It乌鸦传媒檚 a performance to ring in the New Year, steeped in years of global tradition.
The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra presents Viennese Delights Jan. 21 in Vernon, Jan. 19 in Kelowna and Jan. 20 in Penticton.
乌鸦传媒淚t (performing Viennese compositions) has been a longtime New Years tradition globally,乌鸦传媒� Rosemary Thomson, OSO music director said. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e not having it on New Year乌鸦传媒檚 Day, but it乌鸦传媒檚 a tip of the hat to that tradition.乌鸦传媒�
Waltz classics and operettas crafted by 19th century Austrian composers, including Johann Strauss Jr. and Franz Leh谩r, comprise the soundtrack Thomson and the OSO cultivated.
乌鸦传媒淚n it乌鸦传媒檚 early days, waltz was considered quite scandalous due to the close personal contact. If they could only see us now,乌鸦传媒� Thomson laughed.
And, Thomson said, no Viennese Delight would be complete without ballroom dancers on stage. Vernon乌鸦传媒檚 own City Dance Studio ballroom dancers Heather Stranks and Jens Goerner will grace the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre stage to accommodate such a requirement.
乌鸦传媒淭hey will be there to bring the waltz to life,乌鸦传媒� Thomson said of Stranks and Goerner.
While waltz is traditionally an instrumental form of music, the OSO take on these Viennese classics also features nine singers from the University of British Columbia Vancouver Opera Ensemble Studio to sing excerpts from two famous operettas: Leh谩r乌鸦传媒檚 The Merry Widow and Strauss Jr.乌鸦传媒檚 Die Fledermaus.
乌鸦传媒淥perettas became a very big thing in Austria in the second half of the 1800s,乌鸦传媒� Thomson said, adding that this will be the OSO乌鸦传媒檚 third collaboration with the UBC Vancouver Opera Ensemble Studio. 乌鸦传媒淭he quality (of the studio) is so high. Many of their graduates have gone on to lustrous careers.乌鸦传媒�
The combination of all four components 乌鸦传媒� the orchestra, City Dance Studio ballroom dancers, UBC Vancouver Opera Ensemble Studio singers and the greatest hits of 19th century Austria 乌鸦传媒� is a match about which Thomson is personally excited.
乌鸦传媒淓verybody loves that all the relationships work out in waltz. In the end, it乌鸦传媒檚 very happy music,乌鸦传媒� Thomson said of the composition choices. 乌鸦传媒淚 think it was such that theatre was a place of real escapism, a place to go to have your spirits lifted. It乌鸦传媒檚 so beautiful and I乌鸦传媒檓 just instantly transported to a place with so much optimism.乌鸦传媒�
To add to the illusion of pre-First World War Austria, the orchestra will take the stage in full ballroom regalia.
乌鸦传媒淵ou have to imagine the ballroom full of dancers. It乌鸦传媒檚 this formalized beauty,乌鸦传媒� Thomson said, adding that the audience is also invited to don their ballroom-best.
With the beauty of ballroom dancing, Austrian operetta and waltz numbers, Thomson hopes the evening will act as an auditory transporter for the audience as it has previously done for her.
乌鸦传媒淚t reminds me of being a kid and my dad would teach me to waltz by dancing with my feet on his. It乌鸦传媒檚 a very nostalgic music,乌鸦传媒� Thomson said.
乌鸦传媒淚 hope people will come and be swept away.乌鸦传媒�
The Okanagan Symphony presents Viennese Delights, the third installment of the OSO Masterworks series, at Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre. Jan. 21 at 7 p.m., at the Kelowna Community Theatre Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m., and the Cleland Community Theatre Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $56.25 adult, $49 senior, $26.75 student and are available or in Vernon from the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, .
entertainment@vernonmorningstar.com
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