Experience Fantasia

New Year’s Eve Pops

Experience Fantasia

Ring in the New Year with a dazzling celebration of music made famous on the big screen in Fantasia and Fantasia 2000. Experience the magic of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas, the thrilling drama of Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky, and the timeless elegance of Waltz of the Flowers by Tchaikovsky. With beloved classics and cinematic favorites brought to life on stage, this festive concert is the perfect way to welcome the year with wonder, nostalgia, and exhilarating sound.

The concert begins at 7:30 PM, and we will countdown to the New Year with the East Coast Ball drop at 9 PM.

Thursday December 31, 2026, 7:30pm

San Luis Obispo Performing Arts Center

Tickets on sale July 20th

Sponsored by: Joan G. Sargen

Program Details

From The Sorcerer’s Apprentice to Night on Bald Mountain, hear the sounds of Fantasia come to life!

Amilcare Ponchielli Finale from Dance of the Hours

  • Dance of the Hours is a ballet sequence from Ponchielli’s opera La Gioconda.
  • The music represents different times of day through dance.
  • The finale is famous for its fast tempo and brilliant orchestral energy.

Paul Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

  • It tells the story of an apprentice who loses control of a magic spell.
  • The work is based on a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, I.

  • Beethoven said the symphony expresses feelings about nature rather than painting a scene.
  • It is nicknamed the “Pastoral” Symphony.
  • The first movement depicts a joyful arrival in the countryside.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Waltz of the Flowers

  • It appears near the end of Act II of The Nutcracker.
  • The dance celebrates the arrival of the Flower Queen and her court.
  • Tchaikovsky included it in the Nutcracker Suite, helping make it a concert-hall favorite.

Doors will open at 6:15 PM

  • Arrive early to walk the red carpet!

What You’ll Hear

2026 Concert Playlist coming soon!