♦ PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
♦ Grimaud Plays Gershwin
Heinz Hall
11/7 730PM, 11/9 2:30PM
ROBERTO SIERRA: Alegría
GERSHWIN: Piano Concerto in F major
FRANCK: Symphony in D minor
Notes: The worthy sequel to the universally loved Rhapsody in Blue, Gershwin’s Piano Concerto is a thrilling blend of jazz rhythms, grand soaring melodies, and pianistic fireworks. It’s a treat to hear it from sensational pianist Hélène Grimaud, who brings brilliance and depth to this virtuosic favorite. Franck’s beloved and irresistibly tuneful symphony will sweep you off your feet, but you might fall most in love with Robert Sierra’s Alegría, a bold, joyful burst of Latin America rhythm and color.
♦ Ferrández Plays Saint-Saëns
Heinz Hall
11/14 7:30PM, 11/16 2:30PM
JULIA WOLFE: Liberty Bell [PSO CO-COMMISSION]
SAINT-SAËNS: Cello Concerto No. 1
STRAUSS: Ein Heldenleben
Notes: A concert for lovers of the cello’s deep, soulful sound. Pablo Ferrández, praised as a “new cello genius” (Le Figaro) and prizewinner of the XV International Tchaikovsky Competition, brings passion and power to Saint-Saëns’s dramatic Cello Concerto. Also on the program is Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, filled with sweeping melodies and vivid storytelling that traces the trials and triumphs of a hero’s journey. Most delightfully, PSO Concertmaster David McCarroll will play the famous solo.
♦ Himari Plays Bruch
Heinz Hall
11/28 7:30PM, 11/30 2:30PM
HAYDN: Symphony No. 100, “Military”
BRUCH: Violin Concerto No. 1
CARLOS SIMON: Festive Fanfare and Overture
Strauss Viennese Favorites
Notes: Celebrate the season with a concert full of tradition, beauty, and joy. 14-year-old violinist Himari, a once-in-a-generation talent, makes her Pittsburgh debut with Bruch’s beloved Violin Concerto. The program also honors Johann Strauss’ 200th birthday with “The Waltz King,” conducted with all the charm, wit, and elegance Manfred Honeck brings to his interpretations of music from his home. It’s the perfect way to make memories with the whole family for Thanksgiving weekend.
♦ CITY THEATRE
♦ Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women
1300 Bingham Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
11/15-16, 11/19-23, 11/25-26, 11/28-30, 12/3-7 (Times Vary)
Notes: From the playwright of The Revolutionists and the Christmas at Pemberley series comes the world premiere of a new adaptation of a beloved classic. Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women explores the parallel lives of the author’s family and the iconic March sisters – Jo, Beth, Meg, and Amy — in a heartwarming coming of age tale of empowerment, family, resilience – and the creation of an American literary masterpiece, with Alcott herself center stage.
Co-commissioned and originally produced by City Theatre; Northlight Theatre, Chicago, IL; People’s Light, Malvern, PA; and TheatreWorks, Palo Alto, CA.
“A heartwarming experience perfect for the holiday season – a celebration of sisterhood, resilience, and individual aspiration. Grab your loved ones (especially your sisters) and get ready to hold their hands tight” – Stage and Cinema
“Lauren Gunderson’s beautiful new version of Alcott’s autobiographical novel is a story we need today” – Chicago Theatre Review
♦ BACH CHOIR OF PITTSBURGH
♦ I Was Born for This
Row House Hollywood Theater
1449 Potomac Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15216
11/15 7:30PM, 11/16 4:00PM
Notes: The Bach Choir performs Richard Einhorn’s majestic Voices of Light in accompaniment to Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1928 silent film “The Passion of Joan of Arc.”
♦ PITTSBURGH OPERA
♦ Fellow Travelers
Benedum Center
11/14 7:00PM, 11/15 7:00PM, 11/16 2:00PM
Notes: The Red Scare, tinted lavender.
At the height of the McCarthy era, naive college graduate Timothy Laughlin comes to Washington eager to join the crusade against communism. But a chance encounter with a handsome State Department official, Hawkins Fuller, leads to Tim’s first job—and his first relationship with a man.
Under the threat of increased government scrutiny, this complicated and clandestine affair will put both men’s loyalties and convictions to the ultimate test. As the poisonous political climate pollutes their relationship, love becomes a casualty of what it takes to “play the game” in Washington.
