Festival City Symphony Opens 100th Anniversary Season With “River, Sea, and Symphony” on October 24, 2026
Free Saturday Classics concert at the Bradley Symphony Center features Smetana’s The Moldau, Britten’s Four Sea Interludes and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 1
MILWAUKEE, WI (September 22, 2026) — Festival City Symphony will open its 2026–2027 Saturday Classics season and begin a historic year celebrating 100 years of music in Milwaukee with “River, Sea, and Symphony” on Saturday, October 24, at 2:00 p.m. at the Bradley Symphony Center, 212 W. Wisconsin Ave.
The free concert will take audiences on a musical journey through rivers, seas, forests, and lakes with three orchestral works inspired by the beauty, movement, and power of the natural world: Bedřich Smetana’s The Moldau, Benjamin Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, and Jean Sibelius’s Symphony No. 1.
The afternoon begins with Smetana’s beloved The Moldau, a vivid musical portrait of the Vltava River. The music follows the river’s journey from two small mountain springs as it grows and travels through the Czech countryside before reaching Prague, using the orchestra to evoke the landscapes and scenes encountered along the way.
Britten’s dramatic Four Sea Interludes turns from the river to the ever-changing moods of the North Sea. Taken from his opera Peter Grimes, the four orchestral interludes depict the sea and coastal atmosphere at different moments, ranging from quiet and reflective to turbulent and powerful.
The concert concludes with Sibelius’s sweeping Symphony No. 1. Filled with bold orchestral colors, memorable melodies, and emotional intensity, the work evokes the grandeur and dramatic spirit often associated with the Finnish landscape.
Together, the three works create an afternoon of music celebrating nature in its many forms, from flowing water and peaceful landscapes to the raw force of the sea.
Audience members are also invited to arrive early for Festival City Symphony’s “Unlocking the Score” pre-concert presentation at 1:30 p.m. on stage at the Bradley Symphony Center. The presentation offers concertgoers additional insight into the music before the 2:00 p.m. performance.
“River, Sea, and Symphony” marks the first Saturday Classics performance of Festival City Symphony’s 2026–2027 season as the organization celebrates its 100th anniversary. Founded in 1927 as the Young People’s Orchestra, Festival City Symphony is Milwaukee’s oldest performing symphony orchestra and continues its mission of extending the reach of classical music throughout the greater Milwaukee area through free and engaging concerts.
Admission to the concert is free, with donations gratefully accepted. Suggested donations are $15 for adults and $5 for children, students, and seniors. Tickets may be reserved in advance at festivalcitysymphony.org or through the Bradley Symphony Center box office.
EVENT DETAILS
River, Sea, and Symphony
The Moldau, Four Sea Interludes, and Sibelius’s First Symphony
Saturday, October 24, 2026Pre-concert “Unlocking the Score” presentation: 1:30 p.m.
Concert: 2:00 p.m.
Bradley Symphony Center
212 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI
Free admission – donations gratefully accepted
Suggested donation: $15 adults; $5 children, students, and seniors
Tickets: festivalcitysymphony.org or Bradley Symphony Center box office
PROGRAM
Bedřich Smetana — The Moldau
Benjamin Britten — Four Sea Interludes from “Peter Grimes”
Jean Sibelius — Symphony No. 1
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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