Alex Amsel, conductor 

“Día de los Muertos,” or “The Day of the Dead,” is a two-day holiday celebrated on Nov. 1-2 in Mexico in which families remember departed loved ones and create offerings to honor them. The Phoenix Symphony marks the occasion with Camille Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, a symphonic poem telling the story of how Death appears at midnight on Halloween. Two works by Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz complete the program. La Calaca, depicts the figurine of a human skeleton in colorful clothing that appears during Day of the Dead celebrations. Día de los Muertos, the title of the second piece, speaks for itself. 

Concert Repertoire Includes
Ortiz: La Calaca
Ortiz: Día de los Muertos
Saint-Saëns: Danse Macabre