The Eureka Symphony, conducted by Carol Jacobson, opens its 2012-2013 season of concerts with A Night with the Bard: Music inspired by Shakespeare at the Arkley Center of Performing Arts on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 5 and 6 at 8 p.m.

The season opens with Antonin Dvorak’s Othello Overture. The compassionate Dvorak thought more in terms of real people than abstract concepts, and may well have concluded that this Shakespearean title symbolizes very poignantly the darkest mysteries of the human heart.

Bay-Area trumpet phenom, Graham Taylor performs the dazzling Trumpet Concerto by Armenian composer Alexander Arutiunian. It has been called, “an energetic powerhouse of Eastern European lyricism and harmonic textures.”

Dimitri Shostakovich’s Hamlet Suite rounds out the program of Shakespeare-inspired works. This piece was extracted from the 1964 Russian film adapatation of Hamlet. The piece is a parody-filled, ironic farce through the famed play. Shostakovich knew just how to balance irony and sarcasm with popular music, injecting satire into his music as political commentary. Edgy and dangerous, Hamlet Suite is not to be missed.

The Eureka Symphony is proud to continue its informal pre-concert music notes program, from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. before the concerts. Pianists John Chernoff and Daniela Mineva will explain from the piano the musical structure, historical context, and present-day significance of the music being performed.

The annual opening night gala and auction will be held at the Avalon Restaurant on Oct. 5 before the concert.

To order concert tickets contact the Arkley Center at 412 G Street in Eureka or call 442-1956. Box office hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information for this and future performances, please visit the website www.eurekasymphony.com. You can also look on Facebook.

The fall program is generously sponsored by Lost Coast Communications; home of KHUM, KSLG, KWPT The Point, and KXGO.