Online Feature

The Classical Music Season Has It All in 2008-09

by Peggy Herrington

The 2008-09 Albuquerque classical season debuts this year with Opera Southwest’s pre-season gala, an “Afternoon of Masked Merriment” on Sunday, September 21. There will be a prize for the best masked ensemble in keeping with the operetta “Die Fledermaus” (“The Bat”), opening October 4 at the KiMo Theatre. Selections from the light-hearted operetta, champagne and hors d’oeuvres will be enjoyed before dancing to music by the “Waltz King” composer, Johann Strauss, Jr. Operettas are set to popular music and spoken dialog, rather like today’s Broadway musicals and, as von Eisenstein from Die Fledermaus philosophically declares, it’s best to blame it all on the champagne.

For sheer emotional impact, nothing compares to a night at the opera and Opera Southwest’s spring production marks their first performance of Gaetano Donizetti’s dramatic “Lucia di Lammermoor,” the story of a Scottish feud that causes madness in a young woman forced to marry a man she doesn’t love.

The New Mexico Symphony’s season debuts in September and includes a Beethoven festival with performances of the Symphony No. 5, four piano concerti and the “Missa Solemnis” featuring the acclaimed NMSO Chorus. Other season highlights are Mendelssohn’s “Elijah,” also featuring the NMSO Chorus, and Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1.

The Placitas Artist Series season is again anchored by Willy Sucre and Friends, some of the finest musicians both locally and from across the nation. Monthly performances in Las Placitas Presbyterian Church include “Montana Skies” (from finger-picking to flamenco, with the unusual pairing of cello, guitar, and modern electronic effects) in September, with string quartet performances in October, January and May. The Presidio Saxophone Quartet from the Tucson area performs in February, but save Sunday December 7 for Ronald Roybal, Santa Fe’s six-time Native American music award nominee, playing solo classical guitar and native instruments.

Chamber Music Albuquerque’s always fabulous season at Albuquerque Academy’s Simms Center brings stirring performances monthly from September through April 2009 (except December). If you’re limited to a single concert (and thank the muses you aren’t) go for the October concert by Red Priest, a success story on today’s international Early Music scene. Named after the flame-haired priest, Antonio Vivaldi, this extraordinary English ensemble redefines the art of baroque music performance, combining the fruits of extensive research with swashbuckling virtuosity, creative re-composition, heart-on-sleeve emotion and compelling stagecraft. They’re doing “Nightmare in Venice,” an appropriate pre-Halloween celebration.

If you can manage two, consider CMA’s November Copland House concert “An American Journey,” part of the Aaron Copland retrospective with the New Mexico Symphony. Copland House dazzled local audiences in their 2007 premier, and they hold a unique place on the music scene as perhaps our only American repertory ensemble dedicated to the rich repertoire of mid-20th century American composers.

In November, Albuquerque Chamber Soloists’ 18th season presents “Chinese Czechers and Beethoven,” performing music by Tan Dun, Vivian Fung and Dvorak, with Beethoven’s Septet in E-Flat Major, op. 20 for violin, viola, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, cello and double bass. January heralds Figueroas/Felbergs/Friends (And Fish) V (well-known local musical families) doing Schoenberg’s “Transfigured Night,” op. 4 and Schubert’s “Trout” quintet.” “Opus 66 on Route 66: Mendelssohn et al” in March presents the music of Ravel, Bartok, Berio and Mendelssohn. Check the Web site for performance details and venues.

Contemporary Chatter Chamber Ensemble’s season features the 20th Century music of Arvo Part and Luciano Berio in November at UNM’s Keller Hall followed in March by “A Twentieth Century Chamber Music Sampler” with the all-time favorites “Rocket Surgery” (for mallets and oboe) by Eric Walters, and Michael Torke’s “Telephone Book.” Chatter makes a special appearance at the UNM Composers Symposium in late March, performing music by John Donald Robb, Richard Hermann, Steven Block and others.

On September 21, the Bosque Chamber Music Society performs “America: The Melting Pot” at Shepherd of the Valley Presbyterian Church. “Saturn” by Armenian-American Alan Hovhaness -- a sonorous blend of voice, clarinet and piano that evokes an austere, yet fiery representation of the mysteries of the universe -- is presented with African-American composer William Grant Still’s “Miniatures” for oboe, flute and piano, a musical collage from various cultures including the U.S., Mexico and Peru. Native American Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s “Spirit Chief Names the Animal People” is also featured.

Set the holiday mood in early December with “A Bosque Baroque Christmas” featuring Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” and Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in G minor (“Christmas Concerto”) Op. 6/8, performed by violin, harpsichord and cello with students from the University of New Mexico.

If you missed the cancelled May performance by the Mendelssohn String Quartet, you’re in luck. This celebrated group is rescheduled for Sunday, September 14 at 3 p.m. at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Presented by “KHFM Performance Live,” their program includes Haydn’s String Quartet in F minor, Beethoven’s Quartet in F Major and Mendelssohn’s powerful Quartet in F minor.

Visit these websites for ticket and performance details:
Albuquerque Chamber Soloists abqcs.org
Bosque Chamber Society bosquemusic.org
Chamber Music Albuquerque cma-abq.org
Chatter Chamber Ensemble chatterchamber.org
KHFM Radio classicalkhfm.com
New Mexico Symphony Orchestra nmso.org
Opera Southwest operasouthwest.org
Placitas Artists Series placitasarts.org

Peggy Herrington holds a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of New Mexico and can be reached through www.pegboard.com.