Join us for this melding of music and nature as the Utah Symphony showcases its extraordinary artistry in Messiaen’s masterpiece From the Canyons to the Stars…, performed against the stunning backdrop of Zion Canyon’s red-rock cliffs with Music Director Thierry Fischer conducting.
From the Canyons to the Stars… became a deeply spiritual experience for Messiaen and he avowed that it was written to “glorify God in the beauties of His creations.” The work is in three parts, each concluding with his depiction of one of Southern Utah’s majestic landscapes. In the natural amphitheater of Cedar Breaks, he was overwhelmed with its “wild and colorful beauty” and a feeling of “immense solitude.” In Bryce Canyon, which he felt convinced was the most beautiful place on the planet, he heard bright E-major chords in his mind as he gazed upon the red rocks. Zion Park inspired the “ultimate joy” and he translated this into a triumphant finale.
Make your plans now to experience this immense artistic undertaking, immersed in the natural beauty that inspired it.
Thierry Fischer, Jason Hardink, Stefan Dohr, Keith Carrick, Eric Hopkins, Utah Symphony