CLASSICAL MUSIC: SLSO Casual Classics

The summer season begins at Powell Hall with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Casual Classics, presenting popular and lively music. Conductor Ward Stare (with pianist Natasha Paremski) starts with Rachmaninoff’s ravishing Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, plus Tchaikovsky’s Romeo & Juliet and Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. (May 22 at 7:30.) Stare also conducts Rossini’s William Tell Overture, and those of us old enough to remember the Lone Ranger will be pumped. The program includes Grieg’s Peer Gynt and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with violinist William Hagen. (May 29 at 7:30.) Singing Sinatra standards, Steve Lippia performs with the orchestra under the baton of Victor Vanacore. (June 13 at 7:30.) David Robertson joins with Andrea Kaplan on flute for an evening of baroque music. Pachelbel’s Canon will be played, yet one more time. The full program includes Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 2 and Handel’s Water Music. (June 19 at 7:30.) Ward Stare returns with a red, white and blue celebration from Meredithy Wiilson’s The Music Man, along with music to celebrate America, as well as St. Louis’s Scott Joplin. Toes will be tapping to marches by John Phillip Sousa. (June 28 at 3.) Doors open an hour prior to each performance; enjoy the pre-concert food and drink. (Powell Hall. 314-534-1700. www.slso.org/casual)www.slso.org/casual)