We may think of Russia as the cold, frozen wasteland of Dr. Zhivago, but the Windham Orchestra’s upcoming “Russia” is exotic, warm and fantastical. The concert, which spotlights richly textured works of two renowned Russian composers, is Sunday, Feb. 11, at 3 p.m., at the Latchis Theatre, Main Street, Brattleboro.

Windham Orchestra Musical Director Hugh Keelan says choosing Russia as the theme for this concert comes not from the country’s current politics, but from its legendary composers’ ability to transport us to faraway lands and undiscovered emotion.

The program begins with Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade,” inspired by the storyteller from “One Thousand and One Nights,” the work that also includes Ali Baba and Aladdin. The music recounts how the beautiful Scheherazade is forced by a cruel Sultan to save her own life by telling wondrous tales each night. The work, says Keelan, demonstrates the composer’s yearning for “bright colors and warmth, beyond Russia’s snowy landscape.” A solo violin – played by Michelle Liechti – is the ‘voice’ of the imperiled teller of tales, and adds to the richness of the piece.

Also on the program is Prokofiev’s wondrous “Romeo and Juliet,” its themes portraying the tragedy of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers. “This is not merely teenage drama, but a mighty suffering,” says Keelan, and although the work was composed to accompany a ballet, it is a powerful work sans the dance and another example of the romance and richness of the Russian composer’s genius.

The concert will conclude with two brief pieces by Bach, a tribute to a longtime Windham Orchestra violinist, the late Sarah Kemble, whom Keelan describes as “extraordinarily good-humored and a highly valued member of this orchestra.”

The cost of admission is a donation of any amount. Name your price, from $5-$50. For more information, visit the Brattleboro Music Center at bmcvt.org