Masterworks Chorale sets winter concert

3/4/2010

Masterworks Chorale will present its winter concert, "Living: Hope, Passion, Wisdom," at 8 p.m. March 13 in First Presbyterian Church, 200 East Broadway, Maumee.

Artistic director Donna Tozer Wipfli will conduct the choir in a varied program including music by Leonard Bernstein, William Byrd, Andrae Crouch, Steven Sametz, and Dominick Argento.

A featured work on the program will be the premiere of "Hallelujah" by tenor section member Luke D. Rosen. Joining the chorale will be the Toledo School for the Arts Concert Choir, led by Jamie Dauel. The guest ensemble will sing a Bulgarian folk song and a Japanese children's song. Aaron Copland's majestic "The Promise of Living" will close the program.

Tickets for this one-time performance are $12-$25 at the door or in advance at 419-246-8000.

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The Sono Novo Chamber Orchestra and Ballet Theatre of Toledo will present a program of new and revisited works at 7 p.m. March 12 and 2 p.m. March 13 in Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Toledo.

Vivaldi's classic "Four Seasons" will be performed by Sono Novo, under the baton of founder-director Wayne Anthony, with new choreography by Nigel Burgoine, artistic director of the Holland dance company.

Highlight of the program will be the double premiere of Anthony's original composition, "Narnian Fantasy," with original choreography by Burgoine.

Tickets for the performance are $15-$20 at the door or in advance at BTT, 419-861-0895.

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The Toledo Opera will continue its 2009-2010 season with a production of The Rape of Lucretia by Benjamin Britten at 7:30 p.m. March 13 and 2 p.m. March 14 in the Valentine Theatre, 400 North Superior St.

Mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Batton will make her Toledo debut in the title role, with baritone Philip Cutlip as Tarquinius, and bass-baritone Matthew Burns as Collatinus.

Thomas Conlin is to conduct the production with musicians from the Toledo Symphony. In another local debut, Milwaukee artist Paula Suozzi is directing stage action.

Artistic director Renay Conlin will give informational chats for both performances in the Valentine. Single ticket prices start at $25 and are available at 419-255-7464 or www.toledoopera.org.

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Organist Christoph Keggenhoff will be guest soloist in the next Music in the Cathedral event, a 3 p.m. concert March 14 in Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, 2535 Collingwood Blvd. Keggenhoff is organist of the Imperial Cathedral in Speyer, Germany, where he also conducts the vocal ensemble Schola Cantorum Saliensis.

On the program will be music by J.S. Bach, Cesar Franck, and August Ritter. The concert is free to the public.

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Quelque Chose, the trio of pianist Greg Kostraba, violinist, Rico McNeela, and hornist Robert Garcia, will continue its Northwest Ohio tour with a concert at 3 p.m. Sunday in Firelands Presbyterian Church, East Harbor Road, Port Clinton, Ohio. Tickets for the concert are $15 at the door.

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The Ohio Northern University Men's Chorus will embark on its spring concert tour March 10-14 with performances slated in Ohio, Indiana, and Missouri.

Dennis L. Kratzer directs the 70-voice choir, which is making its eighth tour. Assistant conductors and section leaders are Michael Bizzaro, Timothy Smith, Todd Daquino, and Will Proctor. Adam Fahnske is accompanist and Thomas Hunt of the ONU music faculty will perform on the French horn.

The choir will perform its homecoming concert at 8 p.m. March 21 in Presser Hall on the ONU campus.

Items for News of Music should be sent to svallongo@theblade.com at least two weeks ahead of performance date.