The concert on Tuesday, November 16, by the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra is a joyous collection of sparkling music consisting of 18^th, 19^th and 20^th century overtures and arias.

The opera overtures of Mozart contain some of his most inspired music. Performances on this program include the Overture to the Magic Flute, along with two arias, one from his opera, Il Seraglio and the other from a little known early opera (1775) entitled Il re pastore. This aria, L'amero, saro costante, containing a solo violin obbligato, is a beautiful example of Mozart's lyrical powers. Perhaps no other composer in history had such an unfaltering perfection of forward motion.

Also performed on this concert will be Johannes Brahms' stirring Academic Festival Overture. Brahms included a number of student songs from that time into the overture, the last one being the most famous student song of all, Gaudeamus igitur. It bursts out gloriously at the end of the piece making it one of the more notable and successful uses of quotation in all music.

Also performed is the light and effervescent aria, Glitter and be Gay, composed by the late American conductor and composer, Leonard Bernstein. It comes from his 1950's Broadway Musical entitled, Candide. You may already be familiar with the famous overture to this work.

The 19^th century Czech nationalist composer, Bedrich Smetana, is represented with one of his most popular pieces, the overture to his opera, The Bartered Bride (1866). Additionally, there will be a performance of three pieces by Johann Strauss, commonly known as the Waltz King. An aria entitled, Die Fruhling Stimme along with the overture and an aria from his delightful operetta, Die Fledermaus.