PSO POPS! Brings Cirque de la Symphonie to Merrill Auditorium, October 24 and 25

PORTLAND, Maine – For the first Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) POPS! performance of the 85th anniversary season, Music Director Robert Moody leads the PSO along with performance troupe Cirque de la Symphonie for an spectacular collaboration of cirque artists and full orchestra, sharing the stage of Merrill Auditorium.

A dazzling partnership to match the PSO's impeccable artistry, the Duluth News Tribune called Cirque de la Symphonie "…stellar entertainment, with a lush-sounding orchestra and [cirque performers] taking us beyond what seems possible." It's an exciting adaptation of artistic performances widely seen in theaters and arenas everywhere, and it showcases many of the best cirque artists in the world, bedazzling the audience with aerial flyers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, balancers, and strongmen. Audiences will hear Dvorak's Carnival Overture, dramatic excerpts from Bizet's Carmen, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Khachaturian's Gayane and Masquerade, Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 and more. These powerful orchestral works amplify the visual effects of classic cirque artistry as the music literally comes to life.

Sponsored by L.L. Bean, Cirque de la Symphonie will take place at Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street in Portland, Saturday at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2:30 PM. The shows are recommended for the entire family (ages 8 and up).

The PSO's 2009-10 season is sponsored by IDEXX Laboratories. Tickets range from $20-$64 and are available through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. Phone and internet orders are subject to $6-per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 PM. Special pricing may be available for students, seniors, and groups of 10 or more.

For complete season information, including artist biographies; program notes; and Online Insights, provided with support from season Enrichment Sponsor Fairpoint Communications; visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

Portland Symphony Orchestra Features Concertmaster Charles Dimmick in Performances of Brahms, Berg, and Sibelius, October 27

October 7, 2009 - PORTLAND, Maine – The Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) and Music Director Robert Moody presents a program titled "It Is Enough" on Tuesday, October 27 at Merrill Auditorium with music by Brahms, Berg and Sibelius, and featuring a solo performance by PSO concertmaster Charles Dimmick.

"It Is Enough" opens with Brahms' lively Academic Festival Overture, composed in 1880 as a "thank you" to the University of Breslau for awarding him an honorary doctorate, and based on boisterous student drinking songs of the time. The powerful Violin Concerto by Berg, with PSO Concertmaster Charles Dimmick in the soloist role, is often considered a "double requiem" for the daughter of a close friend as well as for Berg himself, who died shortly after finishing the piece. Sibelius' vivid, fresh and powerful Symphony No. 2, often connected with Finland's struggle for independence, will close the program.

Charles Dimmick joined the Portland Symphony Orchestra as a member of the violin section in 1999, and became Concertmaster of the orchestra in 2002. Dimmick, also Concertmaster of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project and a member of the Rhode Island Philharmonic, began playing the violin at age 5, and has worked with the Tokyo and Juilliard String Quartets. He attended the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center, and performed as a soloist with the University of Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra, Maine Mid-Coast Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic and Miami Valley Symphony.

Sponsored by Verrill Dana, "It Is Enough" will take place at Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street, at 7:30 PM. Tickets range from $20-$70 and are available through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. Phone and internet orders are subject to $6-per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 PM.

A Concert Conversation with Robert Moody and Charles Dimmick precedes the performance at 6:15 PM and the concert will be followed by a PostConcert Q&A with the artists. A live recorded broadcast of the concert can be heard on Maine Public Broadcasting Network on Wednesday, November 11, 2009.

Audience members are also invited to attend Afterglow, a new afterparty at Restaurant Grace immediately following all Tuesday Classical performances. Patrons can mingle with the artists while supporting the PSO, as Restaurant Grace will donate a portion of the evening's proceeds to the PSO.

Students in grades 5 and up are invited to attend the open dress rehearsal on Monday, October 26 at 10:00 AM. Dress rehearsals are free, but space is limited and reservations are required. Email education@portlandsymphony.com or call (207) 773-6128 ext. 308 for more information.

The PSO's 2009-10 season is sponsored by IDEXX Laboratories. For complete season information, including artist biographies; program notes; and Online Insights, provided with support from season Enrichment Sponsor Fairpoint Communications; visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

Portland Symphony Orchestra Achieves Balanced Budget Following New Music Director's Inaugural Season

Organization successfully meets first benchmark in 3-year plan for sustainability

PORTLAND, Maine – After a challenging year that included budget cuts, layoffs and endowment losses, the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) achieved a balanced budget for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2009, bolstered by record attendance at universally acclaimed performances during the inaugural season of Music Director Robert Moody. The first step for Maine's largest performing arts organization on its overall path to fiscal health, ending the year in the black represents a significant milestone, particularly during a period of extraordinary economic adversity.

Preliminary audit results, excluding one-time initiatives, show operating revenues of $2,806,000 and expenses of $2,799,000. The process of reaching the balanced budget required an extensive evaluation of the net impact for all operating activities, followed by the implementation of a mid-year contingency plan which reduced expenses from administration and artistic operations by $150,000.

This represents the first time that the PSO finished the year in the black following nine consecutive years of deficits. During the 2008-2009 fiscal year, the PSO was also successful in paying off its $250,000 line of credit, leaving it with no bank debt. However, the PSO has sustained endowment losses resulting in a still-unhealthy ratio of a $2.5 million endowment to $2.4 million in operating expenses. The organization also needs to build sufficient cash reserves to cover current operations.

"It's been a true collaboration to reach this point," said executive director Ari Solotoff. "Each of the organization's stakeholders – musicians, Trustees, and staff – rallied behind the urgent need to 'get healthy.' We're certainly not out of the woods yet, but we are very proud to have achieved the first major benchmark in our three-year plan to restore fiscal health."

In March 2009, the Board of Trustees adopted a three-year Sustainability Plan and Bridge Initiative. The Plan is part of the PSO's new approach to producing quality core artistic experiences and education programs, while operating within known financial limitations. Bridge Initiative funding to date includes $704,000 in one-time gifts, grants and pledges, committed over three years, to restore cash reserves and allow the PSO to reinvest in its musicians, with 85% of gifts coming from individual donors.

