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Madama Butterfly - by Teatro Lirico D'Europa Opera October 17-18, 2006  This concert is sponsored by the Dixie Regional Medical Center. Please thank them for their support of the arts. The Celebrity Concert Series welcomes the return of Teatro Lirico D'Europa with the production of one of the world's most popular operas, Madama Butterfly. The opera passionately explores the consequences of obsessive devotion with the relationship between Pinkerton, a U.S. Navy officer in Japan, and Cio-Cio-San, called Butterfly. This opera features an exciting and torrid story line of love, sacrifice, and unfaithfulness with a breathtaking ending. Teatro Lirico D'Europa features the Sofia Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and provides a touring opera showcase for American and European operatic artists. The opera, Madama Butterfly, sung in Italian with English supertitles, gives two and a half hours of memorable musical moments. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly) is different from many operas. It is intimate, devoid of spectacle, taking place completely within a house in Nagasaki. There is one straight plot line, without subplots. Girl wins boy, girl loses boy, girl commits hara kiri. What makes the piece work are the characterizations of Butterfly and her Lieutenant Pinkerton, both in the drama and in the rich and luscious musical score. This beloved opera by Giacomo Puccini, originated in a story by John Luther Long and was adapted for the stage by David Belasco. Tickets: Adult $18 - Youth $12 7:30 p.m. start time - Theater opens at 7:00 p.m. CCS Guild Luncheon, Wed. Oct 17 - 12:00 noon Back to Top Quartetto Gelato - (operatic arias, classics, Gypsy & folk) Oct 27-28, 2006  This concert is sponsored by Utah Arts Council & National Endowment for the Arts. Please let your legislators know of your appreciation for these grants. For over a decade, this dazzling ensemble has enchanted audiences and critics worldwide with their exotic blend of musical virtuosity, artistic passion and charismatic presence. Quartetto Gelato established themselves as a dominant force on the emerging "new classical" scene early in their career by winning in 1996 the coveted title of NPR Performance Today's Debut Artist of the Year. Today, Quartetto Gelato continues its reign as an international sensation with repeat, sold-out, performances throughout the world. Classical in intent, eclectic by design, Quartetto Gelato not only thrills its audiences with the mastery of eight instruments, but offers the wonderfully unexpected bonus of a brilliant operatic tenor. With a performance repertoire that travels imaginatively between classical masterworks, operatic arias and the sizzling energy of tangos, gypsy and folk songs, the group's relaxed stage presence and delightful humor establishes an immediate rapport with traditional and non-traditional classical audiences alike. Performed without scores, their shows radiate a sense of spontaneity and excitement rarely seen on the classical stage. Quartetto Gelato artists include: Cynthia Steljes - oboe, English horn; Peter DeSotto - tenor, violin, mandolin; Alexander Sevastian - accordion, piano, bandoneon; and Elinor Frey - cello. Tickets: Adult $15 - Youth $10 7:30 p.m. start time - Theater opens at 7:00 p.m. Proteus Ensemble Nov 15-16, 2006  Taking its name from a Greek prophet god who was capable of assuming various forms, the Proteus Ensemble is dedicated to breathing fresh life into a wide variety of musical "forms" from the distant past to the present day. Americans in Paris is the title of the program by this famed and accomplished ensemble dedicated to breathing fresh life into a wide variety of musical forms, ranging from those of the distant past to those of the present day. Top-prize winners of Chamber Music Yellow Springs and Fischoff National Chamber Music Competitions, Proteus was the Aspen Music Festival's Contemporary Ensemble 2001 to 2003. The ensemble consists of flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano, and draws on its inherent diversity to create eclectic programs that include the classics of the standard repertoire, new music and its own arrangements. Recently hailed by the Charleston Post and Courier as a "talented chamber ensemble",Proteus is quickly becoming one of the most sought after young ensembles of its type. "These people can play anything..."