This fall’s symphonic program, Bridging the Centuries, takes place at the Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, 1712 S. Glendale Blvd. in Glendale on Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. It offers a compelling blend of operatic drama and contemporary creativity, pairing two iconic 19th-century works with a slate of original compositions by six Southern California composers. 

The concert opens with Giuseppe Verdi’s Overture to Nabucco, a fiery and politically charged prelude that introduced one of the composer’s earliest operatic triumphs. The second half opens with Modest Mussorgsky’s stunning “Coronation Scene” from his opera Boris Godunov, a sweeping tableau of imperial grandeur and psychological tension. Together, these selections evoke the power and scale of opera at its most theatrical. 

But at the heart of the program is its commitment to new music. Original works by Dallas Crane, Brook deRosa, Charles Fernandez, L. C. Harnsberger, Maria Newman and Larry Tuttle showcase the range and vitality of local composers working in symphonic form.

Two soloists take center stage in featured premieres. Hornist John Mason performs the concerto for horn and orchestra “Christmas Concerto” by L. C. Harnsberger and oboist Francisco Castillo offers a deeply expressive reading of Elegy by Charles Fernandez, a meditative piece that explores themes of loss and remembrance. 

This is a free performance. Composers’ reception to follow the performance. Admission is free, but reservations are recommended. Reserve a seat at www.VTOpera.org.