Fabulous Opening Night kicks off Classics Series

Sep 4, 2008

For Immediate Release

Contact: Annie Matlow 326-3136

SPOKANE—The Spokane Symphony’s Classics Series Fabulous Opening Night will showcase virtuoso violinist Elina Vähälä and an unforgettable night of extraordinary music. Under the direction of Music Director Eckart Preu, the Spokane Symphony’s Fabulous Opening Night takes place in the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008, at 8 pm and Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008, at 3 pm.

A Gala Opening Night Celebration will be held at the Spokane Club before the Saturday, Sept. 13 performance. A limited number of tickets to this fundraising event for the Spokane Symphony are available by calling Carrie Ingham at 464-7077.

The season opening concert will begin with the witty overture of Abduction from the Seraglio by Mozart, followed by Max Bruch’s legendary Violin Concerto No. 1, performed by violinist Elina Vähälä. The concert will close with Richard Strauss’ spectacular Alpine Symphony.

Abduction from the Seraglio is one of Mozart’s fantastic operas, and was an instant hit upon its first performance. It contains a magical blend of high comedy and touching tragedy. The overture contains all of these emotions and is amusing and delightful. Max Bruch’s Violin Concert No. 1 is widely regarded as his most famous piece. It is a standard in violin repertoire and continues to be performed and recorded by violinists throughout the world.

The conclusion is Strauss’ exciting Alpine Symphony. Listeners are transported to a mountain in Bavaria where Strauss got caught during a ferocious storm. Strauss makes use of every orchestral resource available to him, including a wind machine and thunder machine! This programmatic piece depicts an entire day excursion on a mountain in the Bavarian Alps and took over four years to compose.

Violinist Vähälä is one of the most sought-after instrumentalists in the world. Her repertoire ranges from baroque to contemporary and she performs around the United States and the world as a soloist and chamber musician. Her most recent appearances include the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony, and performances at the Cartagena International Music Festival and the MIAGI Festival in South Africa.

Tickets on Saturday are $27, $37, $45, and $49. Tickets on Sunday are $23, $33, $41, and $45. Tickets are available in advance at the Spokane Symphony Ticket office, Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, or by calling 509-624-1200. Tickets are also available at all TicketsWest outlets or by calling 1-800-325-SEAT, or at spokanesymphony.org.

Sterling Savings Bank is the underwriter for this concert.

CALENDAR LISTING:

Fabulous Opening Night Classics Concert; Eckart Preu conducts the Spokane Symphony, Elina Vähälä; violin; Sept. 13 at 8:00 p.m. and Sept. 14 at 3:00 p.m. in the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox. Tickets are $23 to $49; call the Spokane Symphony Ticket Office at (509) 624-1200; tickets are also available at www.spokanesymphony.org and through all TicketsWest outlets or by calling 325-SEAT or 1-800-325-SEAT.