Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet

Fall in love once more with the lilting melodies and timeless romance of Tchaikovsky's take on Shakespeare's classic tale of starcrossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Des Moines Symphony Orchestra brings this classic to the concert hall, alongside Sibelius' magnificent tribute to his homeland of Finland in his Second Symphony and Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major featuring the Des Moines debut of Anna Geniushene.

First premiered in 1870, Tchaikovsky's Shakespearean-inspired work was initially not well received, even receiving hisses from the audience at an 1876 performance in Vienna. But after numerous revisions it was completed for a second time in 1880, receiving a second premiere in 1886 in Tbilisi. The result was an exceptional musical realisation of the bard's poetry, taking its place among the greats while previous versions also now have their place as hidden curiosities of music history.