Hear the story of the majestic Celilo Falls
June 6 – 9, 2025
Scheherazade and Celilo Falls
Overview
Featuring fantastical worlds of bewitching lovers and swashbuckling sailors, Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade recalls the queen who saves her life — and those of 1,000 women — with her stories. And Principal Cello and composer Nancy Ives merges music, poetry, and photography to tell the story of the majestic Celilo Falls, once located on the mid-Columbia River in Oregon. Although the construction of The Dalles Dam destroyed this central site of Native American life for over 15,000 years, the traditions and resilience of the community live on today.
About the Show
Info
This concert is part of Classical Series A, and is eligible for the Choose Your Own Series.
Meet our Artistic Collaborators
Text by
Ed Edmo (Shoshone-Bannock)
Storytelling by
Brent Florendo (Wasco, Yakama, Warm Springs; Enrolled: Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs)
Images by
Joe Cantrell (Cherokee)
Music by
Oregon Symphony Principal Cellist and Composer, Nancy Ives
Artists
David Danzmayr
Jean Vollum Music Director
Brent Florendo Sitwalla-Pum
Narrator
Uncover the story behind the music
OPB explores the history of Celilo Falls
Tune In
Live Broadcast on All Classical Radio
Monday, June 9, 7:15 PM
The June 9 performance will be live broadcast on All Classical Radio. Listen at 89.9 FM in Portland or from anywhere worldwide at allclassical.org. Photo by Joe Cantrell.
Thank You to the Native Arts + Cultures Foundation
On May 22, 2025, the NACF joined with the Oregon Symphony at the Center for Native Arts + Culture to present a free performance and discussion around the original multimedia work Celilo Falls. The evening featured Aldo Garcia's Iwalptaiksha (Singers), storytelling by Brent Florendo (Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs), an excerpt of Celilo Falls performed by an Oregon Symphony chamber ensemble, and a Q&A with the artists moderated by NACF President and CEO, Shyla Spicer (Yakama).