The Houston Symphony delves into the story behind the music in a special one-night-only performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, one of the best-loved works in the classical canon. During the first half of Four Seasons, narrator Jim Johnson and actors Nicky Mondellini and Carolyn Johnson join the orchestra onstage for an in-depth exploration of the score and the man who composed it. (Besides being a composer and violinist, Antonio Vivaldi was a priest and musical director for the girls’ school, Ospe-dale della Pietà in Venice. It was here that he wrote some of his most moving works.) A large overhead screen shows images to illustrate the discussion while the orchestra performs examples of the music. After the intermission, fans, armed with their new understanding of the work, return to the concert hall to hear a full performance of Four Seasons with Houston Symphony’s Associate Concertmaster Eric Halen in the spotlight. 7:30 p.m. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. For information, call 713‑224-7575 or visit www.houstonsymphony.org. $29 to $121.
Sat., Nov. 26, 2011