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Plus, composer, pianist and renowned improviser Gabriela Montero performs her own “Latin Concerto”

Experience a night of rhythmic passion, dance, and orchestral storytelling as Alexander Shelley, artistic and music director designate, leads Pacific Symphony in a program of music by Bizet, Montero, and Ravel on November 20-22 at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Venezuelan pianist, composer, and renowned improviser Gabriela Montero performs her own “Latin Concerto,” a vibrant work that blends Latin rhythms with lush melodies and rich textures. The program opens with Suite No. 1 from Bizet’s opera, “Carmen,” filled with fiery Spanish melodies and drama, and it concludes with Ravel’s “Daphnis and Chloé,” a French Impressionist’s retelling of an ancient love story, performed with Pacific Chorale under the direction of Artistic Director Robert Istad.

“This concert promises vivid storytelling through exquisite music,” said Shelley. “It’s a joy to welcome composer, soloist, and dear friend, Gabriela Montero, to our stage. She is a superb concert pianist and a genuine phenomenon. Her Latin Concerto will take your breath away. It is a moving statement about our times and an extraordinary vessel in which she channels her gift of improvisation.”

“The pairing of the two great French works marks 2025 as both the 150th anniversary of Ravel’s birth and the 150th anniversary of Bizet’s passing,” continued Shelley. “‘Daphnis and Chloé’ calls for a huge orchestra and uses it to its fullest—every color and every nuance—to portray this ancient love story, including one of the most beautiful sunrises ever painted through music. ‘Carmen’ is vital, vivid, and poetic. It will be such a thrill to hear our Pacific Symphony display its excellence and passion in these works, and also wonderful to collaborate with the remarkable Pacific Chorale.”

The concert opens with Bizet’s “Carmen,” which has become one of the most familiar operas in the world, its themes instantly recognizable and woven into popular culture. Shortly after Bizet’s passing, Ernest Guiraud arranged orchestral suites from the opera’s melodies, bringing the drama of the stage into the concert hall. Suite No. 1 highlights Carmen’s irresistible character with sultry melodies and rhythmic energy.

“[Gabriela] Montero’s playing had everything: crackling rhythmic brio, subtle shadings, steely power, and soulful lyricism,” described Anthony Tommasini in The New York Times. The pianist joins Pacific Symphony to perform her “Latin Concerto,” which premiered in 2016 in Leipzig. Recognized as both a remarkable pianist and composer, her artistry combines interpretive brilliance with original creative expression.

The evening concludes with Ravel’s “Daphnis and Chloé,” a large-scale ballet score for orchestra and wordless chorus, commissioned by Serge Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes. Inspired by an ancient Greek romance, the work shimmers with luminous harmonies and a dreamlike quality, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest ballet scores of the 20th century and Ravel’s supreme masterpiece.

“Shelley Conducts Carmen and Daphnis and Chloé” takes place Thursday through Saturday, November 20–22, at 8 p.m. in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. A preview talk with KUSC midday host Alan Chapman begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $36–$252. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (714) 755-5799 or visit pacificsymphony.org.

Pacific Symphony’s Classical Series is made possible by the Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom Family Foundation, with additional support from Classical California KUSC, Avenue of the Arts Costa Mesa, and PBS SoCal.

About Gabriela Montero
Gabriela Montero’s visionary interpretations and unique compositional gifts have garnered her critical acclaim and a devoted following on the world stage. She is celebrated for her exceptional musicality and ability to improvise and has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras.

The 2025-26 season sees Montero as Artist-in-Residence at London’s acclaimed Barbican Centre, which will feature the UK premiere of her piano quintet “Canaima” with the Calidore String Quartet, her debut with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and a new solo recital program, “Iberia,” showcasing Spain’s rich influence on the piano repertoire through works by Albéniz, Granados, Alicia de Larrocha, Scarlatti, and others. This follows previous residencies with the Sao Paolo Symphony, Prague Radio Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, Basel Symphony, and at the Rheingau Festival.

Montero began piano lessons at age 4 and made her concerto debut at age 8 in Caracas, Venezuela, earning a government scholarship for further study in the U.S. before attending the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Beyond performance, Montero is a passionate advocate for social justice. She was named an Honorary Consul by Amnesty International in 2015 and received the Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent in 2024 for her ongoing work defending human rights in Venezuela and beyond.

To view the full bio and photos for Gabriela Montero, please visit https://imgartists.com/roster/gabriela-montero/.

About Pacific Chorale
The Grammy Award-winning Pacific Chorale, an Orange County “treasure” with a “fresh viewpoint” that “can sing anything you put in front of it, with polish, poise and tonal splendor” (The Orange County Register) has “risen to national prominence” (Los Angeles Times) since its inception in 1968. Hailed for delivering “thrilling entertainment” (Voice of OC), the resident choir at Segerstrom Center for the Arts is noted for its artistic innovation and commitment to expanding the choral repertoire. It has given the world, U.S., and West Coast premieres of more than 35 works, including numerous commissions, by such lauded composers as John Adams, Jake Heggie, James Hopkins, David Lang, Morten Lauridsen, Tarik O’Regan, Karen Thomas, Frank Ticheli, András Gábor Virágh, and Eric Whitacre.

About Pacific Symphony
Pacific Symphony is the largest orchestra formed in the United States in the past 50 years and is ranked among the top orchestras in the U.S. by the League of American Orchestras. In 2024, Alexander Shelley was appointed to become Pacific Symphony’s third artistic leader, taking the title of Artistic and Music Director, beginning in the 2026-27 season. He is serving as Artistic and Music Director Designate during the 2025-26 season, which marks Pacific Symphony’s 47th season. Founded in 1978, the Symphony was led for 35 years by Carl St.Clair, who is honored with the title of Music Director Laureate starting in the 2025-26 season.

In its 47-year history, Pacific Symphony has gained national and international recognition, with recent highlights including a 2018 Carnegie Hall debut in celebration of composer Philip Glass; a five-city tour of China; and a PBS Great Performances broadcast of Peter Boyer’s “Ellis Island: The Dream of America.” In 2024, Pacific Symphony released the world-premiere recording of “Fiat Lux,” a stirring new commission by composer Sir James MacMillan performed with long-time artistic partner Pacific Chorale. The Symphony has been recognized with multiple ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming and included among the country’s five most innovative orchestras by the League of American Orchestras.

With a purpose to lift the human spirit through the power of music, the Symphony is a cornerstone of the cultural landscape of Southern California, enriching lives and bringing communities together through creative and diverse programming. As the resident orchestra of the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, the Symphony presents more than 100 concerts and events each year and a rich array of education and community engagement programs, reaching more than 300,000 residents of all ages.

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