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January 15, 2006
Inside the Arts
Dave Nicholson
It's finally arrived, the 250th anniversary year of Mozart's birth (he was born in 1756), and a number of musical events will celebrate the event.
1. First off, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra comes to town this week for a Wednesday night concert at the Ferguson Center for the Arts at Christopher Newport University. Great orchestras visit Hampton Roads all too infrequently, so it's a real treat to have one of Europe's finest orchestras in our midst. Joining the orchestra on this tour is famed conductor Charles Dutoit, who led the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for 25 years. American-born soloist Joan Kwuon will perform Mozart's Fifth Violin Concerto. Dutoit also will lead the players in the "Karelia" Overture by Sibelius and Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony, known as the "Pathetique."
2. The Ferguson also will host an all-Mozart program on Jan. 27 featuring pianist Stewart Goodyear and the Virginia Symphony. The 10:30 a.m. "coffee concert" is part of the symphony's drive to attract new audiences. The concert will be repeated Jan. 28 and 29 in Norfolk's Chrysler Hall.
A Mozart specialist, Goodyear has performed here previously with the symphony and in recital at The American Theatre. He'll play Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21. Guest conductor Scott Yoo and the musicians will fill out the program with Mozart Symphonies Nos. 17 and 40.
Finally, another Mozart event not to miss is performances of his "Requiem," a grand choral piece written just before he died in 1791. The Virginia Symphony and Chorus along with a quartet of strong soloists offers two performances of this gem Jan. 21 in Chrysler Hall and Jan. 22 at the Ferguson.
3. Yo-Yo Ma plays a mean Mozart as well, but he's got his mind on world music this time around. The celebrated cellist and his Silk Road Ensemble will perform the music of Armenia, Lebanon and Turkey on Feb. 25 in Chrysler Hall. Ma founded the Silk Road Project, which explores, through music, the connections and cultures of countries along the ancient silk trade route from Europe to China. The event is sponsored by the Virginia Arts Festival.
4. I think "Ragtime" is one of musical theater's under-appreciated masterpieces, so I'm happy to see it being mounted by the Sinfonicron Light Opera Company at the College of William and Mary. With music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, the show is a sweeping portrait of poor immigrants and wealthy New Yorkers at the beginning of the 20th century. "Ragtime" is a huge undertaking, but this ambitious student organization never shies away from difficult material. Performances Thursday through Sunday in the college's Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall.
5. Finally, cabaret singer extraordinaire Michael Feinstein plays the Ferguson on March 23. Feinstein got an early break when he was hired to catalogue the works of Ira Gershwin. The singer-pianist has won numerous Grammys for his recordings of the music of Irving Berlin, Jule Styne and Jimmy Webb, to name a few. He'll be joined by Broadway singer Linda Eder for what looks like a knockout evening.
For information of these events, check out the performing arts calendar in this section.
David Nicholson can be reached at 247-4794 or by e-mail at dnicholson@ dailypress.com .
Copyright (c) 2006, Daily Press
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The Virginia Symphony Orchestra with a complement of 79 professional musicians under the direction of Grammy-nominated Music Director JoAnn Falletta performs 140 concerts annually, reaching 200,000 concert goers every season in venues throughout the region. Our education and outreach programs reach 53,000 students and adult learners every year. The Virginia Symphony Orchestra is the cultural cornerstone of the performing arts in Hampton Roads.
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