Classical and Choral Music Preview
Fall 2004: Concert, Symphony and Opera performances in DC
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D.C.’S DIFFERENT DRUMMERS
202-269-4868
www.dcdd.org
Tunes that go Bump in the Night — A Halloween concert presented by D.C.’s Different Drummers Symphonic Band, complete with chills, thrills, screams and Elvis. (Yes, Elvis) (10/29 & 10/30, Church of the Epiphany)…
GAY MEN’S CHORUS OF WASHINGTON D.C.
202-338-SING
www.gmcw.org
WAIT TIL YOU SEE HIM: An Evening of Rodgers and Hart — The fourth annual GMCW Cabaret, featuring eight GMCW singers, celebrates the work of the duo responsible for My Funny Valentine and My Romance (10/30, 11/6 and 11/13, Armand Hammer Auditorium, Corcoran Gallery)… Men in Tights — Although it may not be a white Christmas, it will definitely be a pink Nutcracker with two shows in one. Sacred and secular seasonal music in the first half, while the second will bring Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite to life. An all-male mini-musical, complete with a gay love story and a Sugarplum Fairy (12/4 & 12/5, Lincoln Theatre)… Men! Men? Men… — Broadway and recording star Sam Harris joins the chorus in an extravaganza with singing, dancing, and over-the-top costumes. Music from the Broadway musicals Falsettos, Avenue Q, and Kiss of the Spider Woman (3/19 & 3/20/05, Lisner Auditorium)… Classical Four — New GMCW Assistant Director Thea Kano steps to the podium to direct the Rock Creek Singers in an evening of choral chamber music (4/9, Location TBA)… Let Us Entertain You — The popular a cappella group Potomac Fever performs with other small ensembles from gay choruses (4/30 & 5/7, Armand Hammer Auditorium)… Naked Men — With special guest the Ft. Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus. Interviews with 60 members of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus inspired the song cycle “Naked Man.” Stories of love, honesty, loneliness, rage, and belonging merge into a musical work of great passion and remarkable poignancy. (6/04/05, Lisner)…
LESBIAN AND GAY CHORUS OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
202-546-1549
www.lgcw.org
Not What You Think — In concert with special guests Bread & Roses Feminist Singers (10/24, St. James Episcopal Church)… Wade in the Water — The annual winter concert, with water-themed pieces including compositions by Paul Simon, Carly Simon, Samuel Barber and Aaron Copeland (1/29 & 1/30/05, Location TBA)… LGCW is a member of the D.C. GLBT Arts consortium, a voluntary collaboration of varied arts organizations and individual artists in the Washington, D.C. metro area. For more information on how to involve yourself or on their upcoming events, visit the consortium website at www.dcglbtarts.org.
LISNER AUDITORIUM AT GWU
730 21st Street NW
202-994-6800
www.lisner.org
Laurie Anderson — NASA’s Artist-in-Residence presents “The End of the Moon,” an epic poem/performance concert (10/21)… Tinariwen — Stars of Mali’s “Festival in the Desert” combine Stratocaster Guitars with traditional rhythms and haunting vocals to create a truly unique sound that is both modern and ancient (10/30)…
NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Kennedy Center Concert Hall
2700 F Street NW
202-467-4600
www.kennedy-center.org
Joshua Bell — The virtuoso violinist performs Strauss, Mendelssohn and Janacek with the NSO. Leonard Slatkin conducts (9/30, 10/1 & 10/2)… James Tocco — The pianist in concert with the NSO. Slatkin conducts (10/14, 10/15 & 10/16)… Leon Fleisher — World renowned pianist in concert with the NSO, performing Beethoven “Emperor” and Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” (11/18 through 11/20)…
WASHINGTON PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY
202-833-9800
www.wpas.org
Kathleen Battle — The legendary opera soprano has recently lent her instrument to an exploration of spirituals, folksongs, and Latin American jazz. Backed by a band of five musicians, she brings music from her CD, So Many Stars (9/20, KenCen Concert Hall)… Phil Kline — The composer/guitarist brings a collection of Vietnam War-era protest songs along with Rumsfeld Songs, the Secretary of Defense’s press briefings set to music by Kline. Also up: Sonata for Violin and Boomboxes (9/29 & 9/30, at Flashpoint)… Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig — An all-Brahms program including the Second Symphony, described as “all rippling streams, blue sky, sunshine, and cool green shadows,” and the first concerto, performed by pianist and statesman of Russian musicians, Mikhail Pletnev (10/16, KenCen Concert Hall)… Trio Solisti — Violinist Maria Bachmann, cellist Alexis Pia Gerlach and pianist Jon Klibonoff perform a program that includes selections by Ravel and Brahms (11/2, KenCen Terrace Theater)… Gil Shaham — The “romantic violinist’s violinist is joined by his sister, Orli, on piano (11/7, Concert Hall)… The Philadelphia Orchestra — Intense Slavic melodies, sumptuous symphonic sound, and spectacular orchestral colors are the hallmarks of Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony performed by this extraordinary orchestra (11/29, KenCen Concert Hall)…
WASHINGTON OPERA
Kennedy Center Opera House
202-295-2400
www.dc-opera.org
Andrea Chenier — A premiere production of Giordano’s red-blooded verisimo masterpiece set during the French Revolution. Love triumphs in the face of terror and the shadow of the guillotine (9/17, 20, 23, 26 & 10/2)… Billy Budd — Dwayne Croft leads a gifted galaxy of singing actors in Benjamin Britten’s darkly compelling opera. Directed by Francesca Zambello, who won the prestigious Olivier Award for this production (9/18, 21, 25, 27, 30 & 10/3)… Il Trovatore — Vintage Verdi starring Denyce Graves as the gypsy Azucena, one of the greatest mezzo-soprano roles in all of Italian opera (10/23, 27, 30 & 11/2, 5, 8, 11, 13)… Luisa Fernanda — Placido Domingo plays Vidal Hernando, a role that his own father performed countless times to his mother’s Luisa. Set in the revolutionary atmosphere of mid-19th century Spain, the story revolves around a dangerous combination of love, rivalry, and politics (11/6, 9, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19)… The Maid of Orleans — Musical phenomenon Mirella Freni introduces America to her celebrated Joan of Arc in this premiere production of Tchaikovsky’s classic (3/26, 31 & 4/3, 5, 8, 11)… Die Zauberflote — Better known as Mozart’s The Magic Flute. A genuine crowd-pleaser (4/2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 17)… Tosca — The NSO’s Leonard Slatkin takes the podium for this Washington National Opera revival of Puccini’s supremely lyrical masterpiece (5/6, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31)… Samson et Dalila — One of opera’s greatest stage spectacles returns to the Washington National Opera repertory in this revival of Saint-Saëns’ epic masterpiece (May 14, 17, 20, 23, 29, June 1, 4, 2005)…
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