THSO Performs 1812 Overture and Features Oboist Rebecca McGuire

[Terre Haute, IN] – On November 4, 2023, at 7:30pm, the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra presents 1812 Overture LIVE! featuring the symphony performing Tchaikovsky’s entire 1812 Overture, two tone poems by Richard Strass titled Don Juan and Death & Transfiguration, and the THSO’s Principal Oboe Rebecca McGuire performing Eric Ewazen’s beautiful oboe concerto, Down a River of Time.

We all know and love the iconic ending of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, but when was the last time you heard the entire work? Tchaikovsky was approached in 1880 with a proposal to compose a work for an upcoming festival, a grand Exhibition in Moscow to take place in 1882. The festival coincided with Tsar Alexander II’s silver jubilee, the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino between the French and Russians, and the opening of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, which was being built to commemorate the events of 1812. The work was an immediate and enduring success and remains one of the most beloved works in the orchestral repertoire. 

David Bowden, Artistic Director

Richard Strauss was just 23 in 1888 when he wrote the tone poem Don Juan, the work that put him on the map. He drew inspiration from a treatment of the Don Juan legend by Nikolaus Lenau in which the character is a frustrated idealist, obsessed with finding the “elusive ideal,” the one woman who embodies all that is noblest and wisest, who would bring completeness to his own life. David Bowden, Artistic Director of the THSO, said, “Don Juan is one of the most exciting, beautiful, and difficult works in the orchestral repertoire. It is thrilling to experience!”

As Strauss conducted the premiere of Don Juan, his next work, Death & Transfiguration, was only three pages from completion. In contrast to Don Juan, which depicts the character and experiences of a single individual, Death & Transfiguration confronts a more universal experience, a vivid depiction of the moment of death.

Bowden said, “The glory of this work is a culminating transcendent depiction of life after death – a sublime expression of hope and of earthly dreams being fulfilled.”

Rebecca McGuire, oboe

Rebecca McGuire joined the THSO as Principal Oboe in 2020 and is known for her beautifully authentic and expressive musicality. She made her debut as an international soloist in Cologne, Germany, with the Freies Kammerorchester Köln. After receiving a master’s degree in Oboe Performance from the University of Texas at Austin, Rebecca attended Indiana University Jacobs School of Music as a doctoral student, where she studied with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra English Horn Roger Roe, as well as former Metropolitan Opera oboist and celebrated pedagogue Linda Strommen.

McGuire’s performance of Eric Ewazen’s Down a River of Time will be dedicated in memory of former THSO Board Member and ISU Music Professor, Dr. Stephen Gage, who passed away in February 2023. In his short time serving in these positions, Dr. Gage made a tremendous impact with his creative vision and kind heart. Ewazen wrote the piece following the death of his own father and notes, “The piece, which is a contemplative journey through life, was composed as an aria with string orchestra. The oboe emulates the voice as it expresses intense emotional and personal feelings, orchestrating the importance of life’s dreams.” 

“Down a River of Time is such a special piece. Not only is it a gorgeous concerto, but it’s also a contemplation of life, an emotional journey inspired by the loss of a loved one,” shares Principal Oboe, Rebecca McGuire. “My interpretation of this piece has become a very personal one which honors, mourns, and celebrates the life of my friend and colleague, Steve Gage. This performance is for him.”

This concert is proudly sponsored by Union Health, the Terre Haute Symphony League, Fireplace World, and Jo Einstandig.  

Jo Einstandig

Supper at the Symphony

Make it a date night with a concert and Supper at the Symphony! Come to the concert early and enjoy a delectable three-course meal served in the McKee Family Heritage Ballroom of Tirey Hall, right down the hall from Tilson Auditorium. The cash bar opens at 5:00pm, and dinner is served promptly at 5:30pm. Dinner reservations are $25 per person. Patrons will enjoy a salad to start and choose one entrée of either Braised Beef Siciliano with Tomato Basil Sauce over Egg Noodles, Chicken Breast Florentine, or Pasta Primavera in Alfredo Sauce with Grilled Asparagus. Beef and Chicken entrees are served with Green Beans and Blistered Tomatoes. Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Whipped Cream will be served for dessert. Reservations can be made at www.thso.org or by calling the THSO office at (812) 242-8476. Reservations close at 12pm on Tuesday, October 31.

Concert Conversations

Join Artistic Director, Dr. David Bowden, as he talks about the repertoire performed on this concert and interviews guest artist Rebecca McGuire during Concert Conversations in the McKee Family Heritage Ballroom in Tirey Hall on the campus of Indiana State University before the concert at 6:45pm. FREE to all concert ticket holders!

Concert Tickets  

Patrons can purchase concert tickets by visiting www.thso.org or calling the Hulman Center at (812) 237-3737. Ticket prices for adults are $19, $48, and $60. Student and youth tickets are $5, $11, and $15. Prices do not include facility and venue fees.  

ISU Student Tickets

ISU students receive FREE tickets to THSO concerts! Students can show their student ID at the Tilson Auditorium ticket window starting at 6:30pm before a concert to receive a free ticket. Only 100 tickets are available for ISU students. Students can get their tickets in advance by visiting the Hulman Center box office.

Accessible Entrance

An elevator is available for patrons who need accessible entry at the rear of Tirey Hall. Patrons can be dropped off behind Tirey Hall in the alley between Fairbanks and Tilson for direct access to the elevator or enter through the ground level at the front of Tilson Auditorium via the downstairs lobby. Signage will be posted at the venue with directions to the elevator.

Parking  

Patrons may park in the Indiana State University Parking garage located at 750 Cherry Street for free between 4 PM and 11 PM on the day of the concert. This parking garage is located across the street from Tilson Auditorium.