Each year, when the days are at their most sweltering, the Schermerhorn becomes an oasis amid the bustle of downtown for the annual Spirits of Summer benefit. It’s a highlight within the great programming the symphony consistently offers, with four bartenders from local haunts invited to craft a cocktail paired with a piece of music performed by the best classical instrumentalists in town. This year the event reached new heights, embracing a celestial theme with horoscopes and aura readings in the lobby before the official program began. It’s still hard to say which packed more of a punch: the cocktails, or the sweeping pieces from the likes of composers John Williams and Michael Giacchino.
