Sprightly and tuneful, Mozart’s Divertimenti for strings are known for their Baroque and Italianate essence. Among the composer’s final piano concertos, No.24 is written in a minor key containing quite a few “stormy” dramatic moments, at times turning fully symphonic. The second half of the program features German composer Richard Strauss, praised for his sweeping melodies and lush orchestration. Written in 1888, Don Juan is inspired by German poet Nikolaus Lenau’s drama waxing philosophical on the pursuit and passion of love, and the dance-like movements in the composer’s Der Rosenkavalier

suite capture bittersweet nostalgia for a bygone era.