Puccini & Martinů
Two encounters change the course of two very different stories. In Puccini’s La Bohème, a poet meets a young woman on Christmas Eve. In Martinů’s The Epic of Gilgamesh, a king finds a companion who can stand beside him. The Kingston Symphony brings those stories together in Puccini & Martinů, a Masterworks concert at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts on Sunday, December 6, 2026.
From a Paris attic to an ancient epic
The concert opens with the Prelude to Act V of Jules Massenet’s Don Quichotte. It’s a brief invitation into the world of opera before the program turns to the close of Act I of La Bohème. When Mimì knocks on Rodolfo’s door, an ordinary interruption becomes the beginning of a romance. The excerpt gives you a chance to hear how Puccini lets a conversation between two strangers grow into one of the opera’s defining scenes.
The scale changes with Bohuslav Martinů’s The Epic of Gilgamesh. The work draws on the ancient story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, whose friendship leads them into a world of gods, monsters, and questions about mortality. Listen for how the solo voices and choir tell the story together. Where Puccini draws you into a room with two people, Martinů asks a larger ensemble to bring an entire legend to life.
The Kingston Symphony and The Isabel Voices
Conductor Evan Mitchell leads the Kingston Symphony, joined by The Isabel Voices, whose artistic director is Darrell Christie. The featured soloists are Rachel Krehm, soprano; Elias Theocharidis, tenor; Christopher Dunham, baritone; and Neil Craighead, bass. For listeners new to either work, the contrast between the intimacy of the opera scene and the scale of the choral piece makes this an inviting way to hear both.
Plan your Sunday at the Isabel
The performance starts at 2:30 p.m. in the Jennifer Velva Bernstein Performance Hall at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. House doors open at 2 p.m. The box office lists tickets at $11.30 to $61.02, with pricing depending on seat and ticket type. Check the ticket page for availability before heading out.
Date: Sunday, December 6, 2026
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Venue: Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, 390 King Street West, Kingston
Tickets: Kingston Grand Theatre box office
