Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra Offers Valentine for Opera Lovers

February 2, 2012 — The Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra continues its 2011-12 "Bridges" season with a romantic program titled "Bridges Across Generations." Performances will be given Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. in Old Cabell Hall at the University of Virginia, and Feb. 12 at 3:30 p.m. at Monticello High School in Charlottesville.

Music Director Kate Tamarkin returns to the podium following a fall sabbatical. She has chosen selections from Italian, French, Russian and Viennese opera in a multi-national salute to Valentine's Day.

"The theme of this concert is unabashedly romantic and sentimental," she said. "Our program includes some of the most beautiful operatic music ever written for both voice and orchestra."

Two young artists will join the orchestra in a mix of solos and duets.

Soprano Jennifer Lynn Waters will sing "Mi Chiamano Mimi" from Puccini's timeless and tragic "La Boheme," Doretta's Aria from Puccini's "La Rondine" and "Czardas" from perennial favorite, "Die Fledermaus," by Johann Strauss Jr.

Waters is a graduate of the Washington National Opera's Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. At Washington National Opera, she sang roles in "Madama Butterfly," "Carmen," "Ariadne auf Naxos," "Götterdämerung," "Le nozze de Figaro" and "Falstaff"." Recent engagements include a debut with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as Geraldine in Samuel Barber's "A Hand of Bridge." She has been a soloist with the Caramoor Music Festival, Maryland Concert Opera, Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas and the Cathedral Choral Society in Washington, D.C.

Tenor Gerard Powers will sing Rodolfo's "Che gelia manina," from "La Boheme." A Juilliard graduate, he has been heard on operatic and concert stages across the U.S. and in Canada, Italy, Germany, Ireland, England, Belgium, Russia and Portugal. Among others, he has portrayed Pinkerton in "Madama Butterfly" with New York City Opera, Boston Lyric Opera and Opera Omaha; Don Jose in "Carmen" for his debut with Houston Grand Opera; and Prunier in "La Rondine" with Opera Tampa and for his debut with San Francisco Opera.

On this program, he will also sing the Flower Song from Bizet's "Carmen" and join Waters in the Cio Cio San-Pinkerton Duet, "Vogliatemi bene" from Puccini's "Madama Butterfly."

The orchestra will perform the overture to "Die Fledermaus," the prelude and aragonaise from "Carmen," the intermezzo from Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" and the polonaise from Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin."

"Know the Score" pre-concert lectures will be presented 45 minutes before both concerts.

Free of charge, these informative and entertaining lectures by Richard Will, who chairs the McIntire Department of Music in U.Va.'s College of Arts & Sciences, offer both novice and experienced patrons a deeper appreciation of the performances. Friday's lecture will take place in Minor Hall; Sunday's lecture will be held in the Forum at Monticello High School.

Free parking is available in the U.Va Central Grounds garage, located on Emmet Street, on Saturday night and at the high school on Sunday afternoons. Both venues are wheelchair accessible.

Tickets are priced at $20, $25, $30 and $38 for adults, and $10 for students. U.Va students can request one complimentary ticket in advance. Tickets can be purchased from the U.Va. Arts Box Office by calling 434-924-3376, in person on weekdays from noon to 5 p.m. in the lobby of the Drama Building at 109 Culbreth Road, or online.

Remaining dates in the "Bridges" season are:

• March 24-25: "Bridges Across Genres," with pianist Michael Mizrahi, featuring works by Gershwin, Copland and Bernstein.

• April 21-22: "Bridges Across Hemispheres," featuring principal oboe Aaron Hill and principal tuba Seth Cook and works by Tann, Vaughan Williams and Sibelius.

Mini-subscriptions for the final three concerts are available by calling 434-924-3139.