To all of the star-crossed lovers out there, Prokofiev’s Suite from Romeo and Juliet is your soundtrack. And the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will perform it on the most romantic of weekends – Valentine’s Weekend, February 13th and 16th, and in an “Off the Cuff” series presentation on February 14th and 15th. Prokofiev’s famous work uses melodies to tell the tragic tale of Shakespeare’s most memorable characters. The sprightly dance of the violins outlines the joyful, eager-for-romance portrait of young Juliet; the lyrical, pensive lines of the balcony scene give way to the strong, bold chords of the death of Tybalt. […]
Glories of French Opera in a Setting to Die For
Love, lust, passion, drama! This Valentine’s Day weekend, experience the compelling emotional pathos, the soul-stirring music, and high-end, luxurious scene of Maryland Opera’s “Passion at the Pendry: French Fantasies,” performed on Friday, February 14th at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, February 16, 2020 at 3 pm in the Sagamore, Pendry Baltimore hotel’s gorgeous and historic ballroom. The program celebrates the romance of French grand opera and includes fully-staged and costumed scenes from Saint-Saëns’ Samson and Delilah, Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann, Massenet’s Manon, and many more. These compelling scenes are sung in their original French with projected surtitles. “Passion at the […]
’Tis the Season to Listen to Great Music
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love holiday music and those who can’t stand it. I am passionately in the camp of those who love the stuff. That said, I don’t love all of it. There’s the saccharine, schmaltzy stuff that is over-produced that leaves me cold. Then there’s the jumpy, bumpy, goofy songs like “Dominic the Donkey” or “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” intended to make you smile but instead just make me turn off the radio. But oh, when holiday music is good, it’s gooooood. Like Tran-Siberian Orchestra’s rendition of “Carol of […]
‘Sonia / Disappear Fear’ at the Gordon Center
International performing artist and Pikesville-native Sonia Rutstein of Sonia Disappear Fear will perform on Thursday, November 7th at 7:30 pm at the Gordon Center in Owings Mills, Maryland. Having just released her 19th CD, By My Silence, in January 2019, Rutstein is very excited about her upcoming performance. “I’ll be featuring songs from By My Silence,” began Rutstein, “and I’ll also be performing songs from as many past CDs as I can fit in. I have a full band plus a piano player, a violinist, and an oud player from Palestine. So, I have those guests and a mystery guest, […]
American Opera ‘Most Beloved’: Porgy and Bess
According to Dr. Eric Conway, “Porgy and Bess is ‘the’ most beloved America opera. One is reminded of the strengths and frailties of the human spirit via a lens of beautifully written and orchestrated music.” From April 12th to 14th,, experience the marvelous music of George Gershwin as it is performed by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and the Morgan State University Choir. Porgy and Bess opened in 1935 and has remained a staple in American music ever since. As director of the Morgan State choir, Dr. Conway guided the group to put its own spin on the music while […]
Woman of a Thousand Voices
“I truly believe that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so everything I do, is done with love,” says Christina Bianco, the woman of “a thousand voices.” This actress, singer, and impressionist will join the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) from now until March 3rd to showcase the world’s most famous divas. “My goal is to honor these women, not to lampoon or poke fun at them. I think it’s very clear to an audience when an impressionist is truly a ‘fan’ of their subject.” Bianco gained international attention with her YouTube videos featuring impressions of Celine Dion, Julie Andrews, […]
Music Most Colorful at the BSO
Liszt, Berlioz, Ravel – three exceptional composers in one brilliant concert. On February 16th and 17th, guest conductor Mario Venzago, principal conductor and artistic director of the Bern Symphony Orchestra and artist in association at Finland’s Tapiola Sinfonietta, and pianist Conrad Tao will join the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) for one night only at both the Music Center at Strathmore and the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Each composer is different and innovative, but their compositions work well together. “All three composers of our unique program were great inventors. Liszt, as the figurehead of the new German composers’ party, prepared the […]
Broadway Comes to Baltimore with Rodgers and Hammerstein
Spend an enchanted evening listening to the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein on January 24th – January 27th. Led by Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) will perform musical classics from The King and I, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, and more. Broadway stars Ben Crawford, Ted Keegan, and Ashley Brown as well at the Baltimore Choral Arts Society will join the BSO for this captivating performance. “The music of Rodgers and Hammerstein speaks to people of all ages and tastes. Some of the songs that we’ve come to know and love were written over […]
The New Year Brings French Off The Cuff to BSO
2019 has begun, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is keeping January exciting with the premiere of Turangalîla-symphonie, a larger than life symphony by French composer Olivier Messiaen. Under the direction of music director Marin Alsop, the BSO will mesmerize audiences with a full performance of the symphony on January 10th and 13th and dive deeper into the piece during their Off the Cuff performances on January 11th and 12th. “The Turangalîla-symphonie truly stands alone among pieces of 20th-century classical music,” says BSO general manager Tonya McBride Robles. “Its composer, Olivier Messiaen, drew on a wide-ranging number of influences in […]
Get in the Holiday Spirit with the BSO
If you need a little shot of “holiday spirit” to get you through the last-minute shopping and mental preparation for yet another family gathering, then look no further than the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO). Led by Broadway conductor Andy Einhorn, the BSO will put you in a festive mood with their spectacular Holiday Pops program on Saturday, December 22nd at 3 pm and 8 pm at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. “Holiday concerts are my favorite,” says Einhorn. “There is nothing better than that collective feeling of joy, gratitude, and all good cheer that comes with the gathering of everyone […]