LAKEPORT — The traditional Mothers Day concert of the Lake County Symphony will feature masterpieces from a number of Spanish composers and will include Flamenco dances from the music of Manuel deFalla, as well as vocalists singing selections from the Carmen Suite by Georges Bizet. A Flamenco dancer will be featured too.
The Youth Orchestra of Clear Lake Performing arts, which sponsors the concert, will also play two selections. Sue Condit, its conductor, said her young musicians will have invested many hours of rehearsal time for their performance.
John Parkinson, music director and conductor, promises a program that will warm the hearts of anyone with a love of Latin tempos. In fact, however, one of the most famed of the Spanish compositions, the opera “Carmen,” was written, not by a Spaniard but by a Frenchman. Georges Bizet wrote the opera in 1874 and leading vocalists ever since have clamored for the chance to sing the title and other songs. In the Mothers Day concert, vocalists will be Shelly Mascari and Carl Stewart.
Another popular Latin-American composer is also not Spanish. Ernesto Lecuona was born and raised in Cuba and most of his work took place either in his native country or in the United states. One of his most famous pieces has been chosen by Parkinson for the concert. Entitled “Malaguena” it has become almost an anthem to Cubans.
Manuel de Falla was born in Cadiz, but spent much of his musical career in the cities of Paris, Madrid and Granada. The Mothers Day Concert will feature the “Spanish Dance” selection from his “La Vida Breve” (Life is Short) and the “Ritual Fire Dance” from “El Amor Brujo” (Love the Magician.) The Flamenco dancer will bring her artistry to this presentation.
Other noted Spanish composers in the concert program will be Enrique Granados whose “Goyescas” are six pieces based on paintings from Spain”s most famed artist, Francisco Goya, with his “Intermezzo” selected for this concert, and Jaime Teixidor, the Spanish military bandmaster who wrote more than 500 pieces in his lifetime, including his best known, “Amparito Roca.”
The concert will take place at 3 p.m. May 8 at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre on Main Street in Lakeport. General admission is $20 and $15 for CLPA members.
For the first time in its 34 year history, CLPA will offer advance-purchase reserved seating, available for a $5 surcharge.
A full-dress rehearsal will take place at 11 a.m., to which all youths younger than 18 will be admitted free. General Admission to the rehearsal is $5. Advance-purchase tickets may be bought online at www.soperreesetheatre.org or at the Soper-Reese box office Wednesdays between noon and three pm., at the Lower Lake Coffee House or at Catfish Books in the Willow Tree Plaza in Lakeport.