--New York Concert Review With a repertoire ranging from Monteverdi to Michael Torke, Proteus takes an innovative approach to programming. Drawing on its inherent diversity, the ensemble has created eclectic programs that include the classics of the standard repertoire as well as the diverse styles and currents of recent music. Proteus Ensemble is: Jennifer Grim, flute; Gilad Harel, clarinet; Yuko Naito, violin; Alberto Parrini, cello; and James Johnston, piano. Dine with the artists at a pre-concert benefit dinner on the Cox stage, Wednesday, November 15, 5:30 p.m. All proceeds from this dinner go to support Celebrity Concert Series and are tax deductible. Tickets: Adult $15 - Youth $10 7:30 p.m. start time - Theater opens at 7:00 p.m. Ebony and Ivory Jan 19-20, 2006  This concert is sponsored by The Spectrum Please thank them for their support of the arts Ebony & Ivory plays a wide variety of music, including light classical, Gershwin, folk, ragtime, Benny Goodman, jazz, popular, classical, and original compositions. With an astonishing array of instruments (saxophone, multiple clarinets, piano, and state-of-the-art Korg Triton proX and Roland AX-1 keyboards,) these multi-instrumentalists create an ever-changing palette of sound. In addition, Fred's engaging commentary and Andrew's beautiful original works entertain every audience, and always leave them wanting more. The optional addition of bass and percussion will be sure to fill even the largest venue! Few musical groups can match Ebony & Ivory's diverse and extensive repertoire, and fewer still have their ease with multiple musical styles. While most musicians would be content to describe themselves as strictly "classical," "jazz" or "new age," Fred and Andrew ignore these arbitrary boundaries and simply look for the appeal and intrinsic value in each piece of music. Ebony & Ivory's live performance defies description. Their energy is infectious, and the response of audiences to their two-hour show has to be seen to be believed. Tickets: Adult $15 - Youth $10 7:30 p.m. start time - Theater opens at 7:00 p.m. Back to Top The Lowe Family Jan 2-30, 2007  This concert is sponsored by the City of St. George. Please thank them for their support of the arts. If you like singing, dancing, and wholesome family fun, you're sure to fall in love with the Lowe's. This talented family of eight will entertain you with their blend of classical and Broadway singing, swing dancing, ballroom dancing, and more. You'll wonder how so much talent and beauty can be found in just one family. The show includes a breathtaking patriotic salute that brings audiences to their feet. The Lowe family are not only talented, they also have big hearts and incredible values. Korrine Lowe, the mother of the group, donates 100 hours to the community each summer and instills wholesome values into her children. The family is capturing the hearts of people, young and old, all over the country. Audience members comments on their Branson show: "We have never seen a family with so much talent. They really make you feel like they are having a good time entertaining us." and "Yours was our first show and we thoroughly enjoyed every minute. It was so well done, such a great variety and SUCH TALENT!! Thanks so much. Practice makes perfect, my mother always said." Some gifts you hold in your hand, others you hold in your heart. For the Lowe family of Utah, their musical heritage is a gift they cherish. For as long as they can remember, they have been sharing that gift with audiences around the globe. It's a legacy of love from one generation to the next and from their hearts to yours. Versatile on many instruments, they offer an amazing blend of show-stopping music - classical, Broadway, 20's, 40's, 60's, ballroom dance, Irish, jazz, swing, clog, old-time melodies, six-part harmony, gospel, patriotic, and more! Tickets: Adult $18 - Youth $12 7:30 p.m. start time - Theater opens at 7:00 p.m. Back to Top Utah Symphony Orchestra Feb 9-10, 2007  This concert is sponsored by Zions Bank. Please thank them for their support of the arts. The Utah Symphony has established a rich tradition of musical excellence through the vision and drive of former musical directors Maurice Abravanel, and Joseph Silverstein. That tradition, under the leadership of current music director, Keith Lockhart, continues with dynamic programming, touring, and active collaboration with Utah Opera, Ballet West, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Repertory Dance Theatre, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and other arts organizations throughout the Salt Lake area. The program selected for the Celebrity Concert Series features well-known and beloved classics of the masters. Founded in 1940, the Utah Symphony has become a vital presence on the American music scene through its distinctive performances worldwide and its well-known recording legacy. The orchestra accompanies Utah Opera on four productions a year and and performs at least one free Opera/Symphony "concert in the park" as part of its full summer season. Through a Utah State Office of Education program, the Symphony also travels to schools throughout the state, performing concerts for over 80,000 students each year. Keith Lockhart was appointed Music Director of the Utah Symphony in January 1998. During his tenure, Mr. Lockhart has conducted three "Salute to the Symphony" television specials broadcast regionally on 4Utah/ABC, one of which was awarded an Emmy. In 2001, Lockhart conducted the orchestra and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in