by Stephanie Manning
HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND:
Continuing to preview their European tour, The Cleveland Orchestra presents a program anchored by Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony at Blossom Music Center (Saturday at 7:00 pm). Music director Franz Welser-Möst leads, and pianist Víkingur Ólafsson (pictured) joins for Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto. Tickets available online.
This is a sneak peak at the group’s programs on tour — Ólafsson will appear with them again in Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia, and Austria.
For details on this and all other classical events, visit our Concert Listings.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The Canton Symphony Chorus has announced audition openings starting September 9. They rehearse Monday evenings and vocalists of all skill levels are welcome (though they must have graduated from at least high school). Those interested can fill out the audition form here.
On September 14, Severance Music Center will host its annual Hispanic Heritage Month concert. Sammy DeLeon y su Orquesta returns from last year, with Mariachi Sirenas as the opening act. The event is free but does require general admission tickets — reserve them here.
Les Délices now has various subscription packages available for their 2024-25 season. These include in-person and virtual options, which you can check out here. In addition, the early music group has announced the fifth season of their webseries and podcast SalonEra. Learn more here.
And, a few Cleveland Orchestra updates:
- Single tickets are now on sale for the entire 2024-25 season
- Two new concerts have been added — an all-Tchaikovsky program with pianist Yuja Wang (March 22-23) and “In the Fiddler’s House” with Itzhak Perlman (April 8)
TODAY’S ALMANAC:
August 16 — by Daniel Hathaway
Cleveland Orchestra Music Director Franz Welser-Möst was born in Linz, Austria, on this date in 1960. He took up conducting after a debilitating automobile accident forced an end to his violin career, and after a series of orchestral and operatic posts, was tapped for Cleveland beginning with the 2002-2003 season.
Welser-Möst’s book, From Silence, first published in Austria in July 2020 as Als ich die Stille fand, and available in English, chronicles the ups and downs of his career. According to a Cleveland Orchestra press release, “reviewers highlighted the book’s eclectic combination of autobiography, philosophical musings, and behind-the-scenes musical industry insight.”
August 17 — by Daniel Hathaway
Two deaths to take note of — harp guru Carlos Salzedo in Waterville, ME, and lyricist Ira Gershwin in Beverly Hills, CA. Click here to watch the Salzedo Harp Duo — Nancy Lendrim and Jody Guinn — play the composer’s “Steel” from Suite Pentacle on a Brownbag Concert at Cleveland’s Trinity Cathedral in April 2018.
And watch Who Could Ask for Anything More? A Celebration of Ira Gershwin at London’s Royal Albert Hall in November 1996, marking the centenary of his birth.
August 18 — by Jarrett Hoffman
On the one hand, Amadeus obscured the legacy of Italian composer and conductor Antonio Salieri, who turns 274 today. Its inaccuracies and outright falsehoods may elicit cringing from some history buffs, and you’d understand if Salieri turns over in his grave, or maybe worse, every time someone watches it.
But in a cruel way, he also owes his legacy to it. By 1868, his music had nearly vanished from the repertoire, only to be revisited due to — yes — Amadeus.
One example of his partially revitalized stature in the 20th and 21st centuries is 2003’s The Salieri Album from Italian coloratura mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli. It contains thirteen arias from his extensive operatic output, and is available on YouTube.
