Unfinished Business

About

Sarasota Orchestra closes its season with a program of works that left the door open for more. No one is certain why Schubert never finished his Eighth Symphony, but the two movements that he did compose remain among his most beloved. Julia Perry’s Short Piece for Orchestra was the first work by a woman of color to be performed by the New York Philharmonic; Perry’s life and career were cut short at age 55. In his Symphony No. 45, Haydn sent a not-so subtle message to his employer that the orchestra was ready for a break. This symphony has delighted audiences for over 250 years and concludes our 76th season with a chuckle as each musician exits the stage in a dramatic send-off.