SATURDAY, June 20, 6:00pm

Michael Stern, conductor (bio)

ON THE PROGRAM

Leonard Bernstein Candide Overture

Kurt Weill Symphonic Nocturne from Lady in the Dark

Antonín Dvořák Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

“Dreams of a New World” opens our American Adventures season with music that captures the optimism and imagination at the heart of the American spirit. Bernstein’s Candide Overture sparkles with wit and high-voltage energy, launching the evening in a blaze of brilliance. Weill’s Symphonic Nocturne from Lady in the Dark offers lush, cinematic lyricism, revealing the introspective side of midcentury America. Anchoring the program, Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World,” crowns the evening with sweeping melodies and spiritual-inflected themes, reflecting both a European composer’s fascination with America and the enduring promise of possibility that defines it.  

FEATURED PHOTO BY ANDREW MAGUIRE

This year, the NRO is proud to partner with local photographers whose work embodies the theme “American Adventures.” Andrew Maguire is a Breckenridge, Colorado–based photographer and director known for crafting cinematic, human-centered stories rooted in the outdoor lifestyle. Blending Detroit grit with Rocky Mountain spirit, his work celebrates authentic connection, adventure, and the real people who move through wild places with purpose.