​​Embrace the elegant structure and exquisite sense of restraint of Austrian composer Joseph Haydn, one of music’s most prominent “architects” during the Classical period. American cellist Sterling Elliott joins Daniel Hope and New Century for Haydn’s beloved first cello concerto, a virtuoso showpiece for the instrument. In the second half of the program, Igor Stravinsky’s playful ballet suite from Pulcinella offers a contrasting 20th-century response to Haydn, using the amorous hijinks of the famous Italian clown to tinker unpredictably (and to the delight of modern audiences) with the shapes and patterns of centuries-old Classical melodies.