Kortland Whalum with Robert Moody behind him conducting the Memphis Symphony Orchestra (Photos: Michael Donahue)
About 8,000 celebrated the last Sunday evening of May listening to Tchaikovsky, Dvořák, and Sousa. They sat on blankets or chairs with their shoes off or on, and a full-scale picnic or just a flat box with a pizza in front of them.
Theo ThomasCarl and Amasa EalingAlexis Burnett and Abrian ClayCassandra Hopper. Matthew Houston, Arlo Hopper at Sunset Symphony (Credit: Michael Donahue)Jill and Chris Williams at Sunset Symphony (Credit: Michael Donahue)Magnus Terry, Katherine Terry, Russ Thompson at Sunset Symphony (Credit: Michael Donahue)
This was Sunset Symphony, which was held May 26th at Overton Park Shell. The Memphis Symphony Orchestra performed under the direction of Robert Moody and Kyle Dickson. Kortland Whalum and Marie-Stéphane Bernard sang.
“It’s just a beautiful display of Memphis,” says the Shell’s executive director Natalie Wilson. People were “spilling out” onto other nearby areas, including the Greensward at Overton Park and the grounds of Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, to hear the symphony because the event was so crowded.
Daniel Amram and Danielle SchaefferJosh Russell, Maddox Russell, Nathalie Russell, Mason Russell, and Jessica RiveraAce and JJ Leonard (Credit: Michael Donahue)Sara and Cody Oscarson at Sunset Symphony (Credit: Michael Donahue)Elands Kelly and Robin Noel at Sunset Symphony (Credit: Michael Donahue)
“This is what Memphis is about. We come together. We’re joyous. Children run and play. We enjoy the arts. We’re so blessed with these spaces that bring us together.”
This was the fourth year that Sunset Symphony, which many people associate with its Memphis in May predecessor at Tom Lee Park, took place at the Shell. “A joyous re-creation of a historic event at a historic place.”
Lilly, Venus, and Louis Hamric at Sunset Symphony (Credit: Michael Donahue)Lucy Nardo, Owen Isinger, Joseph Nardo, Lydia Nardo, Stella Isinger at Sunset Symphony (Credit: Michael Donahue)Paris Carter at Sunset Symphony (Credit: Michael Donahue)Matthew Hernandez at Sunset Symphony (Credit: Michael Donahue)Laurie Stark, Kathy Mitchener at Sunset Symphony (Credit: Michael Donahue)Jeremy Plyler and Stephanie Beliles at Sunset Symphony (Credit: Michael Donahue)Pearson, Andrew, Rachel, and Emerson Black at Sunset Symphony (Credit: Michael Donahue)We Saw You
Michael Donahue began his career in 1975 at the now-defunct Memphis Press-Scimitar and moved to The Commercial Appeal in 1984, where he wrote about food and dining, music, and covered social events until early 2017, when he joined Contemporary Media.
