Journey to "The Planets - an HD Odyssey" with the Colorado Symphony

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Former music director Jeffrey Kahane returns as pianist in Beethoven’s youthful first concerto; women of the Colorado Symphony Chorus shine in Holst's "The Planets," accompanied by stunning, state-of-the-art, NASA-generated images

Concertgoers can anticipate an inter-planetary journey with the Colorado Symphony at "The Planets – An HD Odyssey" as NASA-generated images and the mystic voices of the women of the Colorado Symphony Chorus bring Holst's The Planets to life in three upcoming concerts with renowned conductor Gilbert Varga. Former music director Jeffrey Kahane returns as pianist for Beethoven's lively, confident Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major in this all-star performance titled "Kahane & The Planets" on Friday, September 30, Saturday, October 1 and Sunday, October 2. Also featured on the program is Beethoven's vibrant and tremendous Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus. Tickets for this out-of-this-world concert experience are currently on sale and start from $19.

In its review of Kahane's 2009 performance as pianist with the Colorado Symphony, The Denver Post wrote, "He was in prime form as he made this music frolic, sashay and swing and, at times, seemed to transform his Steinway grand into a rollicking saloon piano. Almost hidden in all the fun is no shortage of technical challenges, and he handled them with aplomb." Concertgoers at "Kahane & The Planets" can look forward to nothing less than keyboard wizardry as Kahane returns to Boettcher Concert Hall.

Presented for the first time in Colorado, "The Planets – An HD Odyssey" seamlessly blends the stunning visuals of NASA solar system photography with a live performance of Holst's ethereal masterpiece. While Holst's inspiration lay in astrology, the "marriage" of astronomical images with live performance adds a new dimension to The Planets that deepens the concert-going experience while evoking the grandeur of space. From Mars: The Bringer of War to Mercury: The Winged Messenger and Neptune: The Mystic, each of the seven movements is a wholly unique experience – not unlike the planets themselves.

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