Featuring Soprano Magdalena Kuźma, Baritone Daniel Scofield, and the Santa Barbara Symphony Chorus
As part of a Season of firsts, innovation, collaboration, and surprises, the Santa Barbara Symphony invites audiences to experience two giant masterpieces that inspire life, loss, and hope as The Symphony performs Brahms’ Requiem at the Granada Theatre on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 7:30 PM, and Sunday, April 27, 2025, at 3:00 PM. This monumental performance, led by Music & Artistic Director Nir Kabaretti, will mark the highly anticipated debut of the newly formed Santa Barbara Symphony Chorus.
Brahms’ A German Requiem is one of the most profound choral-orchestral works ever written. Unlike traditional Latin requiems, Brahms crafted his masterpiece in German, setting biblical texts to music that is both introspective and uplifting. The Symphony will be joined by acclaimed vocal soloists soprano Magdalena Kuźma, a Music Academy of the West alumna, and baritone Daniel Scofield, alongside the Santa Barbara Symphony Chorus — a veritable “all-star” lineup of community choral singers from area churches, Adelfos Ensemble, Santa Barbara Choral Society, Santa Barbara Gay Men’s Chorus, Santa Barbara Master Chorale, Quire of Voyces, University of California Santa Barbara, and Westmont College Choir. More than 200 performers will join on stage to bring this passionate work to life. Adding another layer of depth and introspection to the program is Mahler’s hauntingly beautiful Three Rückert-Lieder — a set of profoundly nuanced songs composed between 1901 and 1902, based on the poetry of Fredrich Rückert.
“This program is a testament to the emotional power of music,” said Maestro Kabaretti. “Brahms and Mahler had a shared connection in their exploration of human themes such as love, loss, and renewal. This program not only honors Brahms’ vision of a “Human Requiem” but it also amplifies the concert’s emotional impact.”
PROGRAM
Brahms | A German Requiem
Mahler | Three Rückert-Lieder
TICKETS Tickets for Brahms’ Requiem can be purchased at the Granada Box Office online, by phone at 805-899-2222, or in person at 1214 State Street. For more information, visit TheSymphony.org or call (805) 898-9386.
PRE-CONCERT CONVERSATIONS
Audiences can enhance their experience with a free pre-concert chat at the Granada Theatre that includes interviews with performers and insights about the music.
- Saturday, April 26, 2025, | 6:30 – 7:00 PM with local musicologist and Santa Barbara Symphony Chorus member Ben Pringle
- Sunday, April 27, 2025, | 2:00 – 2:30 PM with KUSC’s Classical California on-air host Jennifer Miller Hammel
SPONSORS
Principal Concert Sponsor
Todd & Allyson Aldrich
Choral Sponsors
Todd & Allyson Aldrich
Anonymous
Dick & Marilyn Mazess
Paul & Susan Zink
Artist Sponsor
Susan Aberle
Selection Sponsors
Chris Lancashire
Omega Financial Group
Jean Rogers
Wallin Studios
