Conducted by Cristian Măcelaru

Leilehua Lanzilotti: of light and stone (West Coast premiere)

James Lee III: Shades of Unbroken Dreams (Alexandra Dariescu, Piano) (West Coast premiere)

Sarah Hennies: The Grain House (Festival Creative Lab Commission & world premiere)

Centering voices of resistance and cultural continuity, this program explores the act of dreaming as a form of defiance.  

Leilehua Lanzilotti‘s of light and stone (West Coast premiere) draws on the legacy of Nā Lani ʻEhā—the “Heavenly Four” of Hawaiian royalty—to honor Indigenous Hawaiian identity, gathering, and the enduring power of cultural lineage. 

James Lee III‘s Shades of Unbroken Dreams (West Coast premiere), featuring pianist Alexandra Dariescu, channels the cadence and moral force of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, reflecting on justice, equality, and perseverance. 

Sarah Hennies‘s Festival Creative Lab Commission (world premiere) will use the large-scale forces of the orchestra to evoke the complexities of human brain activity, drawing on psychological and musical studies related to existence, identity, and memory. The Creative Lab, now in its third year, empowers composers to reimagine the orchestral experience with wide curatorial latitude. 

A Look at the Music Behind the Music

The pieces you’ll hear this summer haven’t been heard here before. Until their premieres, explore these playlists to discover the composers’ musical influences, artistic voices, and the creative worlds from which new works emerge.

You are Welcome at the Cabrillo Festival

Whether you’re a longtime Festival supporter or joining us for the first time, we invite you to experience the music in a way that feels comfortable and inspiring. Enjoy local beer or wine and bring it to your seat, visit our photo booth, and wear whatever makes you feel like you—from Birkenstocks to heels.

More Than a Concert

The Cabrillo Festival is a place to gather, discover, and connect. Throughout the week, free open rehearsals, Meet the Composers, and artist talks offer a unique opportunity to experience the music taking shape before it reaches the stage and engage with the community that brings the music to life. Check out the whole season for more!