a national PBS broadcast of Vaughan Williams Hodie. Mr. Lockhart also had the privilege of leading the Utah Symphony in performances during the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, and two additional programs for the 2002 Olympic Arts Festival, one featuring British stage star Elaine Paige, and the other an American music concert with soprano Audra McDonald. Tickets: Adult $18 - Youth $12 7:30 p.m. start time - Theater opens at 7:00 p.m. CCS Guild Luncheon, Sat. Feb. 10 - 12:00 noon Back to Top Don Quixote Ballet - by Moscow Festival Ballet Feb 19-20, 2007  This concert is Sponsored by Boulevard Home Furnishings. Please thank them for their support of the arts Journey into the strange world of Don Quixote de la Mancha, where playful puppets are evil forces and innocent windmills are dangerous giants. Inspired by a vision of the beautiful Dulcinea, our delusional hero and his loyal servant, Sancho Panza, embark on an adventure to save the innkeeper's daughter, Kitri - who Quixote believes is the real-life incarnation of Dulcinea - from the advances of old, rich Camacho so she can marry her sweetheart, the barber Basilio. Miguel de Cervantes' classic tale is enriched with choreography by Marius Petipa, a lively score and beautiful costumes. In the fiery, seldom-toured classical production, the 60-member Russian troupe will bring to life the misadventures of the charming but deluded nobleman. The romantic tale of the "knight'' of La Mancha was originally brought to life in the late 19th-century by Marius Petipa, who raised the standards of dance technique and choreography in Russia to new heights. The Moscow Festival Ballet was founded in 1989 when Sergei Radchenko, the legendary principal dancer of the Bolshoi Ballet, sought to realize his vision of a company that would bring together the highest classical elements of Bolshoi and Kirov ballet companies in an independent new dance corps. Under his direction, the company continues to expand its repertoire, commissioning new works from within Russia and abroad, as well as performing classical works such as Giselle, Paquita, and Don Quixote. Leading dancers from across the Russias have forged under Radchenko's direction an exciting new company staging new productions of the timeless ballet classics. Tickets: Adult $18 - Youth $12 7:30 p.m. start time - Theater opens at 7:00 p.m. Back to Top The 4 Freshmen and the Gene Krupa Orchestra Mar 5-6, 2007  This concert is sponsored by the CCS Guild Members. Please thank them for their support of the series. In 1952 their great version of "It's a Blue World" swept the country, launching what was to become a spectacular recording career for the Four Freshmen. "Graduation Day" was introduced to the world by their hit record. They introduced, recorded and performed "How Can I Tell Her" in the movie Lucy Gallant. You saw them do "How Do You Like Your Eggs In The Morning" in the movie Rich Young and Pretty with Vic Damone and Jane Powell. Their versions of "Day By Day", "Candy" and a host of others brightened the middle 50's. New lineups of the Four Freshmen have continued the legendary vocal tradition of the original band, while adding new touches. In 2000 the group won Downbeat Magazine's reader's poll award for Vocal Group of the Year, proving the quartet's timeless appeal and securing their role as one of the most important vocal groups in jazz history. Gene Krupa played in a number of bands in Chicago during the Twenties before achieving fame as the powerful, showy drummer in Benny Goodman's organization during the mid-thirties, when his drum solo was featured on the hit single "Sing, Sing, Sing". He formed his own band and played with them until 1951, when he started touring with Jazz at the Philharmonic, and in 1954, with Cozy Cole, he founded a school of percussion in New York. He spent the last 20 years of his life teaching, studying timpani, and ethnic drumming concepts. He has recorded with many Jazz greats including Benny Goodman, Roy Eldridge and Anita O'day. Tickets: Adult $18 - Youth $12 7:30 p.m. start time - Theater opens at 7:00 p.m. CCS Guild Luncheon, Tues. March 6 - 12:00 noon Back to Top Kit Armstrong Mar 13-14, 2007  This concert is sponsored by Sun First Bank. Please thank them for their support of the arts. He wrote his first composition at the age of four and began playing piano at five. Today, 13-year-old Kit Armstrong is a student at the Curtis Institute of Music and the University of Pennsylvania. This highly gifted young man, who makes limited public appearances, delighted Stanford audiences two years ago with his musical sensitivity and fluid technical abilities. Once again, the precocious artist takes the stage to perform classical repertoire and his own energetic compositions. Kit Armstrong is a thirteen-year-old pianist and composer who also displays remarkable gifts for mathematics, science, and languages. At the age of five, he began formal composition and piano studies. At seven, he