by Daniel Hathaway
Although the momentum of musical events in Northeast Ohio typically slows down after the December holidays, and The Omicron Variant — which sounds like a new Robert Ludlum spy thriller — has led to a few cancellations and postponements this time around, the concert calendar still offers an interesting variety of performances. Here’s a rundown.
ORCHESTRAS
The Cleveland Orchestra welcomes Franz Welser-Möst back to town to lead three programs and the local debuts of two new works. On January 6, 7, and 8, Hans Abrahamsen’s Vers le silence shares a program featuring Igor Levit (pictured above) in Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto, and on the 13th, 14th, and 15th, Bernd Richard Deutsch’s Intensity will separate two symphonies — Mozart’s No. 36 and Dvořák’s No. 8.
Vinay Parameswaran will lead The Cleveland Orchestra and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Chorus on January 16 in the 42nd annual event celebrating the slain civil rights leader, in whose honor the Orchestra will also host a Community Day on January 17. The latter event features performances by the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, Youth Chorus, members of The Cleveland Orchestra, and a gospel ensemble. [The January 16 concert has now been postponed to Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 7:00 pm. The January 17 event is also postponed, new date TBA.]
The Akron Symphony has postponed two January-February concerts to the spring and summer, but the Youngstown Symphony will feature Cleveland Orchestra assistant concertmaster Stephen Tavani in the Brahms Concerto on January 16, and the Cleveland Pops will welcome jazz trumpeter and vocalist Byron Stripling as guest artist in a Severance performance on January 22.
OPERA
While Grand Opera remains an elusive art form in these parts, micro operas are alive and flourishing, and viewers can enjoy nine of them courtesy of Baldwin Wallace Voice Performance, Cleveland Opera Theater, and On Site Opera in three online broadcasts on January 14, 15, and 16. There’ll be an opportunity to talk back with the composers and librettists at the end of each half-hour performance. Details in our Concert Listings. [Note: these events have been rescheduled for February.] [Read more…]