Based on Thomas Mallon’s 2007 gut-wrenching novel, Fellow Travelers was praised as “a near-perfect example of fast-flowing musical drama” by The New York Times and is already widely considered a contemporary classic.
Antony Walker conducts; Brian Staufenbiel directs.
♦ PITTSBURGH CONCERT CHORALE
♦ Festival of Choirs
Third Presbyterian Church
11/2 4:00PM
Notes: Join Pittsburgh Concert Chorale and three area high school choirs for this special celebration of choral music. Each choir will perform separately, then all choirs will come together for the grand finale, the world premiere of this year’s Carol and Robert Woody Choral Commission work. Our 2025 commissioned composer is Sherry Blevins. Be the first to hear this exciting composition, sung by 200 singers ranging in age from 14 to 80, the ultimate illustration of the power of choral music transcending generations of singers and uniting them in song.
♦ PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE
♦ Dracula
Benedum Center
11/1 2:00PM, 11/1 7:30PM, 11/2 2:00PM
Notes: The seductive Count Dracula makes his chilling return to the Benedum stage just in time for Halloween. Michael Pink’s captivating Dracula, based on Bram Stoker’s classic gothic horror story, is a spellbinding production that flows like a fever dream, mesmerizing audiences with its mix of romance, terror and peril. The sensuous ballet includes dramatic choreography, exquisite storytelling, opulent costumes, theatrical sets, a gripping score by Philip Feeney and haunting special effects that will leave you on the edge of your seat!
Choreography: Michael Pink | Music: Philip Feeney
♦ PITTSBURGH SPEAKERS SERIES
♦ Lt. Gen. McMaster
Heinz Hall
11/5 8:00PM
Notes: Former National Security Advisor (2017-2018), Lt. Gen. McMaster (Ret.) is known for his expertise in the complex dynamics of American foreign policy. A leading military strategist for three decades, he offers critical perspectives on national security. His books include At War with Ourselves and Battlegrounds.
Lt. Gen. McMaster was the 25th Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. He served as a commissioned officer in the US Army for 34 years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in 2018. His extensive experience leading soldiers and organizations in wartime includes Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, and Iraq during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lt. Gen. McMaster led strategic assessments including the revision of Iraq strategy during the ‘surge’ of 2007 and efforts to develop security forces and governmental institutions in post-war Iraq. He also led an assessment and planning effort to develop a comprehensive strategy for the greater Middle East. From 2014 to 2017, he oversaw all training and education for the Army’s infantry, armor, and cavalry force.
Lt. Gen. McMaster was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1984. He holds a PhD in military history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has written three bestselling books and published scores of essays, articles, and book reviews on leadership, history, and the future of warfare.
He is a senior at the Hoover Institution, Distinguished University Fellow at Arizona State University, and lecturer at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. His military awards include the Silver Star Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the Purple Heart.
♦ Vladimir Kara-Murza
Heinz Hall
11/19 8:00PM
Notes: Russian opposition leader and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Kara-Murza was the target of two poisoning assassination attempts by the Putin regime. A key advocate for Russian sanctions, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for denouncing the invasion of Ukraine. He was freed in a historic East-West prisoner exchange in 2024
A close colleague of the slain opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, Kara-Murza has served as deputy leader of the People’s Freedom Party and was a candidate for the Russian Parliament. He played a key role in the adoption of Magnitsky sanctions in several countries, which provide for governmental sanctions against foreign individuals who have committed human rights abuses or been involved in significant corruption, against top Russian officials.
For this work he was twice poisoned and left in a coma; an investigation identified Russian security officers behind the attacks. In April 2022 Kara-Murza was arrested in Moscow for denouncing the Ukraine invasion, sentenced to 25 years for “high treason,” and kept in solitary confinement at a prison in Siberia. He was released in August 2024 as part of the largest East-West prisoner exchange since the Cold War, negotiated by the US and German governments.
Kara-Murza is a contributing writer at the Washington Post, winning the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for his columns written from prison, and previously worked for several other media organizations. He has directed three documentary films and is the author or contributor to several books on Russian history and politics.
Kara-Murza holds an MA in history from Cambridge. He is vice president at the Free Russia Foundation, senior advisor at Human Rights First, and senior fellow at the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights. He was the founding chairman of the Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom.