Tango Revolution comes to the symphony.

PHOTO BY EVELYN LU

Feeling some half-priced symphony and live tango dancing? It's a mash-up of culture this Thursday, July 28 at Davies Symphony Hall. The San Francisco Symphony will performs Antonio Vivaldi’s classic Four Seasons along with a punchier, more colorful take on the four seasons by Astor Piazzolla, Estaciones Porteñas (also known as The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires), beginning at 8 p.m.

The Four Seasons is Vivaldi's most widely recognized work, with each of the four concertos including sounds and evoking the moods of winter, spring, summer and fall. Piazzolla's Estaciones Porteñas is a set of four tango compositions that were originally conceived as separate pieces, not meant to be played in once cycle as Vivaldi's. During the SF Symphony performance, Lara St. John will play The Four Seasons with interweaving movements from  Estaciones Porteñas.

In addition to the symphony, there will be pre-concert and intermission tango demonstrations in the upstairs lobby, backed by the live music of Tango Revolution Orchestra. The orchestra is made up of young musicians: students and graduates from conservatories, universities, and community music schools.

Known as a “milonga,” it's an informal social dance gathering for tango dancers. And audience members will have the opportunity to get in on the tango; Argentine tango teacher Sonja Riket will be on hand to lead informal instruction.

It's a momentous occasion too: Riket says the event marks the first collaboration between the symphony and Tango Revolution Orchestra.

The Four Seasons and "Milonga de Symphonia"
Thurs/28, 7 p.m., $15-$70 (half off with promo code “July50off”)
Davies Symphony Hall
(415) 864-6000
www.sfsymphony.org