Oregon Symphony performs the concert "Scheherazade and Celilo Falls," including June 7-9 at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. (Courtesy Photo: Oregon Symphony)

In a fusion of legend, landscape and live orchestral power, Oregon Symphony presents the concert “Scheherazade and Celilo Falls,” led by Conductor David Danzmayr, live in concert at Smith Auditorium in Salem on June 6, and Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall June 7-9.

Concerts in Portland are 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Monday.

The first half of the program features Oregon Symphony Principal Cellist Nancy Ives’ piece “Celilo Falls,” a multimedia orchestral work that honors the lost sacred Columbia River site of Celilo Falls and the resilience of local Indigenous communities who called it home for millennia. Utilizing the powerful storytelling tools of music, poetry, and photography, Ives centers Native American voices in a work that creates a space for reflection and remembrance.

The piece will feature the words and poetry of Ed Edmo (Shoshone/Bannock) and will incorporate images photographed by Joe Cantrell (Cherokee), narration by Brent Florendo Sitwalla-Pum (Wasco/Warm Springs/Yakama), and video animation by Zak Margolis.

Paired with “Celilo Falls” is Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade,” a vivid orchestral suite inspired by the Middle Eastern folk tales in “One Thousand and One Nights.” Composed in 1888, the work showcases the composer’s masterful orchestration and storytelling through music. Each of the four movements evokes a different tale, unified by the recurring solo violin theme that represents Scheherazade herself: clever, mysterious, and endlessly imaginative. Rich in exotic color, sweeping melodies, and dramatic contrasts, Scheherazade blends Eastern motifs with Western symphonic form, creating a sonic tapestry that captures the magic and suspense of the legendary storyteller who spun tales to save her life.

On June 9, All Classical Radio is excited to present a very special live broadcast of Celilo Falls, inviting local listeners and those around the world to experience this historic performance in a virtual setting.

More: orsymphony.org/productions/2425/scheherazade-and-celilo-falls.