Dance inspires Toledo Symphony concerts

Stefan Sanderling and the Toledo Symphony.

Missed out on that tour of Eastern Europe this year?

Longing to hear the haunting harmonies and wild rhythms of Gypsy music?

No worries -- the Toledo Symphony will take you on a musical mastery tour of Hungary, Romania, and Germany in 8 p.m. concerts Jan. 18 and 19, the next in this season's Classics concerts in the Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle.

Dance master Stefan Sanderling has planned a program that wraps up the rich and compelling dance music of Mitteleuropa. There will be no dancers on stage but it's likely toes will tap and bodies will sway all around the Peristyle.

Music by Dvorak, Bartok, Brahms, Enesco, Kodaly, and Liszt performed by symphony musicians -- some of whom hail from these regions -- will infuse this first big concert of the new year with old world energy and charm.

Highlights of the musical menu chosen by Sanderling and symphony staff will include Dance Suite by Bela Bartok, Enesco's Romanian Rhapsody, and Hungarian dances by Brahms and Liszt.

Tickets for these concerts are $22 to $50 at 419-246-8000 or www.toledosymphony.com.

●

It only took 40 years to bring the Kronos Quartet to Toledo. Still, better late than never for this ground-breaking string quartet, scheduled to perform at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 17 in the Valentine Theatre.

Watch for a feature on this adventuresome, award-winning ensemble in next Wednesday's Blade.

But get tickets now, the better to hear David Harrington, John Sherba, Hank Dutt, and Jeffrey Zeigler in a program typical of the way these players approach performances.

Music by Laurie Anderson, Nicole Lizee, Richard Wagner, and Aleksandra Vrebalov are on the program.

For tickets and information, call 419-242-2787 or visit www.valentinetheatre.com.

●

The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD series of broadcasts continues with a production Gaetano Donizetti's drama Maria Stuarda, in a Met premiere, at 12:55 p.m. Jan. 19 at Franklin Park and Fallen Timbers cinemas. Part of what the Italian composer called his Tudor series of operas, Maria Stuarda, (Mary Stewart), examines the intensity of love, jealousy, and patriotism in the story of the struggle between England's Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots, for dominance.

Director David McVicar shaped this production, which introduces Elza van den Heever as Elizabeth, and is headed by soprano Joyce DiDonato as Mary, with Matthew Polenzani as Leicester. Maurizio Benini will conduct.

Tickets for this three-hour show start at $22 at the box office.

●

Mark your calendars now for a 7 p.m. Feb. 1 performance by the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club, one of the oldest collegiate choirs in the United States, the oldest continually run student organization on the U of M campus.

The event, presented by the local U of M Alumni organization, is free.

●

January marks the reboot of some of Toledo's busiest and best community choral groups. Fresh from successful Christmas concerts and its annual performances of Handel's Messiah, the Toledo Choral Society will begin preparing for spring concerts in 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. rehearsals on Mondays starting Jan. 14.

New director Rick Napierala II invites regular members and prospective singers to show up at Sylvania First United Methodist Church, 7000 Erie St., Sylvania.

On the program for several performances will be Ola Gjeilo's Sunrise Mass, John Rutter's Gloria, and more.

Napierala is the fourth conductor of Toledo's oldest continuing choral group -- the group is marking its 94th season. For more information and a sample of music to be performed this spring, go to www.toledochoralsociety.org.

●

The University of Toledo Department of Music announces its Community Chorus will begin rehearsals Jan. 14 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Choir Room of the Center for Performing Arts. Interested singers should arrive at 6:30 p.m. for registration.

Steve Hodge conducts the group, which will perform movements from Beethoven's Mass in C Major and the Choral Fantasy in concerts this spring.

No auditions are required to join this community ensemble. For further information, contact Hodge at Stephen.hodge@utoledo.edu

●

Fight the January blahs by taking a free online course from Coursera, one of the leading promoters of Internet learning, with hundreds of courses in science and technology, economics and business, the arts and humanities.

I took a Coursera program in World Music by a University of Pennsylvania professor last summer and what I learned in lectures, discussions, and research -- all accomplished via my laptop -- continues to resonate in surprising ways.

I have just signed up for a songwriting course taught by Pat Pattison of the Berklee College of Music. Coursera programs accommodate users' varying schedules and levels of training.

Information for News of Music should be sent to svallongo@theblade.com at least two weeks ahead of the event.