'New worlds within the bright valleys:' Music by Puccini, Higdon, Bates and Respighi

By Dan Margolies,

Published August 15, 2023 at 2:28 PM CDT

Conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong leads the Kansas City Symphony

This week's performances will take you on a musical tour of Italy with music from Giacomo Puccini alongside Ottorino Respighi's "Fountains of Rome" and "Pines of Rome." We'll also tour Silicon Valley with Mason Bates' "Garages of the Valley," and hear Jennifer Higdon's "On a Wire:" a concerto featuring the modern chamber group Eighth Blackbird.

An agreement with the Kansas City Symphony allows us to share audio for this program up to four weeks after the program's original air date. You can listen to currently available episodes here.

Hosts

Michael Stern
Dan Margolies

Program

Capriccio sinfonico
by Giacomo Puccini
Live performance, October 2015

On a Wire
by Jennifer Higdon
Eighth Blackbird, solo ensemble
Live performance, October 2012

Garages of the Valley
by Mason Bates
Francesco Lecce-Chong, guest conductor
Live performance, January 2023

The Fountains of Rome
by Ottorino Respighi
Francesco Lecce-Chong, guest conductor
Live performance, January 2023

The Pines of Rome
by Ottorino Respighi
Francesco Lecce-Chong, guest conductor
Live performance, January 2023