QPAC

Danse Macabre, Mother Goose, HK Gruber’s Frankenstein!!

An eclectic journey through musical storytelling, a ride through fantasy and ghoulishness, fairytale and thrills. This fun program explores the fantastical, eerie, and whimsical sides of music, featuring striking arrangements that bring new dimensions to beloved works.

The concert begins with Danse Macabre by Saint-Saëns, arranged for violin and cello by the very talented young American cellist, Cicely Parnas. This haunting piece conjures the image of Death leading a spectral dance, its driving rhythms and eerie melodies setting the tone for the supernatural evening ahead.

William Bolcom’s Poltergeist captures the mischievous energy of an unseen spirit through syncopated ragtime rhythms and surprising twists. Ravel’s Ma Mère l’Oye, by British arranger Iain Farrington, transports us into a world of childhood wonder. Inspired by classic fairy tales, this delicate yet vivid work weaves through stories including Sleeping Beauty, Tom Thumb and Beauty and the Beast, invoking innocence and magic in equal measure.

The program culminates with HK Gruber’s Frankenstein!!, a wildly theatrical work blending cabaret, absurdism, and modern classical music. Drawing on children’s rhymes, comic-book characters, and pop culture, Gruber’s Frankenstein!! is an eccentric and electrifying portrayal of the monster and other strange figures.