UGA Presents welcomes the return of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to Hodgson Concert Hall on May 3 at 3 p.m. Conducted by Robert Spano, the performance will feature acclaimed pianist Stephen Hough and Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor.
This concert is part of the UGA Presents 30th anniversary season and showcases a powerful program spanning contemporary and 20th century masterworks alongside one of the most demanding and celebrated piano concertos in the repertoire. The performance is supported by June Ball, The Trashy Book Club of Athens and Donald Schneider.
The program opens with “On the Bridge of the Eternal” by Christopher Theofanidis, a contemplative work inspired by reflections on time from St. Augustine. The piece was born in a deeply introspective creative period for the composer and offers audiences a meditative musical experience.
The orchestra will then perform the First Symphony, “Jeremiah,” by Leonard Bernstein. Written when Bernstein was just 24, the work explores themes of prophecy, destruction and lamentation. The work draws on Hebrew liturgical traditions and reflects Bernstein’s response to the turmoil of his time. O’Connor sings texts from the Book of Lamentations in the finale.
Hough will then take the stage for Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, often regarded as one of the most technically demanding works in the piano repertoire. Known for its sweeping lyricism and virtuosic intensity, the concerto remains a pinnacle of the Romantic piano tradition.
Spano, who served as music director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for two decades and now holds the title of music director laureate, is recognized for his leadership and commitment to contemporary composers. Under his baton, the orchestra earned international acclaim for both performance excellence and innovative programming. Spano is now music director of both the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera.
Hough, described by The Economist as one of the world’s leading polymaths, brings both technical brilliance and artistic depth to the stage, while O’Connor is celebrated for her expressive interpretations and commanding presence in both concert and operatic repertoire.
The Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, Hugh Hodgson School of Music and University of Georgia Performing Arts Center welcome Spano to UGA as the Willson Center’s annual Delta Visiting Chair for Global Understanding.
Spano’s post-concert talk, which is free and open to the public, is at 5:30 p.m. in Ramsey Concert Hall. He will focus on the Atlanta School of Composers, a group including Theofanidis, Jennifer Higdon, Osvaldo Golijov, Michael Gandolfi and Adam Schoenberg, whose works Spano helped to commission and premiere throughout his Atlanta Symphony tenure.
Three ways to get tickets
- Purchase tickets online at pac.uga.edu.
- Call the Performing Arts Center box office at 706-542-4400, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Visit the UGA Performing Arts Center box office, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Five-minute parking is available in the drop off circle at the Performing Arts Center for purchasing or picking up tickets.)
Audience members can create their own series of three or more performances for 10% off. UGA Presents single tickets start at just $30 with promo code PAC30, and UGA student tickets are $15.
Information about accessibility and venue amenities is available on the PAC website. Parking is free.
To learn more about all UGA Performing Arts Center events, visit pac.uga.edu.