Few things are more awesome than the diamond-studded expanse of a clear night sky. With sparkling selections such as “When You Wish Upon a Star,” “Stardust,” and Josef Strauss’ Music of the Spheres, this concert experience is pure heaven.

Revel in the genius of “the Dean of American composers,” Aaron Copland. Conductor David Alan Miller leads this retrospective of the wide-ranging gifts of the composer whose music is synonymous with America. From the wide-open spaces depicted in his ballet scores Appalachian Spring and Rodeo, to his jazz-infused Music for the Theatre, Copland created a soundtrack of American life that continues to inspire. Audiences will bask in the glory of the Appalachian Spring Suite as originally scored for full orchestra. Hailed for a voice that glows with “perfect enunciation and pleasing warmth” (Boston Musical Intelligencer), bass-baritone William Socolof brings the all charm and grace of Copland’s American folksong arrangements fully to life.

This program showcases lesser-known versions of famous works. Beethoven wrote three overtures to his opera Fidelio, but was still unsatisfied. The concert features his fourth and final version. Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations was altered by the cellist who premiered it, becoming the standard version. The original version of the work as Tchaikovsky composed it will be performed. Mahler’s Blumine was cut by the composer from his Symphony No. 1. In this concert, it stands on its own. Mozart composed two different slow movements for his Symphony No. 31, hoping to generate more audience enthusiasm. Sarasota Orchestra performs both movements, and our audience members will decide which they prefer!

Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero conducts a richly compelling program pairing Leonard Bernstein and Gustav Mahler. Violinist Chee-Yun brings her “high gloss tone” (The New York Times) to Bernstein’s Serenade (after Plato’s Symposium). The masterwork is an exploration of the nature and purpose of love and is one of Bernstein’s most lyrical compositions. Mahler’s Fifth Symphony is a towering work, showcasing an enormous orchestra and Mahler’s legendary emotional power. Fierce yet uplifting, it provides a majestic conclusion to the Masterworks season.