocked, entertained, horrified, and everything in between!”

Croatian pianist Martina Filjak established herself internationally with her passionate, poetic playing and brilliant technical mastery of her instrument. The New York Times has noted the “brilliance, sensitivity and imagination of her playing” and the “resourcefulness of her technique and the naturalness of her musicality.” This will be Ms. Filjak’s Cape Symphony debut.

Cape Symphony welcomes audience involvement in its music director search. The public may observe Alyssa Wang in rehearsal with the Orchestra from 7:00 – 8:30 PM on Thursday, November 14, 2024 at the Barnstable Performing Arts Center. “Fantastique” ticketholders are invited to get to know her at a Q&A session led by assistant conductor Joe Marchio beginning one hour before each performance and will be encouraged to convey their thoughts through a survey to be emailed the following week.

“Fantastique” will be performed Saturday, November 16, at 7:30 PM and Sunday, November 17, at 3:00 PM at the Barnstable Performing Arts Center, 744 West Main Street, Hyannis. For tickets, visit capesymphony.org, call the Cape Symphony Box Office at 508-362-1111,  email tickets@capesymphony.org, or visit the Box Office at 2235 Iyannough Road in West Barnstable, Monday – Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Tickets for students aged 6 to 22 are 50% off individual ticket prices.