This week at Brevard Music Center’s Summer Festival brings audiences a wide range of musical experiences — from comic opera and orchestral powerhouses to a living legend live in concert.
Donizetti’s beloved comic opera The Elixir of Love takes the stage in a fully staged production by the Janiec Opera Company on Thursday, June 26, at 7:30 p.m., and again on Saturday, June 28, at 2 p.m. Conducted by Joseph Mechavich and directed by Dean Anthony, the production blends humor, romance and unforgettable melody in a story perfect for opera newcomers and longtime fans alike.
On Friday, June 27, at 7:30 p.m., violist Masumi Per Rostad joins the Brevard Sinfonia for Jessie Montgomery’s “L.E.S. Characters.” The program also includes Wagner’s “Prelude to Die Meistersinger” and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2, conducted by Andrew Grams.
On Saturday, June 28, at 7:30 p.m., Artistic Director Keith Lockhart leads the Brevard Music Center Orchestra in Stravinsky’s groundbreaking “The Rite of Spring.” The concert also features two works by Grammy-winning composer and BMC alum Mason Bates: “Rusty Air in Carolina,” an atmospheric tribute to Southern summer nights, and “Silicon Hymnal,” a new concerto written specifically for the genre-defying trio Time for Three.
“Stravinsky changed the game,” said Nicholas Tzavaras, senior director of artistic planning and educational programs. “Mason Bates and Time for Three remind us the game’s still changing.”
The week concludes on Sunday, June 29, at 7:30 p.m., with a performance by gospel and soul icon Mavis Staples, co-presented with Mountain Song Productions. A member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and a Kennedy Center honoree, Staples has helped shape the sound of American music for over six decades.
“Every day is a different mood,” said Mical Hutson, director of marketing and communications.
“That’s what makes this week so thrilling—Donizetti brings the comedy, Stravinsky brings the chaos, and Mavis Staples brings the soul—all in one week.”
Brevard Music Center’s Summer Festival features more than 80 performances across classical, chamber, opera, jazz and American roots music. For tickets and a full schedule, visit brevardmusic.org or call 828-862-2105.
Written by Brevard Music Center.