became the youngest scholarship student in the history of Chapman University in California, attending the university part-time while completing high school. Two years later, he became a full-time undergraduate student, studying piano performance, composition, and science. He now attends the Royal Academy of Music and Imperial College in London, England. While attending college, Kit has already given a number of performances; the most notable are the Steinway and Sons' Anniversary concert at Carnegie Hall, the Classical Music Luncheon of the 44th Annual Grammy Awards honoring Van Cliburn, and recitals for the Vancouver Recital Society and Stanford Lively Arts. He has appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras having made his concert debut at the age of eight. Forthcoming engagements include Beethoven's Concerto No. 1 with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under Yuri Temirkanov, and a recital at Shriver Hall in their Piano Celebration Festival. Tickets: Adult $15 - Youth $10 7:30 p.m. start time - Theater opens at 7:00 p.m. Back to Top BYU Men's Chorus March 23-24, 2007  This concert is sponsored by Sun River St. George. Please thank them for their support of the arts. The 230 members of the Brigham Young University Men's Chorus comprise the largest collegiate male chorus in the United States. The Men's Chorus has captured the admiration of audiences throughout the western United States and beyond. Their popularity results from hours of dedicated rehearsal, a diverse repertoire, and a uniquely powerful and unified sound. Men's Chorus performances showcase the talents of individual members through vocal solos, instrumental accompaniment, and movement. Selected from classical pieces, hymns, spirituals, popular songs, and folk arrangements, the music in a typical Men's Chorus performance is sure to please audiences of all ages. The chorus did not become well known until the 1980's, when Mack Wilberg (now associate director for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) helped it gain a reputation for innovative sound and excellent performances. The Men's Chorus has made three recordings, has performed at the ACDA convention, and performs frequently to sold-out audiences. Over 400 males audition for the group yearly, with 180 to 230 of them selected. Their repertoire includes Latin and classical pieces, folk classics from various countries, LDS music, and well-known American pieces. In September 2005 they released the CD, Praise Him, with Rosalind Hall as director. Tickets: Adult $18 - Youth $12 7:30 p.m. start time - Theater opens at 7:00 p.m. Back to Top The Celtic Tenors April 2-3, 2007 
This concert is sponsored by Dixie State College. The Series is grateful for their support. In October 1995, James Nelson, Niall Morris and Paul Hennessey made their "Three Irish Tenors" debut on R.T.E.'s 'Theatre Nights' live from Goffs in County Kildare. There followed three exciting years of sellout shows and television appearances. In 1998, Paul Hennessey left the group to pursue his blossoming solo career. Enter Matthew Gilsenan. The Celtic Tenors were signed on the spot to an international record deal, following an impromptu audition in London in 2000, an event so unprecedented that it soon became the talk of the music industry. The Celtic Tenors were invited to sing for ex-President Bill Clinton during his recent visit to Dublin Castle, funding-raising for the Northern Ireland Peace Fund. He now says their version of his favorite song, "Danny Boy," is the best he has ever heard. More recently, they had the special honor of singing in a private audience for Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, during a trip to Ireland. The surprise recital was a very personal gift to the couple from the front man of U2, Bono. "The best singing group I have ever heard. Their version of "Danny Boy" quite honestly brought tears to my eyes". Bill Clinton. Dublin Castle 2002. "Bono arranged for them to sing at my birthday party. It was a wonderful surprise. Nane and I absolutely loved them". Kofi Annan. Dublin, December 2004. The Celtic Tenors have appeared on numerous compilation albums, including the Official Rugby World Cup Album 2003, True Colours, The Official Classical Album for the Olympic Games 2004, Harmony and the huge selling debut album by Liam Lawton, Another World. Total album sales worldwide, including compilations, are now at over one million, making them the biggest Classical Crossover artists ever to come out of Ireland. "They are re-inventing the whole Tenor idiom," says Phil Coulter, Ireland's legendary songwriter whose ballad "My Boy" was a huge hit for Elvis in the '70's. The impact of the Celtic Tenors was so inspiring to Mr. Coulter that he wrote the unforgettable piece entitled "Remember Me, Recuˇrdame" for the trio after hearing them in concert. Tickets: Adult $15 - Youth $10 7:30 p.m. start time - Theater opens at 7:00 p.m. Back to Top |
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