Both public and private sectors have played a role in the PSO's progress towards sustainability, with diverse funders including corporations such as IDEXX Laboratories and organizations like the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, Sam L. Cohen Foundation, and the Maine Arts Commission all contributing invaluable support. The PSO increasingly relies on private philanthropy, currently 45% of its operating revenues.

"We want to assure the community that we continue to take steps to preserve this cultural treasure for future generations," said PSO Board President Gordon Gayer. "This is welcome news, and we are grateful to our audiences and funders as we enter our 85th year. The Trustees also recognize that we're only in the first phase of the plan to become financially healthy, and we need the community to help us reach that goal."

Excitement around the inaugural season of Music Director Robert Moody resulted in an increase in both attendance and donations. The season was capped off by a sold-out Endowment Benefit Concert with internationally-renowned soprano Renée Fleming. Attendance at concerts increased over the previous year by 18%to 26,000, while ticket income increased 23% to $1.6 million. The number of donors increased by 8%, with a 5% increase in contributed income totaling $1.2 million.

Solotoff continued, "Last year was difficult for so many individuals and businesses. We were humbled by the response of the community and learned the immense value that orchestral music and live performances can have for people during challenging times. We still have more peaks to climb to make progress towards fiscal health and to invest in our musicians, who consistently perform at such extraordinary levels of artistry."

About the Portland Symphony Orchestra:
Serving the city of Portland, the state of Maine, and northern New England, the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is the largest performing arts organization in Maine. With critically acclaimed performances and broad community engagement, the PSO is widely regarded as one of the top symphony orchestras of its size in the country. Established in 1923, 2009-10 marks Music Director Robert Moody's second season, and the organization's 85th anniversary season. For more information about the PSO visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

PORTopera’s 15th Anniversary Gala Concert Features Internationally Acclaimed Singers

PORTopera's 15th Anniversary Gala Concert Features Internationally Acclaimed Singers

PORTLAND, Maine – On July 30th, seven nationally and internationally recognized opera singers will take the stage at Merrill Auditorium in celebration of PORTopera's 15th Anniversary season. The Gala's featured singers will present selections from the company's past productions, as well as pieces from operas under consideration for future years, accompanied by a full orchestra.

Directed by PORTopera's Artistic Director Dona D. Vaughn, the concert will be conducted by Robert Moody, celebrated Music Director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Featured singers for the concert include PORTopera past guest artists: Pamela Armstrong (soprano), Jeneice Golbourne (mezzo-soprano), Sandra Lopez (soprano), Michael Mayes (baritone), Lauren McNeese (mezzo-soprano), Jan Opalach (bass-baritone), and Gaston Rivero (tenor).

Pamela Armstrong, a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, has appeared in countless productions across the United States, Europe, and has even appeared as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Vienna State Opera in Beijing, China. Other leading roles include Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, the title role in Susannah, and Mimi in La Bohème. Armstrong made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and Opera Pacific in the 2001-2002 season, and recently returned to Europe to sing the role of the Countess in Toulouse, France. She appeared in La Bohème for PORTopera in 1999.

Jeniece Golbourne's career highlights include singing the lead role in Carmen and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, both at the Manhattan School of Music, and Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Westminster Opera Theater. A graduate of Westminster Choir College and the Manhattan School of Music, Golbourne has a master's degree in Voice Performance. She has performed in the U.S. from California to New York and has even crossed the ocean to appear at concerts in Germany with the Deutsche Kammeracademie Neuss am Rhein Orchestra and Würzberg Orchestra. Golbourne sang Lola in PORTopera's Cavalleria Rusticana in 2004.

Sandra Lopez has captivated audiences across the country, appearing as Catherine in the premier run of A View from the Bridge at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, the title role in Tosca, Mimi in La Bohème, and many other performances in Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Connecticut and Massachusetts. She has been the recipient of numerous prizes, awards and grants, including winning the Metropolitan Opera Competition, receiving a Grand Prize with the Florida Grand Opera Young Patroness Association, receiving a Career Grant from the George London Foundation, and being honored as a World Finalist in the Luciano Pavarotti Competition. She has appeared in several PORTopera productions: Carmen in 2005, Pagliacci and Cavalleria Rusticana in 2004 and Faust in 2002.

Michael Mayes has been recognized by the opera world internationally for his masculine presence and stage command. In companies like the Madison Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Palm Beach Opera and more, Mayes has recently appeared as the title role in Don Giovanni, Marcello in La Bohème and Morales in Carmen. Here in Portland, he took on the role of Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette for PORTopera. Abroad, he has appeared in conjunction with La Fenice in Castel-Franco Veneto, Italy. Past honors he has received include 3rd place at the Metropolitan National Council Auditions in Chicago, and the Entergy Young Texas Artist Competition Vocalist Award among others.

Lauren McNeese, whose voice has been described as "creamy", has appeared in the Los Angeles-staged, Woody Allen production of Gianni Schicchi as La Ciesca. In addition to her appearance at the PORTopera Gala celebration this summer, she will also travel to Italy to reprise this role in the Festival dei Due Mondi. In a 2007 PORTopera production of The Barber of Seville, Lauren played the role of Rosina, and also performed the following season in Roméo et Juliette. A graduate of the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center of Lyric Opera of Chicago, McNeese will make her debut at the Arizona Opera this coming season in addition to returning to the Los Angeles Opera to sing in Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung.

Jan Opalach has been hailed as one of the most versatile vocalists in the U.S. Playing in both dramatic and comic roles, he has appeared with the Oratorio Society of Washington and New York, the Handel Festival Orchestra, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and Musica Sacra, and the New York City Opera. He has performed in two PORTopera shows: Don Giovanni in 2006 and The Barber of Seville in 2007. Opalach has recorded a number of works, including Igor Stravinsky's Renard/Pulcinella, Wolpe's Quintet with Voice and more. His awards include the 1979 Metropolitan Opera National Auditions, the 1980 Walter M. Naumburg Vocal Competition, and the 1981 International Vocal Competition at s'Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands.

