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The French horn section of an orchestra

May 3, 2025

Carmen & Boléro

presented by Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

Event Details

KSO Masterworks

Julian Kuerti, Conductor
Rihab Chaieb, Mezzo-soprano
Ben Gulley, Tenor
With Ballet Arts Ensemble
With Kalamazoo Choral Arts

ABOUT THE CONCERT

The musical soundscapes of two cultures collide in a program full of Spanish rhythms, folk songs, and dances imagined through the eyes of their French neighbors.

Love. Jealousy. Freedom. Highlights from Bizet’s opera share the story of the fiery Carmen, a woman determined to live life on her own terms… no matter the consequences.

Debussy had spent less than a day in Spain when he created the swirling colors of Ibéria. Ravel’s wildly popular Boléro was inspired by a Spanish dance form of the same name.