George Frideric Handel’s 1735 opera seria Ariodante, his first opera performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, tells the story of extreme choices with vivid music. At its core, we see the desire for power play out before our eyes through deceit. The dishonest actions by others lead fundamentally good people toward unthinkable reactions. How does the psychology of power influence our actions? What has history shown us when the desire for power leads people to do anything? Have we ever been unknowingly influenced by others’ desire for power?

Join us for our Fall 2019 concerts! The Gamer Symphony Orchestra is the first collegiate ensemble exclusively devoted to performing orchestral arrangements of video game music and using that music as an educational tool. All of our arrangements are created by GSO members and alumni. This semester, our selections include pieces from Pokemon, Mario, Zelda, Kingdom Hearts, Fire Emblem and much more! We are eager for you to come and watch our talented members perform!

For their Fall 2019 production The Maryland Shakespeare Players are proud to present A Midsummer Night’s Dream! William Shakespeare’s timeless tale of love is transported into a quintessential time for the cheesy romantic comedy: the 1980s. Join MDSP November 14-16th as the old is made relatively new. Come see all the fairies, misguided love, and donkey transformation of Shakespeare combined with all the hairspray, shoulder pads, and a veritable Top 40 of 1980s hits this mainstay UMD theatre troupe can offer.

Experience Oculus [Five] tackle a masterwork of string quartet writing in a program that features Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8, Hindemith’s character-filled quintet and the premiere of a love song by living composer Arnold Kirshenbaum.

Program:
String Quartet No. 8 by Dmitri Shostakovich, Arr. by Mark Popkin
Kleine Kammermusik by Paul Hindemith
Wind Quintet No. 1 “Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li” by Arnold Kirshenbaum

If you thought you knew the story of The Princess and The Pea, you may be in for a walloping surprise! Did you know, for instance, that Princess Winnifred actually swam the moat to reach Prince Dauntless the Drab? Or that Lady Larken's love for Sir Harry provided a rather compelling reason that she reach the bridal altar post haste? Or that, in fact, it wasn't the pea at all that caused the princess a sleepless night?