Portland Symphony Orchestra Presents “The Planets”

PORTLAND, Maine – On Tuesday, November 9, Music Director Robert Moody leads the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) and USM Chamber Choir in “The Planets,” the culminating event of “Universal Appeal,” a three-day exploration of symphony, sights and celestial sounds in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, the Southworth Planetarium of USM, and SPACE Gallery.

“The Planets” is a majestic and haunting program that features otherworldly sounds and images, blurring the lines between traditional classical and popular music. An inspired pairing sets the Suite from Close Encounters of the Third Kind by John Williams with Gustav Holst’s celebrated suite The Planets. John Adams’ joyfully exuberant Short Ride in a Fast Machine opens the program. This 90-minute concert will be performed without intermission, fully immersing the audience in celestial sights and sounds.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and is preceded by a Concert Conversation at 6:15 p.m. PSO violinist Yasmin Craig Vitalius will lead the Concert Conversation, which will take place in the Rehearsal Hall. A PostConcert Q&A will follow the performance, and patrons are invited to Restaurant Grace after the concert for an Afterglow cocktail reception. The concert is sponsored by Gorham Savings Bank and will be broadcast on MPBN’s Maine Stage program on November 24, 2010.

“Universal Appeal” Schedule of Events:

• Saturday, November 6 “Mythology of Worlds” planetarium show. Visitors will learn the stories behind the Greco-Roman mythological characters featured in Holst’s The Planets. After the planetarium show, local band Planets Around the Sun will set up in the star dome theater and play music inspired by universal harmonies. 7 p.m., USM’s Southworth Planetarium. Suggested donation $5-10. Co-presented by SPACE Gallery.

• Monday, November 8 The Dress Rehearsal for “The Planets” concert will be open to the public and donations will be collected at the door to benefit The Nature Conservancy’s Fund for Gulf Coast Restoration. Information about TNC’s ongoing efforts to protect and preserve our own planet Earth will be available in the lobby. 7:00 p.m., Merrill Auditorium.

• Tuesday, November 9 “The Planets,” Portland Symphony Orchestra Tuesday Classical Concert, 7:30 p.m., Merrill Auditorium.

In related programming, “The Planets” Youth Concerts will also be held on November 9 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:10 a.m at Merrill Auditorium.

Tickets for “The Planets” range from $20-$70 and are available through PortTIX at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. Phone and internet orders are subject to per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Special pricing for students, seniors, and groups may be available. Subscriptions (up to 20% off single ticket prices) and Compose Your Own packages (10% off single ticket prices) are available all season long.

The PSO’s 2010-11 season is sponsored by IDEXX Laboratories and Wright Express. For complete season information, including artist biographies; program notes; and Online Insights, provided with support from Digital Enrichment Sponsor Fairpoint Communications; visit www.portlandsymphony.org.