Over the past decade, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic has gained a reputation of being creative and innovative, on the level of world-class orchestras. That reputation is the reason they are able to attract superstars from many genres of music to play with them in the Summit City.

One of those superstars, Andrew Wan, will appear Jan. 12 at The Embassy Theatre. Wan might not be a household name, but the violinist’s resume is certainly impressive. Wan has been concertmaster of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for the past decade, an assistant professor of violin at the prestigious Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal, and artistic partner of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra during their 2017-18 season.

Wan and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic will perform Petrouchka as part of the Masterworks Series. Filled with colorful French works including “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” Petrouchka is a work popularized in Walt Disney’s 1940 classic film, Fantasia.

Composed by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, Petrouchka is a brilliant ballet burlesque about a playful and mischievous clown. Audiences have loved it for over a century.

Its perfect fusion of music and universal theme of timeless tragedy of the human spirit unite to make it universally appealing. And it’s a challenge for the orchestra as well, even one with a conductor as talented as Andrew Constantine. — Chris Hupe