Artiste: Bill Barclay

Coming full circle, Bill Barclay brings his adaptation of Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra featuring Florent Schmitt’s opulent musical score to the Virginia Arts Festival, led by the conductor whose recording started it all.

Composers from Purcell to Pierre Boulez have written incidental music. In many cases it proves far from incidental, retaining a place in the concert hall long after the play has faded into oblivion.