Astoria Music Festival to embark on 15th season

Festival dates: June 11 – 25, 2017, Astoria
astoriamusicfestival.org or 503-325-9896

From the press release:

SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 4:00 pm, Liberty Theater

Gala reception with Ms. Meade follows recital (premium tickets)

ANGELA MEADE – OREGON DEBUT RECITAL

Metropolitan Opera superstar Angela Meade returns to Astoria for her Oregon Debut Recital make her Oregon debut recital accompanied by highly acclaimed pianist Danielle Orlando. Prog ram includes art songs and arias by Handel, Liszt, Bellini, Verdi, and Strauss.

Ms. Meade joins us after a whirlwind spring and winter of Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Metropolitan Opera (New York), Verdi (Bilbao, Spain), and Donizetti (Sevilla, Spain).

TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 7:30 pm, Grace Episcopal Church

GRACEFUL BAROQUE BY CANDLELIGHT Concert #1: SOUND THE TRUMPET!

Astoria Music Festival Baroque Soloists Period Instrument Ensemble

An evening of magical Baroque music. Acclaimed Baroque trumpeter Kris Kwapis and soprano Arwen Myers join the Festival period instrument ensemble for Purcell’s Sound the Trumpet and music from King Arthur, featuring Noah Strick and Hannah Leland, Baroque Violins, Adaiha MacAdam-Somer, Baroque Cello and Julia Brown, harpsichord. Concert is at Astoria's gorgeous historic landmark Grace Episcopal Church.

THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 7:30 pm, Liberty Theater

3 LEG TORSO with post-concert Tango Party

Back by popular demand, Oregon’s hip band brings their special blend of fun and flair in an eclectic night of Tango, Klezmer, Latin, and Roma (Gypsy) music. Equal parts ravishing melodies and toe-tapping rhythms played on violin, accordion, percussion, and cello.

Special guest vocalist Minntah Haefker, Astoria’s own 12 year-old singing sensation.

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 7:30 pm, Liberty Theater

CARY LEWIS AND THE FESTIVAL ALL-STARS

Pianist and Director of Chamber Music, Cary Lewis leads a exquisite evening featuring Ukrainian violinist Solomiya Ivakhiv, prizewinning cellist Sergey Antonov, with prizewinning pianist Ilya Kazantsev, and Metropolitan Opera soprano Deborah Mayer.  Program of chamber music including Xaver Scharwenka’s Sonata for Cello and Piano, Franz Schubert’s Duo for Violin and Piano, Robert Schumann’s monumental Piano Trio in D minor, and vocal music by Richard Strauss.

SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 7:30 pm, Liberty Theater

Come early for a concert preview, 6:30 pm 

ASTORA FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA, BEETHOVEN’S “ODE TO JOY”

Michael Foster Memorial Concert

With the Portland Symphonic Choir and North Coast Chorale

Two choirs, international soloists and enlarged orchestra join conductor Keith Clark in memory of lifelong Astoria arts advocate Michael Foster. Program includes the Festival Debut of Italian violin virtuoso Roberto Cani, prizewinner in the Genoa International Paganini Competition.

PAGANINI  Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major

BEETHOVEN Symphony No.9 in D minor “Choral Symphony” 

SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 4:00 pm, Liberty Theater

Symphonic Sunday Matinee

ASTORIA FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA,

PHILIP GLASS’ ICARUS AT THE EDGE OF TIME

Oregon Premiere

What a concert! Three conductors 
lead Russian masterpieces by Glinka, Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky, plus the Oregon Premiere of Philip Glass’ Icarus At The Edge Of Time, a multi-media extravaganza combining large orchestra, film, and narrator that transforms ancient myth into a sci-fi spectacular.

Icarus at the Edge of Time is a stunning orchestral work with animated film and live narration that tells a mesmerizing musical tale of space, time and a journey to the very edge of understanding—composed by Philip Glass, based on the award-winning book by physicist Brian Greene, adapted by Greene and David Henry Hwang, film created and directed by Al + Al.

TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 7:30 pm, Grace Episcopal Church

GRACEFUL BAROQUE BY CANDLELIGHT Concert #2: ALL BACH

with Sergey Antonov & Festival Baroque Soloists

An evening of Bach in the lovely setting of the Pacific Northwest’s second-oldest church. Sergey Antonov continues his survey of Bach unaccompanied Cello Suites. Festival period instrument ensemble features violinist Noah Strick, viola da gambist Adaiha MacAdam-Somer and Julia Brown, harpsichord in Solo and Trio Sonata

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 7:30 pm, Liberty Theater 

FESTIVAL CHAMBER PLAYERS: Wagner as Others Heard Him

THE INTIMATE WAGNER

Cary Lewis, Director of Chamber Music

Debussy giggles at Tristan and Isolde’s overwrought love-death with a Cakewalk. Liszt probes the depths of Das Rheingold. Program includes Wagner’s beautiful Wesendonck Lieder sung by Metropolitan Opera soprano Deborah Mayer, plus music by Faure, Chabrier, and a chamber transcription of the Tristan Prelude by Portland composer Jeff Winslow.

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 7:30 pm, Performing Arts Center

Meet the artists at post-concert onstage reception 

SONGS OF LOVE, LOSS AND BETRAYAL

An intimate recital by Metropolitan Opera baritone Richard Zeller and international classical guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan

A rare recital by one of America’s foremost baritones, Richard Zeller and one of the leading classical guitarists of his generation, Aaron Larget-Caplan in the intimate setting of Astoria’s Performing Arts Center. Program includes Art Songs and guitar solos by Franz Schubert, Manuel De Falla, J.S. Bach, John Cage.

Baritone Richard Zeller is internationally acclaimed for his sonorous dramatic voice, compelling stage presence and outstanding musicianship. His career has included 12 seasons at the Metropolitan Opera.

Noted for his “astounding technical proficiency and artistic delicacy” (Boston Musical Intelligencer), classical world guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan is an international touring and recording artist. He has performed solo and chamber music in Russia, Europe and across the United States.

SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 4:00 pm, Liberty Theater

SPECIAL EVENT: READER’S THEATER: THE BARBER OF SERVILLE

A French comedy by Pierre-Augustin de Beaumarchais, 1775

In anticipation of Sunday’s Grand Finale operatic concert -- Rossini’s The Barber of Seville – Sen Incavo introduces scenes from the comedy that launched the French Revolution and inspired Rossini’s opera. Plus the Oregon premiere of Tchaikovsky’s little known Couplets for Beaumarchais’ play, and even the Looney Tunes classic The Rabbit of Seville. What’s up, Doc? Find out in this entertaining afternoon.

SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 7:30 pm, Liberty Theater

CARY LEWIS AND THE FESTIVAL ALL-STARS

Oregon Symphony Concertmaster Sarah Kwak returns for a night of virtuosity, Spanish flair, Hungarian Gypsy fire, and a monumental Brahms masterpiece.

SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 4:00 pm, Liberty Theater

Come early for a free opera preview, 3:00 pm

GRAND FINALE

ROSSINI’S IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA: THE BARBER OF SERVILLE

Semi-staged concert. Sung in Italian with English supertext.  

Sensational Mexican baritone Luis Ledesma as Figaro heads a world-class cast in the funniest opera of them all!  Filled with soaring Bel Canto melodies, goofy jokes, and brilliant orchestral virtuosity.