Tenor Gaston Rivero made his debut performance in New York City in Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme on Broadway in 2003 and has since performed a number of roles on the operatic stage. The young Uruguayan-American sang Roméo in PORTopera's 2008 production of Roméo et Juliette. Other roles include Don José in Carmen and B.F. Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, among others, at Deutsche Oper Berlin, L'Opéra de Lausanne, Opera Carolina and more. Rivero also frequently appears at Carnegie Hall in New York. He has received numerous awards, including the Deutsche Oper Berlin Award in 2009 and the Vidda Award from Opera Orchestra of New York for the 2007-2008 season.

The July 30th PORTopera Anniversary Concert will feature selections from: Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, Verdi's La Traviata, Puccini's La Boheme, Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci, Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Bizet 's Carmen. Tickets range from $38 to $100 plus PortTix handling fees, and may be purchased at www.porttix.com, by calling (207) 842-0800, or by visiting the PortTix box office Monday through Saturday from noon to 6:00 p.m.

For more information about the concert and other PORTopera 15th anniversary events, visit www.portopera.org.

Portland Symphony Announces 2009-10 Season

Portland Symphony Orchestra Announces 2009-10
85th Anniversary Season, 30th Anniversary of Magic of Christmas

• Concerts include actors, dancers, and multimedia components
• Two programs with vocal soloists and full chorus
• Guest artists include Dame Evelyn Glennie, Yuja Wang, and mandolin phenom Chris Thile

PORTLAND, Maine – For the Portland Symphony Orchestra's 85th anniversary, Music Director Robert Moody guides Maine's premier orchestra through the 2009-10 concert season filled with traditional and new works of classical repertoire, internationally celebrated guest artists and an entertaining variety of Pops and contemporary musical offerings. The PSO's 2009-10 season is sponsored by IDEXX Laboratories.

Among the many guests visiting Merrill Auditorium are Dame Evelyn Glennie in her first PSO appearance in 15 years; mandolin legend Chris Thile; pianist Yuja Wang; Byron Stripling on trumpet; and vocalists Natalie Fagnan, Mary Phillips, Lisa Saffer, John McVeigh and Timothy Jones. Guest ensembles include members of the Portland Stage Company, Choral Art Society, Cirque de la Symphonie, and Maine's very own Motor Booty Affair. Guest conductors include Matthew Fritz, Conductor of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic's "Discovery" Series; Alfred Savia, Music Director of the Evansville Philharmonic; Scott Terrell, Resident Conductor at Charleston Symphony; and Matthew Troy, Assistant Conductor at the Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra.

The PSO performs two premieres: the New England premiere of Concerto for Mandolin, a new work by Chris Thile co-commissioned by the PSO; and the Maine premiere of Chasing Light… by Joseph Schwantner, part of Ford Made in America Consortium, a partnership program of the League of American Orchestras and Meet the Composer.

Music Director Robert Moody said, "Our commitment to the greatest masterworks in our repertory is unbending. At the same time, we are also exploring works which are not yet part of the canon, but perhaps will be one day. I will always try to pair music that might challenge us a bit with "tried and true" music from the repertory. Pairing Brett Dietz's Headcase with Ravel and Mozart is an example of that approach. None of us will be here in 100 years to know for sure which works survive and thrive, but it is an immense privilege, and great responsibility, to be part of that initial journey."

Another first for the PSO this year will be two performances of Mahler's Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection," which will close both the Tuesday Classical and Sunday Classical series. Executive Director Ari Solotoff explains: "Performing a work as powerful and momentous as Mahler's Resurrection Symphony is something that many orchestras aspire to. However it's a very expensive program, requiring chorus, soloists, and many more musicians than we usually have onstage. Having this program close both of our classical series makes it possible for more people to experience this incredible music. It is also a great example of the kind of efficient and strategic thinking we are using during these economically challenging times, as two performances of the same program can be more cost-effective than one."

"We've enjoyed 85 years of incredible music making with the PSO, but this year will be transformative," added Gordon Gayer, President of the PSO Board of Trustees. "At the same time the PSO continues to provide quality programming and educational activities in an economically sustainable way, our 2009-10 season promises to reinforce why the PSO is such an integral part of Portland's community and culture."

Music Director Moody adds, "I have always looked to music as an outlet and a celebration of all that life has to offer, especially during times of challenge. This season is all about experiences that are energetic, 'electric,' poignant, evolving, inspiring, entertaining, and moving. If we do our job right, people should still be recovering from the goose-bumps, and remembering this 85th anniversary season, for a long time to come."

Tuesday Classical:
Six concerts on Tuesdays at 7:30 PM

Tuesday, October 6, 2009: Heroes and the American Dream
Robert Moody, conductor
Actors from Portland Stage Company

• Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, "Eroica"
• Boyer: Ellis Island: The Dream of America

Celebrates the American immigrant experience and the American dream. Brings elements of theatre and multimedia into the concert hall, employing actors and projected historical images from the Ellis Island archives.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009: It Is Enough
Robert Moody, conductor
Charles Dimmick, violin

• Brahms: Academic Festival Overture
• Berg: Violin Concerto
• Sibelius: Symphony No. 2

Tuesday, February 16, 2010: Rach and Romance
Robert Moody, conductor
Yuja Wang, piano

• John Adams: The Chairman Dances
• Hanson: Symphony No. 2, "Romantic"
• Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2

Tuesday, March 9, 2010: Life, Death, Transfiguration
Robert Moody, conductor
Natalie Fagnan, soprano; John McVeigh, tenor; boy soprano tba
Choral Art Society

• Theofanidis: Rainbow Body
• Richard Strauss: Tod und Verklärung ("Death and Transfiguration")
• Andrew Lloyd Webber: Requiem

Tuesday, April 6, 2010: Sounds and Light
Alfred Savia, guest conductor
Evelyn Glennie, percussion
Sponsored by Verrill Dana, LLP

• Schwantner: Chasing Light… (Maine premiere)
• Beethoven: Symphony No. 8
• Masson: Snare drum Concerto
• Joe Duddell: Snowblind for solo percussion and strings
• Ravel: Bolero

The Portland Symphony PSO's performance of Joseph Schwantner's Chasing Light…is part of Ford Made in America, a partnership program of the League of American Orchestras and Meet The Composer.

