Masterworks II - Prokofiev Prowess

Classical Music WSMA High School State Honors Music Project Concerts

Overture Hall

Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) State Honors Music Project began in 1967 to provide musically accomplished youth the opportunity to rehearse and perform with the nation's finest conductors in a professional and highly disciplined setting. This year, more than 1,250 student auditions were performed for the privilege of being one of the 429 students selected for membership in the five prestigious High School State Honors ensembles.

Classical Music, Madison Opera, Music, Theater La Bohème

Overture Hall

The greatest love story in opera, “La Bohème” remains eternally young. Set to a ravishing score, Puccini’s classic opera tells of the lives, loves and losses of a group of young artists in a Bohemian quarter of Paris. 

Classical Music, Music, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Masterworks I - Eroica

Capitol Theater

“Eroica” kicks off the 2025/26 Masterworks Season in Capitol Theater, encapsulating the timeless beauty of classical music.

Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Greg Zelek with Caleb Hudson, Trumpet

Overture Hall

Trumpeter Caleb Hudson has made a name for himself as one of the most virtuosic trumpet soloists as well as a respected pedagogue. Experience his incredible talent in a program featuring many arrangements for organ and trumpet.

Classical Music, Music, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Handel's Messiah

Bethel Lutheran Church

Kicking off the holiday season early, join the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Festival Choir of Madison for a favorite holiday tradition.

Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Radiance

Overture Hall

“Rainbow Body,” a luminous work by American composer Christopher Theofanidis, weaves ancient and modern worlds together to take us on a spellbinding journey. Inspired by the chant “Ave Maria” by medieval mystic Hildegard of Bingen, the piece reimagines her melodies in lush, cinematic orchestration.

Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music A Madison Symphony Christmas

Overture Hall

This spectacular annual celebration has become a joyful way to begin the holiday season in our community for concertgoers of all ages. The Madison Symphony Chorus, Madison Youth Choirs and the Mt. Zion Gospel Choir join us to bring this special concert to life.

Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Heartbeat

Overture Hall

The Symphony's new year begins with Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Escaramuza” (meaning “skirmish” in Spanish), a dynamic and colorful work inspired by her Peruvian heritage. This spirited piece captures the energy of the lively Kachampa Andean dance, celebrating the agility and strength of Inca warriors.

Classical Music, Music, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Masterworks II - Prokofiev Prowess

Capitol Theater

Join the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra for an electrifying evening showcasing the fiery virtuosity of guest pianist Ilya Yakushev in Prokofiev’s “Piano Concerto No. 3.”

2025/26 Season, Classical Music, Film, Music, Overture Presents Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert

Overture Hall

In the epic finale to the Harry Potter Film Concert Series the battle between good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war!

Classical Music, Madison Opera, Music, Theater Everlasting Faint

Capitol Theater

Based on the true story of the 1897 “Greenbrier Ghost,” “Everlasting Faint” is a ghost story, a maternal love story, a true crime drama and an all-American opera. Don’t miss this world premiere by Madison composer Scott Gendel and librettist Sandra Flores-Strand.

Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Playful Pursuits

Overture Hall

“Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a decidedly playful overture by a very youthful Felix Mendelssohn. This sparkling work captures the magic of the fairy kingdom, the humor of the lovers’ entanglements and the grandeur of Theseus’ court.

Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Felix Hell, Organist

Overture Hall

Organist Felix Hell, who first performed in Madison in 2012, returns with a brilliant and unique program that he calls “Cathedral of Sound: The Organ as Orchestra.”

Classical Music, Kanopy Dance, Music, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Masterworks III - Regeneration with Kanopy Dance Company

Capitol Theater

Universal rhythms explored through music and movement—weaving together themes of transformation and the endless cycle of renewal.

Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Force of Nature

Overture Hall

Strauss’ “Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks” is a mischievous tone poem that follows the antics of a legendary trickster. From daring escapades to clever pranks, the music captures Till’s irreverent spirit with virtuosic orchestral writing and humor.

2025/26 Season, Classical Music, Cover Bands, Music, Overture Presents One Night of Queen performed by Gary Mullen and The Works

Capitol Theater

Get ready to rock! This high-energy, two-hour stage show brings the legendary music and iconic theatrics of Queen to life, featuring the incredible Gary Mullen & The Works.

Classical Music, Music, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Masterworks IV - Dueling Violins

Capitol Theater

Prepare to be mesmerized as two extraordinary violin masters, Gilles Apap and Eric Silberger, return to the stage for “Dueling Violins”—not as rivals, but as creative counterparts.

Classical Music, Film, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark™ Live in Concert

Overture Hall

Madison Symphony Orchestra’s MSO at the Movies presents “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark™ Live in Concert,” featuring John Williams’ GRAMMY® Award-winning score performed live to the film led by conductor Kyle Knox at Overture Hall.

Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music An Evening of Chamber Music and Organ

Overture Hall

Trumpeter Caleb Hudson has made a name for himself as one of the most virtuosic trumpet soloists as well as a respected pedagogue. Experience his incredible talent in a program featuring many arrangements for organ and trumpet.

Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Four the Soul

Overture Hall

Peruvian composer Jimmy López’s “Fiesta! Four Pop Dances for Orchestra” is a vibrant and exhilarating celebration of life, culture and happiness. Filled with pulsating rhythms, bold colors and infectious energy, it draws from the rich traditions of Latin American music and ends with a blazing techno finale.

Classical Music, Music, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Masterworks V - Saint-Saëns & Salome

Capitol Theater

Closing the 2025/26 Masterworks season is an evening of works known for their virtuosic demands and lush expressive beauty.

Classical Music, Madison Opera, Music, Theater Così fan tutte

Overture Hall

Two sisters, two suitors and a drunken wager about the nature of fidelity—what could possibly go wrong? Mozart’s deliciously risqué romantic comedy is full of sublime arias, sparkling ensembles and the complications that ensue when young love and flirtation encounter reality. 

Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Voices Eternal

Overture Hall

Hear the world premiere of composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer "EARTH: A Choral Symphony," commissioned by the Symphony for their 100th Anniversary. The piece explores themes of truth and possibility focusing on the wonder of Earth and our place in its story.

Classical Music, Free Events, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music A Community Gift and Dream — for the Love of Music

During this free, two-day festival celebration, MSO musicians and diverse community groups will perform on a rotating schedule throughout Overture Center for the Arts. The Sunday concert features some of the “greatest hits” of classical music and will be the final concert Maestro John DeMain conducts as Music Director.