PEACH WEEKENDER

News of Music: 4-24

Ballet companies mark National Dance Week

4/24/2014
BY SALLY VALLONGO
SPECIAL TO THE BLADE
Janinah Burnett stars in Toledo Opera’s production of ‘Faust.’
Janinah Burnett stars in Toledo Opera’s production of ‘Faust.’

National Dance Week begins Friday and continues through May 4, actually a bit longer than a week, allowing for two weekends to schedule performances.

Two of the bigger local companies have productions during the period.

The Cassandra Ballet, a 41-year-old ballet company in West Toledo, will hold its 41st annual spring performance, An Evening at the Ballet, at 7 p.m. May 3 in the Maumee Performing Arts Center, at Maumee High School, 1147 Saco St.

A highlight of the varied program will be a premiere: The Belles of Spring, choreographed by Frank Ohman, a former soloist with the New York City Ballet, who has a Long Island, N.Y., dance company. Performances will span many styles of dance, from classical ballet to jazz and contemporary.

Advance tickets are $16-$20 at www.showtix4u.com or the company, 419-475-0458. Tickets at the door are $20-$25.

Ballet Theatre of Toledo is marking its first decade with an open house and public class from 4 to 5 p.m. Sunday at its studios, 1124 Corporate Dr., Holland. Targeted for boys and girls age 7 to 14, the free mini-workshop will teach a dance to Aaron Copland’s lively Hoedown.

Hoedown will be part of the program planned by Ballet Theatre of Toledo and SonoNovo Chamber Ensemble for three performances: 7 p.m. May 2 and 2 p.m. May 3 and 4 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 316 Adams St.

Company and student dancers will perform choreography created by founder Nigel Burgoine to Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, Pachelbel’s Canon in D, and Hoedown.

Students who participate in the Sunday event will be able to join the dancers onstage for the rousing finale.

Tickets for the performances are $20-$25 at the door or 419-851-0895.

The Toledo Opera opens its final performance of the 2013-2014 season, Gounod’s Faust, with a 7:30 p.m. curtain Friday and 2 p.m. show Sunday in the Valentine Theatre. Renowned French director Bernard Uzan has prepared an updated version for the stage. Shawn Mathey will portray the title character, with Jamie Offenbach as Mephistopheles, and Janinah Burnett as Marguerite. James Meena will conduct the Toledo Symphony in the pit.

Tickets are $30-$75 at www.toledoopera.org or 419-255-7464.

The Zion Mennonite choir is slated to perform at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Cathedral Concert Series at Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, 2535 Collingwood Blvd.

Led by James Sauder, this group was founded in 1955 and is based in the Archbold area. Besides singing for a monthly worship service at Zion Mennonite Church, the choir frequently performs with other groups such as the Goshen College Choir, Lourdes University choirs, and the Toledo Symphony.

On the program of this ecumenical choir will be Schubert’s Mass in G as well as arrangements of well-known hymns and spirituals. Admission is free with a suggested $5 donation at the door.

Bowling Green State University’s College of Musical Arts is winding down its season with a few final concerts. The A Cappella Choir and Collegiate Chorale will sing at 8 p.m. Saturday in Kobacker Hall of the Moore Musical Arts Center. Admission is free.

At 3 p.m. Sunday, the BG Philharmonia, conducted by Emily Freeman Brown, will perform Stravinsky’s Petrouchka tone poem and J.S. Bach’s Violin Concerto in E Major. Joining the orchestra to present music by Hubert Parry will be the University Choral Union. For ticket information call 419-372-8171 or www.bgsu.edu/​arts.

The University of Toledo presents its Spring Choral Concert at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Recital Hall of the Center for Performing Arts. The men’s and women’s choirs will perform under the direction of Stephen Hodge. Admission is free.

The Owens Community College performing arts department announces its Spring Concert at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Theatre. Director William Dais will conduct the Owens Band in a varied program including music from the Broadway hit show, Les Miserables, and patriotic selections.

A medley of music by the late Marvin Hamlisch, the Civil War Suite, and more are planned.

Percussionist Tom Montgomery will perform Concerto for Drum Set and Concert Band by Larry Neeck, and a selection of music designed to honor World War II veterans is on this free program.

The Toledo Symphony presents its Young Peoples’ Concerts in several venues next week. On May 1, the orchestral will perform at 2 and 3 p.m. in Central Catholic High School, 2550 Cherry St. On May 2 the symphony is to play in the Peristyle in 10 and 11:30 a.m. events. Jeffrey Pollock, resident conductor, will lead all the concerts, which offer a sampling of classical and popular music.

The Sandusky Concert Association presents pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi in recital at 3 p.m. Sunday in the BGSU Firelands Campus Theatre, One University Dr., Huron, Ohio.

A native of Foggia, Italy, Pompa-Baldi came to the United States for the Cleveland International Piano Competition, winning first prize in 1999. He also has won a silver medal at the Van Cliburn and Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud concerts. He performs regularly in major concert venues in the United States and Europe.

On the program will be Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and the American premier of Roberto Piana’s 25 Pictorial Preludes. This concert is dedicated to the memory of Elinor Sidner.

Tickets are $15 at the door, with students up to grade 12 admitted free.

Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor presents renowned keyboardist Penelope Crawford in an 8 p.m. performance Friday on the fortepiano, used widely before the development of the more powerful modern instrument.

Crawford is bringing her own carefully restored fortepiano, an 1835 instrument made by Viennese artisan Conrad Graf.

Crawford, who has been part of the Oberlin College Baroque Institute for 25 years, is a lecturer at the University of Michigan.

Her program will include works by composers who themselves played the fortepiano: Beethoven and Schumann.

The restored home in the Kerrytown area of North Ann Arbor will jazz up during a concert by 8-string guitarist/​mandolinist Michele Ramo and accordionist/​bandoneonist Peter Soave at 4 p.m. Sunday.

Wednesday at 8 p.m. will be Celebrate International Jazz Day with Vincent York, a tribute to Paul Desmond and Chet Baker. Performers are local faves York, the bandleader, plus trumpet Paul Finkbeiner, pianist Ellen Rowe, bassist Paul Keller, and drummer Sean Dobbins.

Tickets are $5-$30 at 734-769-2999 or www.kerrytownconcerthouse.com.

Send News of Music items to svallongo@theblade.com at least two weeks ahead of the event.