Ford Made in America is made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company.

Major support is also provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional funding from The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts, and The Amphion Foundation.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010: Mighty Mahler
Robert Moody, conductor
Lisa Saffer, soprano; Mary Phillips, mezzo soprano
Choral Art Society

• Mahler: Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection"

Sunday Classical:
Four concerts on Sundays at 2:30 PM

Sunday, November 8, 2009: Great Stories to Tell!
Robert Moody, conductor
Narrator, dancers tba

• Respighi: Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite 1
• Mendelssohn: Selections from A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Stravinsky: L'histoire du Soldat ("A Soldier's Tale")

Sunday, January 24, 2010: Head and Heart
Robert Moody, conductor
Timothy Jones, baritone

• Ravel: Pavane pour une infante defunte ("Pavane for a dead princess")
• Mozart: Symphony No. 25, "Little G minor"
• Dietz: Headcase

A musical journey through a major stroke that the composer suffered when he was 29. Incorporates voice, electronic sounds, and projected images.

Sunday, March 28, 2010: Chris Thile in Concert with the PSO
Scott Terrell, guest conductor
Chris Thile, mandolin

• Copland: Appalachian Spring (Original Version)
• Schoenberg: Verklärte nacht ("Transfigured Night ")
• Thile: Concerto for Mandolin (PSO co-commission, New England premiere)

Sunday, May 2, 2010: Mighty Mahler
Robert Moody, conductor
Lisa Saffer, soprano; Mary Phillips, mezzo soprano
Choral Art Society

• Mahler: Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection"

PSO Pops!:
Four concerts on Saturdays at 7:30 PM
Four concerts on Sundays at 2:30 PM

October 24 - 25, 2009: Cirque de la Symphonie
Robert Moody, conductor
Sponsored by L.L. Bean

• Ring juggling, magic, contortionists, aerial artistry on silk fabrics etc. to dramatic light classical music (no amplification) like Bizet's Carmen, Khatchaturian Sabre Dance, Tchaikovsky Swan Lake. It's like Cirque du Soleil backed by a full symphony orchestra.

November 14 - 15, 2009: Tribute to Louis Armstrong
Matthew Fritz, guest conductor
Byron Stripling, trumpet and vocals
Sponsored by Holiday Inn By the Bay and New England Coffee

• Singing and playing in the legendary style of Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, world-renowned trumpet virtuoso Byron Stripling lights up the stage!

February 20 – 21, 2010: Isn't It Romantic?
Matthew Troy, guest conductor

• The most romantic love duets from Broadway shows throughout the ages.

April 24 - 25: Play that Funky Music, PSO!
Robert Moody, conductor
Motor Booty Affair, guest ensemble

• Is that Robert Moody in a white Saturday Night Fever leisure suit? PSO pays tribute to the music of the 70's.

Magic of Christmas:
Eleven performances
Sponsored by Hannaford Supermarkets, IDEXX Laboratories, Northeast Delta Dental

December 11 – 20, 2009: 30th Anniversary Season
Robert Moody, conductor

• Celebrating 30 years of Magic! Guest artists and program details to be announced in May 2009.

Pricing and Ticket Information:

• Tuesday Classical subscription prices: $114 - $351
• Sunday Classical subscription prices: $52 - $168
• PSO Pops! subscription prices: $68 - $218
• Magic of Christmas ticket prices: $25 - $55

Special pricing is available for students, seniors, and groups of 10 or more.

Subscriptions and Magic of Christmas tickets now on sale. Single tickets for all series concerts on sale beginning September 1, 2009. Order through PortTix at 207-842-0800 or visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

Local Composer and Professor to Present Pre-Concert Lecture at Elijah, March 31

Composer and Bowdoin Music Professor Elliott Schwartz to Present Pre-Concert Lecture on Mendelssohn's Elijah, March 31

PORTLAND, Maine – In celebration of the 200th anniversary of Felix Mendelssohn's birth, Portland's Choral Art Society will perform Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah in its full splendor on Tuesday, March 31, at Merrill Auditorium. Local composer and Bowdoin Professor of Music Elliott Schwartz will present a lecture in the auditorium before the concert, at 6:30 p.m.

Born and raised in New York City, Elliott Schwartz studied composition at Columbia University. In 1964 he began teaching at Bowdoin College, where he chaired the Music department for twelve 12 years, and is now the Robert K. Beckwith Professor of Music. A prolific composer, lecturer and author, Schwartz's works have been performed by orchestras around the world.

A hallmark among 19th century oratorios, Elijah depicts the dramatic story of the Old Testament prophet Elijah, who, according to the Book of Kings, raised the dead, brought fire down from the sky, and ascended to Heaven in a whirlwind. Mendelssohn evokes the full power of this dramatic story in his setting for orchestra and chorus.

The Choral Art Society will perform Elijah under the baton of music director Robert Russell, with the 120 voice Masterworks Chorus, members of the Portland Symphony Orchestra, and guest soloists Lisa Saffer (soprano), Jennifer DeDominici (mezzo-soprano), John McVeigh (tenor) and Philip Cutlip (bass). Cutlip returns to Portland following his memorable performance in Brahms's Requiem in 2008. Portland resident Lisa Saffer is well known for her performances in the operas of Handel, many of which have been released on the Harmonia Mundi label.

Elijah will be performed at Portland's Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street, Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m., with the lecture starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets range from $15-$47 and are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or http://www.porttix.com/. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle Street, Monday through Saturday, from noon to 6 p.m.

About The Choral Art Society:
The Choral Art Society is comprised of more than 150 members who perform in three distinct ensembles: the symphonic Masterworks Chorus; the mid-sized Choral Art Singers; and the intimate a cappella Camerata. All singers are skilled amateurs, selected by audition. The Society offers an annual concert series and appears regularly as guests of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Robert Russell, professor of music at the University of Southern Maine, is the conductor and artistic director of The Choral Art Society.

For more information about The Choral Art Society and the 2008-09 performances visit http://www.choralart.org/ or call (207) 828-0043.

