June 08, 2012
Music Festival events set in Williamson County
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois Music Festival, hosted by Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s School of Music, brings several of the highlight performances of the festival to Williamson County this year.
The theme for this year’s festival is “Turn of the Century Masters: Strauss, Stravinsky, Puccini and Rachmaninov.” Professional musicians and performers from Ballet Austin, the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Winter Opera St. Louis, the Stretta Quartet, and SIU Carbondale’s School of Music faculty and the New Arts Jazztet help make the SI Music Festival what its founder, Professor Edward Benyas, also artistic director of the festival and orchestra conductor, wanted it to be. Benyas imagined a multi-venue festival bringing professional musicians to the Southern Illinois region to give area residents the opportunity to experience a level of musicianship and performance often available only at much larger venues for much higher ticket prices.
Beginning at 7:30 p.m. on June 15, an orchestral performance of “Symphonic Dances” comes to Carterville High School. The Festival Orchestra, with members of the Chicago Chamber Orchestra at its heart and featuring piano soloist Kara Benyas, presents Sergei Rachmaninov’s “Symphonic Dances.” In addition, the ensemble and soloist will perform the orchestral tone poem, “Don Juan,” composed by Richard Strauss.
On June 22 (7:30 p.m.) and June 24 (2 p.m.) opera takes the stage at Carterville High School. The new facility is well-suited to performances such as this, with no bad seat in the house, and some of the latest in staging technology. The opera is “La Bohème,” a romantic four-act story about a group of artistic bohemians, and the loves, escapades, and financial misadventures that mark their lives.
The opera is sung in Italian with English supertitles projected above the stage. Featured performers include Gary Seydell (Philadelphia) as the lover Rodolfo, Gina Galati (St. Louis), as the beloved Mimi, and SIU Carbondale alumnus Eric McCluskey as Marcello.
Come to the pre-opera lecture at 12:30 p.m. on June 24 presented by Mark Frieman, stage director and performer. The lecture is free.
Traditionally, the festival includes ballet. This year, the ballet comes to the Marion Cultural and Civic Center, with performances today (June 8) at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday (June 9) at 2 p.m. The Southern Illinois Music Festival Dance Company, based at Susan Barnes’ Willow Street Studios, under the direction of Sydelle Fulk, and the Festival Orchestra, present two of Igor Stravinsky’s ballets, “Petruchka,” and “The Firebird.” Professional dancers, including principal dancers Preston Patterson and Brittany Strickland, both from Ballet Austin, will make this ballet an unforgettable experience.
“Petruchka” is one of the ballets that made Vaslav Nijinsky famous. It is the story of the puppet, Petruchka, coming to life and his unrequited love for the Ballerina, and his ghostly revenge. The “Firebird” tells of Prince Ivan, his quest for the hand of the tsarevna, the opposition presented by the evil sorcerer Kostchei, and the mysterious and magical Firebird. Both ballets recently turned 100 years old, and both are recognized as important contributions to 20th century music and dance.
Come for the pre-ballet lecture by David Tuttle, personnel manager for the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, in the lobby at 1:15 p.m. The lecture is free.
A concert held at First Baptist Church in Marion on June 14, beginning at 7:30 p.m., will benefit Harrisburg rebuilding efforts after the devastating tornado that tore through the city earlier this year. Piano soloist Kara Benyas joins the Festival Orchestra for this performance.
For full information, including artist biographies and driving directions, visit the website at www.sifest.com.
A by-city listing of Williamson County events is here:
CARTERVILLE
June 15
• Symphonic Dances, featuring the music of Rachmaninov and Strauss, with Kara Benyas, piano, and the Festival Orchestra, 7:30 p.m., Carterville High School, tickets $20/$10.
June 16
• Klassics for Kids, 10 a.m., Carterville Fine Arts Academy, free.
Klassics for Kids is an interactive concert designed for the very youngest listeners. The setting is an informal, fun place to teach children about listening to music, and about different styles of music and music performance. Large groups, such as day cares and summer schools, are encouraged to attend and do not need reservations.
June 22
• Opera: La Bohème, 7:30 p.m., Carterville High School, tickets $25/$15/$8.
June 24
• Opera: La Bohème, 2 p.m., Carterville High School, tickets $25/$15/$8; pre-opera lecture at 12:30 p.m. presented by Mark Frieman, stage director and performer, free.
MARION
June 8
• Ballet: Petruchka and Firebird, 7:30 p.m., Marion Cultural and Civic Center, tickets $25/$15/$8.
June 9
• Klassics for Kids, 11 a.m., Marion Cultural and Civic Center, free.
Klassics for Kids is an interactive concert designed for the very youngest listeners. The setting is an informal, fun place to teach children about listening to music, and about different styles of music and music performance. Large groups, such as day cares and summer schools, are encouraged to attend and do not need reservations.
• Ballet: Petruchka and Firebird, 2 p.m., Marion Cultural and Civic Center, tickets $25/$15/$8; pre-ballet lecture by David Tuttle in the lobby at 1:15 p.m., free.
June 14
• Concert to Benefit Harrisburg Tornado Rebuilding, featuring Kara Benyas, piano, and the Festival Orchestra, 7:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, tickets are $20/$10.