
Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff & Still
with Yannick Nézet-Séguin & The Philadelphia Orchestra
Wednesday • Aug 13, 2025 • 7:30pm
Philadelphia Orchestra Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin returns to Saratoga to lead two unique programs that can only be heard at SPAC.
The program opens with the suite from Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird. One of the most beloved ballets of all time, The Firebird was originally written by a then relatively unknown Stravinsky for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes in the early 1900’s. The imaginative score is equal parts thrilling and ethereal, bringing to life an old Russian tale and launching the composer’s now storied career.
Italian pianist, Beatrice Rana, returns to SPAC for the first time in more than a decade, performing Rachmaninoff’s inventive Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Since her first visit to SPAC, Rana has become one of the most sought-after pianists of her generation, earing praise for her “underlying calm command” (The New York Times) and refined approach.
Through SPAC’s and The Philadelphia Orchestra’s continued efforts to explore works by underrepresented composers, the program closes with the rarely performed Second Symphony by William Grant Still. A prolific composer who produced dozens of major orchestral works over his 50-year career, Still had a storied relationship with The Philadelphia Orchestra and longtime maestro Leopold Stokowski who proclaimed Still as “one of our greatest American composers.”
Program
Stravinsky | Suite from The Firebird |
Rachmaninoff | Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, for piano and orchestra |
Still | Symphony No. 2 (“Song of a New Race”)* |
*Indicates SPAC premiere
Performers
Yannick Nézet-Séguin | conductor
Beatrice Rana | piano

In September 2018, Yannick Nézet-Séguin becomes the third Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera, New York. Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra since 2012, he becomes Artistic and Music Director in February 2023 and renews his contract until 2030. Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Orchestre Métropolitain of Montreal since 2000, he signs a contract “for life” in 2019. He is Honorary Conductor of the Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest after being their Music Director from 2008 to 2018. He is also Honorary Member of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
Yannick has worked with many leading European ensembles and enjoys close collaborations with Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, Bayerischer Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester and Chamber Orchestra of Europe; between 2008 and 2014, he was also Principal Guest Conductor of London Philharmonic Orchestra. He has appeared many times at the BBC Proms and at many European festivals, among them Edinburgh, Lucerne, Salzburg and Grafenegg (Vienna). North American summer appearances include New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival, Lanaudiere, Vail and Saratoga along with Domaine Forget Festival in Charlevoix. With the Philadelphia Orchestra, he goes regularly to Carnegie Hall where he has been Perspectives Artist in 2019-2020. He also conducts master classes, notably at two of the most renowned institutions, the Curtis Institute of Philadelphia and the Julliard School of New York. In Quebec, he directs an academy of young conductors linked to the Orchestre Métropolitain, in close collaboration with the Domaine Forget Summer Festival.

Beatrice Rana has been shaking the international classical music world, arousing admiration and interest from concert presenters, conductors, critics and audiences internationally.
In the 2024/25 season, Beatrice will be artist in residence at Paris’ Radio-France. The residency will involve a recital at the Auditorium de Radio France and several concerts and tours with both in-house orchestras, the Orchestre National de France and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and their music directors Cristian Macelaru and Mikko Frank. She will also return to the New York Philharmonic with Marek Janowski, the Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks under Gianandrea Noseda, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra with Manfred Honeck and debut with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and Alain Altinoglu.
Beatrice Rana records exclusively for Warner Classics. In 2015, her first album featuring Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.2 and Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 with Antonio Pappano and the Accademia Nazionale Santa Cecilia di Roma received international acclaim. Her latest album, released in 2024, is dedicated to 2 « monuments » of the 19th century, Beethoven’s Hammerklavier sonata and Chopin’s 2nd sonata « Funeral March ».
In June 2013, Beatrice Rana won Silver (2nd Prize) and the Audience Award at the prestigious Van Cliburn competition. She had attracted international attention at 18, winning 1st Prize and all special prizes at the Montreal International Competition in 2011. Beatrice began her musical studies at four and achieved her Piano Degree under the guidance of Benedetto Lupo at the Nino Rota Conservatory of Music in Monopoli, where she also studied composition with Marco della Sciucca. She then studied with Arie Vardi in Hannover and again with Benedetto Lupo at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia.

SPAC Amphitheater
Our main stage has a 25,000 person capacity with sheltered seats for 5,200 people and a sloping lawn for an additional 20,000 people.
SPAC Amphitheater Ground Rules
Applicable for classical events including New York City Ballet and The Philadelphia Orchestra. View Live Nation event ground rules here.
Permitted Items
- Food, beverages, and disposable utensils (compostable, plastic, reusable, etc).
- Picnic blankets and breathable ground coverings.
- Umbrellas and chairs are permitted, but will be restricted by sizing for use on the main amphitheater lawn, as follows:
- Lawn chairs must not exceed 43” when collapsed.
- Lawn chairs on the center amphitheater lawn must not exceed 26″ in height when opened.
- Only personal-sized umbrellas will be permitted on the lawn.
- NO tents of any size will be permitted on the amphitheater lawn.
Items Not Permitted
- Metal utensils
- Plastic tarps
- Tents are prohibited from the Amphitheater lawn.
- Grills, cooking equipment, or any flame that uses a liquid, gas, or gel accelerant.
- Laser pointers
- Drones
- Professional audio or video recording equipment
- Cameras with detachable lenses
- Bikes, rollerblades, skateboards, scooters, etc.
- Pets (except ADA approved service animals)
- Illegal drugs or substances
- Weapons of any kind
Grounds:
- To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all SPAC visitors and staff, all containers and packages will be inspected. This includes coolers, baskets, tote bags, purses, diaper bags, strollers, and all other containers.Any item that is not permitted to come onto the SPAC grounds should be disposed of or returned to your vehicle.
- Smoking is permitted on the SPAC grounds in designated areas only.Please ensure that all cigarette butts are disposed of properly.
- Guests are welcome to bring blankets and umbrellas but please consider others around you- if your items are disruptive to others, you may be asked to remove them.
- In the event that guests are unable to sit through the entire performance, please note that there is a grassy area behind the Julie Bonacio Family Pavilion with access to a video screen which would allow guests to continue watching the performance.
House:
- Beverages are permitted in the amphitheater, but food is not.
- As a courtesy to the performers and the audience, latecomers won’t be seated until the earliest appropriate opportunity in the performance at the discretion of the House Staff.
- Please turn off or silence all mobile devices prior to the start of the program.Texting and making calls in the theater is not allowed. Should an emergency arise in which you must use a mobile device, we ask that you step outside of the theater to avoid disturbing other guests.
- Video, photography, audio, or cell phone recording during performances is prohibited.
- SPAC has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment of any kind, including but not limited to race, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender presentation, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion, and citizenship. Harassment includes but is not limited to stalking, verbal or physical intimidation, offensive verbal comments, physical assault and/or battery, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome physical attention. If you are made to feel uncomfortable or unsafe, please immediately report any concerns to SPAC staff or security personnel so appropriate action can be taken.
All SPAC ground rules are subject to change. By entering the SPAC grounds, guests agree to abide by the rules listed above. Management reserves the right to modify these rules or can request to see the contents of any belongings brought on property at their discretion. We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining the utmost levels of safety and convenience for our guests and staff.

Group Sales
Experience SPAC together! From groups of friends and family to corporate outings, senior centers, summer camps, and arts schools, we can curate a special experience for your group of 10 or more. We offer discounts, flexible options and can work with your group leader to tailor your needs for a memorable day.