PSO Presents a Tribute to Dance, April 4-5

PSO Pops! Presents Dance! Dance! Dance! April 4-5

Concert is part of the first national food drive sponsored by America's symphony orchestras

PORTLAND, Maine – Music Director Robert Moody leads the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO), guest ensemble Neos Dance Theatre and tap dancer Fred Strickler in a dynamic PSO POPS! tribute to dance and dancers through the ages. Two performances of Dance! Dance! Dance! will be staged at Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street in Portland, Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoon, April 5 at 2:30 p.m.

Dance! Dance! Dance! leads audiences through a tribute to dance and dancers throughout the ages, from the charlestons and foxtrots of Twentiana, to the razzle-dazzle of A Chorus Line. Along the way there will be a Tap Dance Concerto, showcasing the musicianship of the art of tap (composer Morton Gould notated all the rhythms for the dancer in the same way he would for a drummer), the "Hoe-Down" from Aaron Copland's classic American ballet Rodeo, music from Babes in Arms and My Fair Lady, plus plenty of fancy footwork, leaps, lifts, and more.

Led by Artistic Director Robert Wesner, the dancers of Neos Dance Theatre have performed all over the United States and abroad. Firmly centered in classical ballet technique, the Neos dancers have a modern versatility and sense of the eclectic in dance that allows them to move easily through the ages and styles of dance in a single show. Referring to the Neos dancers as "young and energetic," the Cleveland Plain Dealer said, "…they pull the audience into their performance with bright personalities, warm rapport and a palpable love of dance." Neos Dance Theatre has collaborated for over a decade with maestro Robert Moody for various symphony orchestra programs.

Having danced and choreographed since 1961 for film, television, musical theatre and the concert stage, Fred Strickler is a virtuoso tap dance artist acclaimed by audiences and critics for his originality and musicality. Equally at home in classical, jazz and modern styles, in his tap dances he revels in the complex interactions of rhythm, sound and movement. Mr. Strickler is the Artistic Director for Fred Strickler & Friends – New Ideas on Tap, which focuses on innovations in tap dance choreography and often includes nationally known guest dancers and musicians. In addition to his own dancing and choreography career, he is also a Professor of Dance at the University of California, Riverside, where he has taught since 1967.

During the Dance! Dance! Dance! performances, volunteers will be in the lobby of Merrill Auditorium collecting non-perishable food donations through the PSO's participation in Orchestras Feeding America, the first national food drive sponsored by America's symphony orchestras, inspired by the soon-to-be-released film The Soloist. All food collected will be donated to Preble Street. For more information, visit portlandsymphony.com.

Sponsored by MPX/Maine Printing Company and The Portland Press Herald, the Saturday evening concert begins at 7:30 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m. Tickets range from $17-$62 and are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. New this year, the website offers real-time online seat selection. Phone and internet orders are subject to $5-per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” at Merrill Auditorium, March 31

Portland's Choral Art Society Presents a Special Production of Mendelssohn's Elijah with Special Guests and Full Orchestra, March 31

PORTLAND, Maine – Almost exactly 200 years after the composer's birth, Portland's Choral Art Society will present Felix Mendelssohn's dramatic, moving oratorio Elijah in its full splendor on Tuesday, March 31 at Merrill Auditorium. Full of beatiful solos, Elijah depicts various events in the life of the Old Testament prophet Elijah. This production will include the Choral Art Society Masterworks Chorus, live orchestra and special guest soloists Lisa Saffer (soprano), Jennifer DeDominici (mezzo-soprano), John McVeigh (tenor) and Philip Cutlip (bass). The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

An oratorio is an elaborate musical presentation composed of an orchestra, choir and soloists. A sacred response to the secular, oratorio was popularized in response to the birth of opera in the early 1600s, but in a manner appropriate for church performance. The oratorio is similar to opera in the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters and arias; however, as opera is musical theater, an oratorio is strictly a concert piece, often dealing with sacred topics, with little or no interaction between characters and no props or elaborate costumes.

Widely known as the best oratorio of the 19th century, Mendelssohn did not shrink from the harshness of the Old Testament plots, and his music for Elijah is powerfully full of compelling scene-setting. Composed in the spirit of Mendelssohn's Baroque predecessors Bach and Handel, whose music he greatly admired, the style clearly reflects Mendelssohn's own genius as an early Romantic composer.

Scored for a full orchestra, a large chorus, and four vocal soloists, the part of Elijah is sung by the Philip Cutlip and is a major role. The soloists include:

• Lisa Saffer (soprano) – An internationally acclaimed operatic soprano based in Maine, Saffer has performed on concert stages with virtually all leading American orchestras and regularly throughout Europe. Particularly well known for her performances in the operas of Handel, she is a recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society Award and was nominated for an Olivier Award, London's equivalent of New York's Tony Award. She has thrilled local audiences in past performances with PORTopera and the Portland Symphony Orchestra.

• Jennifer DeDominici (mezzo-soprano) – A 2000 graduate of the USM School of Music, DeDominici is a resident of Denver and a mainstay in the performances offered by Opera Theatre of the Rockies. She performed the starring role in their production of Carmen in 2008. She has also performed for Opera Colorado, Central City Opera and the Santa Fe Opera, and was awarded first prize in the 2007 Denver Lyric Opera Guild Competition.

• John McVeigh (tenor) – A resident of Portland, McVeigh has been a full-time professional opera singer since 1995. He has performed with countless symphonies and opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Houston Grand Opera, NYC Opera and Los Angeles Opera, as well as concert stages around the globe. Locally he has performed on multiple occasions with the Portland Symphony Orchestra and played the role of Tybalt in last summer's PORTopera mainstage production of Roméo et Juliette.

• Philip Cutlip (bass-baritone) – Established on both the concert and opera stage, Cutlip has performed with nearly every major North American orchestra, and his performances have been called "moving beyond words." A distinctive element in Cutlip's career is his ongoing collaboration with both well-established dance companies and avant-garde ensembles. He performed in the 2002 PORTopera mainstage production of Gounod's Faust, and was a tremendous sensation when he performed with the Portland Symphony Orchestra at their March 2008 "German Requiem" concert.

