North Suburban Symphony presents 'Italian Passion'

North Suburban Symphony presents 'Italian Passion'

The North Suburban Symphony, a community orchestra based in Lake Forest and sponsored by the Lake Bluff Park District, will hold its final concert of the 2012 - 2013 concert season, ITALIAN PASSION, on Sunday, May 5th at 4 p.m. at Gorton Community Center, 400 East Illinois Road, Lake Forest, IL, its 6th season with Ron Arden as Music Director. 

What better way to celebrate the upcoming summer season as thoughts of travel enter your mind, either real or imagined, than to hear music by Italian composers.

Featured first on the program will be Antonio Vivaldi's "Concerto for Four Violins."  Nicknamed "The Red Priest" because of his red hair and his priesthood in the Catholic Church, Vivaldi ranks among the most popular and widely recorded of Baroque composers.  First Prize Concerto Competition Winner, Aidan Perreault, a freshman at Niles North High School, will assume a leading role as a violinist in the Vivaldi selection. 

Skipping 200 years in times, we recognize Italian composer Ottorino Respighi who was born July 9, 1869.  It was his Respighi's musicological interest that led him to compose music based on the music of the 16th, 17th, and 18th century.  To be performed, "Ancient Airs and Dances Suite 1," has four delightful movements based on Renaissance lute pieces by the father of Galilei and other anonymous composers. 

Since Italy and opera seem to go together, no program would be complete without including familiar operatic selection.  For this purpose four very talented vocalists were enlisted for your listening delight.  Andrea Hanchey Pokrefke, soprano, is a native to Richmond, Virginia; Carol Carpenter, mezzo soprano, hails from Ann Arbor; lyric tenor Cole Seaton is an Idaho native; and Nikolas Arden, baritone, is the son of music director Ron Arden and concertmaster, Cynthia Arden who currently resides in Chicago.

Opera arias featuring a trio of noted operatic composers will be performed, Verdi, Rossini, Mozart.  At first glance Mozart might seem like the "black sheep" as he lacks Italian heritage as do both Verdi and Rossini.  It was, however, between 1769 and 1773 that the young Mozart and his father Leopold Mozart made three journeys to Italy.

All four soloists will join voices to sing, accompanied by the North Suburban Symphony, Rossini's "Offertorio"; "Bella figlia" by Verdi; and the famous No. 12 Quartett from "Rigoletto."  The fourth operatic selection, Mozart's "Cosi Fan Tutte," will feature mezzo soprano Carol Carpenter and baritone Nikolas Arden

A Complimentary Wine and Cheese Reception will immediately follow the concert in recognition and in celebration of the NSS's upcoming 2013 - 2014 25th Anniversary Concert Season.  Stay tuned for some exciting happening! 

Tickets:  Adults $18; Seniors/Students $10; Children under 12, Free with adult ticket purchase.  Tickets available at the door.  Call for information:  (847) 234-4150.   Website:  northsuburbansymphony.org