Redlands Symphony Celebrates Spring

REDLANDS>> Ransom Wilson will conduct the Redlands Symphony in a presentation of the music of Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann Saturday, April 8, 2017 at 8 p.m. in Memorial Chapel on the campus of the University of Redlands. Doors open at 7 p.m. and there will be a pre-concert talk by Maestro Wilson starting at 7:30 p.m. “In the Beautiful Month of May will be an evening of music like we’ve never presented before at the Redlands Symphony,” explained Maestro Ransom Wilson. “We will be combing the beautifully moving songs of Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann with a fully staged performance with the flavor of a Paris cafe, featuring the Redlands Symphony and the remarkable voice of soprano, Mary Mackenzie. It’s an evening for both music lovers and those who appreciate fine theater.” Wilson explains that noted opera and stage director A. Scott Parry has designed the production which will create a setting evoking the feel of a Paris café by bringing some of the audience on stage to sit in the middle of the music and the movement. “The musical portion of the performance will last about 75 minutes," Wilson said. “We will have a short intermission and then I will join Ms. Mckenzie and Mr. Parry on stage for a conversation about the music, the composers and the presentation. It will be a full and rich experience for our audience; something that will both entertain, educate and enlighten.” Franz Schubert is ranked among the greatest composers of the late Classical and early Romantic eras and is one of the most frequently performed composers of the early nineteenth century, Paul Ideker, President and CEO of The Redlands Symphony stated in a news release. Schubert died before his 32nd birthday, but was prolific during his lifetime. Composers like Mendelssohn, Schumann, Liszt and Brahms discovered and championed his work after his death. Robert Schumann is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era, Ideker said. Schumann’s early works were composed exclusively for the piano. After 1840, he composed for both piano and orchestra as well as producing several pieces for piano and voice. He died in 1856 from a mental illness. Described by the New York Times as “a soprano of extraordinary agility and concentration,” and the Boston Globe as “sensational,” Mackenzie has captured the attention of audiences throughout the United States. A performer of contemporary vocal music, Mackenzie has collaborated with Pierre Boulez, John Harbison, Richard Danielpour, and James Primosch; and works closely with young composers to develop and premiere new works for voice. As a chamber musician she has appeared with the American Contemporary Music Ensemble, the Chameleon Arts Ensemble of Boston, Collage New Music, the Continuum Ensemble, Ekmeles, the Da Capo Chamber Players, Fulcrum Point New Music Project, The Juilliard School’s AXIOM Ensemble and New Juilliard Ensemble, Le Train Bleu, the Metropolis Ensemble and the Talea Ensemble. Notable solo appearances include Harbison’s Closer to My Own Life with the Albany Symphony; Elliott Carter’s Warble for Lilac Time with the American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall; Jean Barraqué's Chant Aprés Chant with the Juilliard Percussion Ensemble at Alice Tully Hall; Boulez’s Improvisations sur Mallarmé Nos. 1 & 2 for the composer’s 85th birthday celebration at Columbia University’s Miller Theatre; Reinbert De Leeuw’s Im wunderschönen Monat Mai at the Bravo Vail Festival; Héctor Parra’s Hypermusic: Ascension at the Guggenheim Museum; Schoenberg’s String Quartet No. 2 with the Borromeo String Quartet; and Pierrot Lunaire at Town Hall Seattle and the Rockport Music Festival. Mackenzie made her professional opera debut as Despina in Così fan tutte with Madison Opera, and appeared as Sister Léonide in the world premiere of Matt Marks’ and Paul Peers’ Mata Hari at the 2017 Prototype Festival in New York City. Mackenzie's recordings include John Harbison’s Closer to My Own Life with the Albany Symphony (Albany), John Harbison: Songs After Hours (Albany), Cathedral Music with the 21st Century Consort, performing James Primosch’s Sacred Songs and Meditations (Albany), Louis Karchin: To the Sun and Stars, performing To the Sun (Bridge), and The Opera America Songbook album, performing Richard Danielpour’s Homeward. She recently finished recording an album of song cycles by Daniel Crozier, John Harbison, James Primosch, and Ned Rorem with pianist Heidi Louise Williams for Albany Records. Tickets starting at $15 are available online at www.redlandssymhony, com or by calling the box office at (909) 587-5565. Tickets can also be purchased on concert night at the door.