The Choral Art Society's presentation of Elijah will be performed at Portland's Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street, Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $15-$47 and are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. (Phone and internet orders subject to $5 per ticket handling fee.) Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle Street, Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.

About The Choral Art Society:
The Society has more than 150 members who perform in three distinct ensembles: the symphonic Masterworks Chorus, the mid-sized Choral Art Singers, and the intimate a cappella Camerata. All singers are skilled amateurs, selected by audition. The Society offers an annual concert series and appears regularly as guests of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Robert Russell, professor of music at the University of Southern Maine, is the conductor and artistic director of The Choral Art Society.
For more information about The Choral Art Society and the 2008-09 performances visit www.choralart.org or call (207) 828-0043.

PORTopera to Replace “Don Pasquale” with 15th Anniversary “Grand” Concert

 

PORTopera to Replace "Don Pasquale" with 15th Anniversary "Grand" Concert

PORTLAND, Maine -- PORTopera, Maine's only professional opera company, will celebrate its 15th Anniversary with a series of events in the spring and summer of 2009, culminating in a grand opera concert featuring a full orchestra and singers from its past productions. The concert will take place at Merrill Auditorium July 30 at 7:30 pm.

This grand opera concert, scheduled for one night only, will replace the company's originally scheduled performances of Donizetti's Don Pasquale. The company's Board President, Donald L. Head discussed the decision, saying, "As we anticipate continuing financial uncertainty, we are eliminating the risk a full opera production poses, replacing it with an alternative event that celebrates our 15 years of producing world-class opera for audiences in Maine." Head also acknowledged that Maine's opera fans, the thousands who have attended PORTopera's productions over the years, would rightly expect a special event signifying that PORTopera will continue to be an important player in Maine's, and New England's, cultural scene.

"We plan to return for our 16th season with a fully staged production of an opera in 2010," added Head. "We will not lose track of our mission: to present great operatic masterpieces in Maine."

PORTopera's Artistic Director, Dona D. Vaughn, plans to announce the performers and program details as soon as they are finalized. Robert Moody, Music Director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra, will conduct.

In addition to the grand opera concert on July 30, PORTopera will continue with its long-standing tradition of supporting Maine's operatic talent through its Maine's Emerging Artists program. This program, presented in five locations last year (Portland Museum of Art, Portland; University of Maine at Augusta; Salyard's Center for the Arts, Conway, NH; The Temple, Ocean Park; Deertrees Theatre, Harrison) is led by Ellen Chickering, the Director of the Opera Workshop at the University of Southern Maine School of Music. Auditions for the 2009 production have been held and plans are underway for this annual traveling production.

Other 15th anniversary events include an Anniversary Celebration kick off on April 3rd, a gala dinner-dance and auction on June 5th, the company's traditional President's Dinner on July 30, and summer and fall fund-raising recitals. For information on these events, call 207-879-7678 or visit www.portopera.org.

Renee Fleming with the PSO

Renée Fleming Benefit Concert with Robert Moody and Portland Symphony Orchestra Merrill's Highest Grossing Show in History In the wake of financial hardship at the PSO, concert brings record sales PORTLAND, Maine – Some much-needed good news for the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) and the arts community in Maine: last night's once-in-a-lifetime endowment benefit concert featuring superstar soprano Renée Fleming in her Maine debut was the highest grossing show in the history of Merrill Auditorium. The concert sold out a week in advance and will contribute over $50,000 to the PSO's battered Endowment Fund. This is the first time in the almost 85-year history of the PSO that the organization has held an endowment benefit concert. Renée Fleming charmed audiences at Merrill with her performances from both the classical and popular repertoire including: Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs, "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady, "Summertime" from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, and more. The PSO's endowment provides financial security for the PSO's concert and education activities, and acts as a safety net especially during fluctuations in the economic climate. "This concert was a positive step in the right direction for the PSO during this time of increasing financial hardship," said PSO Executive Director Ari Solotoff.  Solotoff added, "Renée Fleming was a smashing success with the PSO – it was a thrill to have her perform, and a coup for our city, the Symphony, and the community members who had the opportunity to see Ms. Fleming in this unprecedented concert opportunity." Serving the city of Portland, the state of Maine, and northern New England, the PSO is the largest performing arts organization in the state. With new musical leadership, critically acclaimed performances, and broad community engagement, the PSO is among the top symphony orchestras of its size in the country. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

