Even if you have to scram at intermission and miss out on Edward Elgar's pompously circumstantial Symphony No. 1, the first half of tonight's setlist is alone worth the price of a balcony ticket: Augustin Hadelich and his 293-year-old violin return to the Schnitzer stage for some absolutely spellbinding fiddlework. This evening's concert is first in a three-night homestand that features our Oregon Symphony and Hadelich collaborating on Concentric Paths from British composer Thomas Adès—an utterly fascinating 21st-century concerto of ethereal grandeur guaranteed to captivate all listeners willing to open themselves up to pure, sonic transcendence. As if that weren't enough, Portland's biggest band kicks things off with Felix Mendelssohn's brilliant overture inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream. Mischievously orchestrated and melodically buoyant, the work was a big hit back in 1826 and, I'm happy to report, its charming joy remains completely intact. BRIAN HORAY