Well, next Saturday is the first concert 2006-2007 season... It's all overtures! These are the pieces that are played before an opera or musical. They take all the best parts of the show and puts it into one song! After 5 weeks or so of rehearsals, here's my editorial comments on each:
The CINCINNATI COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA
Gerald R. Doan – Conductor
Fifty-Third Season 2006–2007
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2006 “OVERTURE”
John Williams - The Star Spangled Banner (for the 2004 Rose Bowl)
This'll be interesting... it's the Star-Spangled Banner, but with some fancy orchestrations. The interesting will be seeing what the audience decides to do, stand or not stand, because it's a bit longer than the normal star spangled banner. By the way, the 2004 Rose Bowl saw USC beat Michigan 28-14, Matt Leinhart was the MVP.
Gabriel Faure - Overture to Pelleas & Melisande
Slow, pretty piece... Had fun during rehearsal using a pencil to change the composer's last name to "Favre"
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari - Overture to the Secret of Suzanne
Suzanne has a secret... The conductor told us what it was, apparently she keeps this secret from her husband throughout the whole opera. What is it? You'll hafta go to find out!
Otto Nicolai - Overture to the Merry Wives of Windsor
Jacques Offenbach - Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld
Very fun! Especially at the end, when it turns into the "Can-can" song. I'm curious to go see this opera now.
Engelbert Humperdink - Overture to Hansel & Gretel
Yes, Hansel and Gretel is an opera, not just a kids book! This opera has one of my favorite melodies in it, the Dance of the Sandmen... In the story, Hansel and Gretel drift off to sleep and the Sandmen show up (maybe they had too much sugar?)
Johann Strauss - Overture to Die Flederamus
This song kicks my ass. I'm gonna go practice it some more. :)
Guiseppi Verdi - Overture to La Forza del Destino
This translates to "The Force of Destiny." Sounds like a great name for a Star Wars prequel eh? Star Wars, Episode 0: The Force of Destiny
Johannes Brahms - Academic Festival Overture
Great song to end the concert!
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6 comments:
That is a fun and ironic theme for a concert! I find it amusing that you said Johannes Brahms Academic Festival Overture is a good "ending". My favorite is Engelbert Humperdink's. Won't you clue in Suzanne's secret to those of us who can't make it??
Marti the Worthy,
Ha ha, I had to think about that a second... I got it now!
Do you like Humperdink's song, or were you referring to my commentary on it?
And I will offer up Suzanne's secret in a later blog.
I'm a big fan of everything Engelbert Humperdink. A friend of mine from college got me into him.
Looks like a good concert - hooray for Fledermaus, which is in the Lyric Opera's season here in Chicago.
Just a note, though, Humperdinck is actually spelled with a C before the K...
I just copied and pasted from the email I got, so THEY spelled Humperdinck wrong. (What a fun name to say! Wasn't there a Prince Humperdinck on The Princess Bride?)
Wow, never heard of anyone getting into Humperdinck. I only know this one piece!
hahaha, you touched on the exact reason we first got into him (how can one not smile when saying his name?) And that led into us actually listening to his music.
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