Choral Art Society Presents Mendelssohn’s “Elijah,” March 31

The Choral Art Society

PORTLAND'S CHORAL ART SOCIETY PRESENTS MENDELSSOHN'S ELIJAH ORATORIO, MARCH 31 PORTLAND, Maine – In celebration of the 200th anniversary of Felix Mendelssohn's birth, Portland's Choral Art Society will present Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah in its full splendor on Tuesday, March 31 at Merrill Auditorium. Widely known as the best oratorio of the 19th century, this production of Elijah includes the Choral Art Society Masterworks Chorus, live orchestra and special guest soloists Lisa Saffer (soprano), Jennifer DeDominici (mezzo-soprano), John McVeigh (tenor) and Philip Cutlip (bass). The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Elijah depicts various events in the life of the Old Testament prophet Elijah. Mendelssohn did not shrink from the harshness of the Old Testament plots, and his music for Elijah is full of power, drama and compelling scene-setting. Composed in the spirit of Mendelssohn's Baroque predecessors Bach and Handel, whose music he greatly admired, the style clearly reflects Mendelssohn's own genius as an early Romantic composer. An oratorio is an elaborate musical presentation composed of an orchestra, choir and soloists. A sacred response to the secular, oratorio was popularized in response to the birth of opera in the early 1600s, but in a manner appropriate for church performance. The oratorio is similar to opera in the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters and arias; however, as opera is musical theater, an oratorio is strictly a concert piece, often dealing with sacred topics, with little or no interaction between characters and no props or elaborate costumes. Scored for a full orchestra, a large chorus, and four vocal soloists, the part of Elijah is sung by the Philip Cutlip and is a major role. The soloists include: Lisa Saffer (soprano) – An internationally acclaimed operatic soprano based in Maine, Saffer has performed on concert stages with virtually all leading American orchestras and regularly throughout Europe. Particularly well known for her performances in the operas of Handel, she is a recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society Award and was nominated for an Olivier Award, London's equivalent of New York's Tony Award. She has thrilled local audiences in past performances with PORTopera and the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Jennifer DeDominici (mezzo-soprano) – A 2000 graduate of the USM School of Music, DeDominici is a resident of Denver and a mainstay in the performances offered by Opera Theatre of the Rockies. She performed the starring role in their production of Carmen in 2008. She has also performed for Opera Colorado, Central City Opera and the Santa Fe Opera, and was awarded first prize in the 2007 Denver Lyric Opera Guild Competition. John McVeigh (tenor) – A resident of Portland, McVeigh has been a full-time professional opera singer since 1995. He has performed with countless symphonies and opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Houston Grand Opera, NYC Opera and Los Angeles Opera, as well as concert stages around the globe. Locally he has performed on multiple occasions with the Portland Symphony Orchestra and played the role of Tybalt in last summer's PORTopera mainstage production of Roméo et Juliette. Philip Cutlip (bass-baritone) – Established on both the concert and opera stage, Cutlip has performed with nearly every major North American orchestra, and his performances have been called "moving beyond words." A distinctive element in Cutlip's career is his ongoing collaboration with both well-established dance companies and avant-garde ensembles. He performed in the 2002 PORTopera mainstage production of Gounod's Faust, and was a tremendous sensation when he performed with the Portland Symphony Orchestra at their March 2008 "German Requiem" concert. The Choral Art Society's presentation of Elijah will be performed at Portland's Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street, Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $15-$47 and are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. (Phone and internet orders subject to $5 per ticket handling fee.) Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle Street, Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. About The Choral Art Society: The Society has more than 150 members who perform in three distinct ensembles: the symphonic Masterworks Chorus, the mid-sized Choral Art Singers, and the intimate a cappella Camerata. All singers are skilled amateurs, selected by audition. The Society offers an annual concert series and appears regularly as guests of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Robert Russell, professor of music at the University of Southern Maine, is the conductor and artistic director of The Choral Art Society. For more information about The Choral Art Society and the 2008-09 performances visit www.choralart.org or call (207) 828-0043.

Renee Fleming Makes Her Maine Debut with the Portland Symphony Orchestra, February 17

PORTLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS AN EVENING WITH RENÉE FLEMING, FEBRUARY 17 Concert is PSO's first endowment benefit event and Fleming's Maine debut PORTLAND, Maine – At a once-in-a-lifetime event, superstar soprano Renée Fleming makes her Maine debut with the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO), honoring Robert Moody's inaugural season in an endowment benefit concert. The event will be held at Merrill Auditorium on Tuesday, February 17 at 7:30 p.m., with a Concert Conversation, in partnership with PORTopera, in the Rehearsal Hall at 6:15 p.m. One of the greatest sopranos of this, or any, era, Renée Fleming is at the peak of her powers. Her purity of tone, musical intelligence and grace allow her to excel on operatic stages and in orchestral settings, but it is in recital where her subtlest gifts shine through. With the PSO she will perform works from both the classical and popular repertoire including: Richard Strauss' Suite from Der Rosenkavalier and Four Last Songs, "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady, "Carousel Waltz" from Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel, and more. Renée Fleming charms audiences with her performances throughout the world. Her voice has been described as "one of a kind, with a combination of incredible technical control, emotional vividness and presence, and sheer, incandescent beauty of sound." She performed as the soloist at New York's Metropolitan Opera's Opening Night Gala on September 22, 2008 and returns in Massenet's Thaïs and Dvořák's Rusalka. Later this season, she appears in La Traviata at London's Covent Garden. Illustrative of her stature, in the last year Fleming has launched her own fragrance, La Voce by Renée Fleming, and has even had a flower (The Renée Fleming Iris) and a dessert (La Diva Renée, by famed chef Daniel Boulud) named in her honor. A two-time Grammy winner, Fleming's most recent CD is Strauss: Four Last Songs, conducted by Christian Thielemann (2008). She is featured on the Metropolitan Opera's recording of Eugene Onegin which is currently under consideration for a 2009 Grammy. Her numerous awards include Sweden's Polar Prize (2008); the Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur by the French government (2005); Honorary Membership in the Royal Academy of Music (2003); and a 2003 honorary doctorate from The Juilliard School, where she was also commencement speaker. This is the first time the PSO has held an endowment benefit concert. The PSO's endowment provides financial security for the PSO's concert and education activities, and acts as a safety net especially during fluctuations in the economic climate. "Though orchestras typically maintain a minimum 3:1 ratio of endowment to operating budget, the PSO's is less than 1:1, which makes this special event all the more significant," said Gordon Gayer, president of the Board of Trustees. "We are thrilled to welcome Renée Fleming for this special event, especially during Robert Moody's inaugural season, and are grateful to the patrons who are supporting the future of the PSO through their ticket purchases to this concert, as well as those who support the Symphony throughout the year." Serving the city of Portland, the state of Maine, and northern New England, the PSO is the largest performing arts organization in Maine. With critically acclaimed performances and broad community engagement, the PSO is widely regarded as one of the top symphony orchestras of its size in the country. Tickets to An Evening with Renée Fleming range from $65 to $140 and are available through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. (Phone and internet orders are subject to $5 per ticket handling fee.) Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com. Full Program for An Evening With Renée Fleming Portland Symphony Orchestra – February 17, 2009 – 7:30 PM Suite from Der Rosenkavalier (Richard Strauss) Four Last Songs (Richard Strauss): These songs for soprano and orchestra were written in 1948, a year before Strauss' death at age 85. He never saw them performed. Ms. Fleming has recorded Four Last Songs twice and is well-known for her Strauss repertoire. Morgen (Morning) (Richard Strauss): Strauss composed "Morgen" as the final piece in a set of four songs in 1894. Known for his large-scale operas and tone poems, Strauss' lieder are examples of his genius for delicate intimacy as well. "Morgen" is filled with late romantic musical language but requires in performance the clarity and exquisite simplicity of any Mozart aria. A Letter from Sullivan Ballou (John Kander): By the composer of Cabaret and Chicago, the song is a story of a touching letter by a Union major expressing his love for his family and country before heading off to fight in the Civil War. Featured on Ken Burns' PBS documentary, The Civil War. "Carousel Waltz" from Carousel (Richard Rodgers) Two Rivers Medley (arranged by Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour): A blending of the songs Shenandoah and The Water is Wide. "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess (George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward, Ira Gershwin) "So in Love" from Kiss Me Kate (Cole Porter) "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady (Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe)

