ARTS & CULTURE
Text and photos courtesy of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas
Across the Silk Road
Symphony of Northwest Arkansas season continues Jan. 31
Performing under the baton of guest conductor Akiko Fujimoto, and fresh on the heels of three sold-out shows last month, the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas continues its 2025-26 mainstage season with Across the Silk Road: Scheherazadeon Jan. 31 at Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville.
With SoNA’s long-time music director concluding his tenure last spring, the orchestra has been embarking on a bold new season of discovery featuring six different guest conductors — four of whom are finalists to become the organization’s next artistic leader, including Fujimoto.
“We are officially halfway through our search for a new music director, a process that has made for a very unique and exciting season,” said Ben Harris, SoNA executive director. “It has been fascinating to see and hear how the different guest conductors are able to bring out a variety of textures and colors from the ensemble, and it is inspiring to see our amazing orchestra consistently playing at the outstanding level we have come to expect from them — regardless of who is on the podium. Throughout the process, our audience has been with us every step of the way, cheering us on, literally, and providing invaluable post-concert feedback. We are looking forward to working with our next two candidates, Akiko Fujimoto and Tamara Dworetz, and we are eager to find a new artistic leader for our organization.”
For Across the Silk Road, audiences are invited to experience orchestral storytelling at its best as Fujimoto leads a thrilling lineup inspired by stories, landscapes and legends from across Asia and the Middle East. The journey begins with Mozart’s sparkling Overture to the Abduction from the Seraglio, followed by Alexander Borodin’s windswept In the Steppes of Central Asia and Maurice Ravel’s enchanted Mother Goose, before closing with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s hypnotic Scheherazade.
“Every time I come to Northwest Arkansas, I’m struck not just by the stunning scenery, but by the creative energy and global curiosity of the people who live here,” Fujimoto said. “That spirit inspired me to put together Across the Silk Road — a program full of vivid stories, colorful sounds and musical adventures across cultures, culminating in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, inspired by the legendary storyteller of One Thousand and One Nights, also known as Arabian Nights.”
“Our repertoire this season includes some of the most iconic examples of ‘programmatic music’ — pieces that are designed to depict an extramusical narrative or tell a story with music,” Harris added. “We are excited to present two of the most beloved examples of this with Scheherazade this month and Romeo and Juliet next month, two familiar tales brought to life with sweeping orchestral soundscapes and timeless melodies.”
Following the January performance, the season will conclude March 7 with Behind the Mask: Romeo and Juliet, guest conducted by Tamara Dworetz — a program that explores the drama and romance of masked identities, featuring Sergei Prokofiev’s epic Romeo and Juliet, alongside works by Antonín DvoÅ™ák, Carl Nielsen, Anna Clyne and Aram Khachaturian.
Single ticket prices for SoNA’s mainstage performances range from $40 to $65, based on seating preferences. Discount student tickets are also available with a student photo ID. To purchase tickets, visit the SoNA website or call the Walton Arts Center box office at (479) 443-5600.