PSO Kinderkonzert Series Presents "Woodwinds: Song Soup" January-May

PORTLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS KINDERKONZERT SERIES ON WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS BEGINNING JANUARY 29 Introducing young children to instrument families and musical concepts PORTLAND, Maine – The Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) kick off its next Kinderkonzert series of the 2008-09 season with "Woodwinds: Song Soup." The programs will travel to seven Southern Maine and New Hampshire towns January 29 through May 26. For kids aged 3-7, host Laura Harris and the PSO Woodwind Quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and born) will demonstrate their secret recipe on how melody, rhythm, harmony and instruments make great ingredients for a tasty "Song Soup." Kids will learn how making beautiful music is quite similar to creating a delicious soup: each instrument or musical element adds its own individual richness of taste that creates the perfect final product. The "Woodwinds: Song Soup" program opens on January 29 at the C.K. Burns Elementary School in Saco and then travels to eight other locations in Maine and New Hampshire for a total of 18 performances. Kinderkonzerts are entertaining, interactive programs with Portland Symphony musicians where kids ages 3 - 7 can sing, dance, wiggle, clap, and have fun listening and learning about music and instruments. School systems can coordinate the Kinderkonzert visit with Science and English Language Arts instruction in addition to Visual and Performing Arts. Specially prepared worksheets designed to support Maine's Learning Results are available online or by contacting the PSO. Sponsored by Time Warner Cable, all Portland Symphony Orchestra Kinderkonzert tickets are $3 per person with advance reservation, $4 at the door (adult or child). For additional information, reservations and ticketing information visit www.portlandsymphony.com or call (207) 773-6128.

PSO Welcomes Acclaimed Guest Artists for All-Mozart Concert, Jan. 25th

PSO WELCOMES TWO ACCLAIMED GUEST ARTISTS FOR AN ALL-MOZART MATINEE CONCERT, JANUARY 25 PORTLAND, Maine – Critically acclaimed guest conductor Christian Knapp will lead the Portland Symphony Orchestra in the first Sunday Classical concert of the new year on January 25 at 2:30 PM in Merrill Auditorium. The "All-Mozart Matinee" celebrates the most popular classical composer of all time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, two days before his 253rd birthday. The program opens with the Overture to Don Giovanni, considered among Mozart's greatest works. The concert also includes the Clarinet Concerto in A Major (noted for its delicate interplay between soloist and orchestra); the Bach-inspired Adagio & Fugue, K. 546; the dark and serious Masonic Funeral Music (written in 1785 on the deaths of two of Mozart's Masonic lodge brothers); and Symphony No. 35 in D Major, "Haffner" (commissioned in 1782 by the Haffner family of Salzburg). Guest conductor Christian Knapp is equally at home whether he is conducting an all-Mozart concert or an internationally recognized touring opera company. Accomplished in multiple genres, he is also a committed proponent of new music. Maestro Knapp's talents keep him in high demand and he regularly performs in festivals and concerts throughout the world. The All-Mozart Matinee also features William Hudgins, principal clarinet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1994. Also a member of the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, Hudgins can be heard on the Grammy-nominated CD of Hindemith's Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano. He performed for seven seasons with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra (Charleston, SC) and the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy. The concert begins at 2:30 PM with a Concert Conversation at 1:15 PM in the Rehearsal Hall. A radio broadcast of the performance can be heard on Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) on February 11 at 8:00 p.m. Ticket prices for the January 25 concert range from $17 to $54, with special pricing available for students, seniors and groups. All Portland Symphony Orchestra tickets are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com, and new this year, the website offers real-time online seat selection. (Phone and internet orders subject to $5 per ticket handling fee.) Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

Portland's CAS Holds Sing-Along and Food Drive to Benefit Project FEED, Dec. 15

PORTLAND'S CHORAL ART SOCIETY HOLDS ANNUAL MESSIAH SING-ALONG AND FOOD DRIVE TO BENEFIT PROJECT FEED, DECEMBER 15

PORTLAND, Maine – The Choral Art Society (CAS) of Portland continues its tradition of holiday celebration and giving back to their community by holding their Messiah Sing-Along and Handel-on-Hunger Food Drive to benefit Project FEED, Portland's emergency food pantry. The event will be held this year on Monday, December 15 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 1342 Congress Street in Portland.

Handel's Messiah Sing-Along will be led by CAS Music Director Robert Russell, with the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra accompanying. Admission to the Sing-Along is $5.00, students are admitted free. Attendees are asked to bring Messiah music scores, but CAS will have some to borrow at the event. Sing-Along participants can bring food and/or cash donations to benefit Project FEED's mission.

Other upcoming CAS holiday events include their annual Christmas at the Cathedral concerts, Saturday, December 6 (preview at noon, full concert at 8:00 p.m.) and Sunday, December 7 (2:30 and 7:00 p.m.) at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress Street in Portland. An Epiphany Celebration will be held Saturday, January 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Immanuel Baptist Church in Portland. Visit www.choralart.org for ticketing and further information.

About The Choral Art Society:
The Society has more than 150 members who perform in three distinct ensembles: the symphonic Masterworks Chorus, the mid-sized Choral Art Singers, and the intimate a cappella Camerata. All singers are skilled amateurs, selected by audition. The Society offers an annual concert series and appears regularly as guests of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Robert Russell, professor of music at the University of Southern Maine, is the conductor and artistic director of The Choral Art Society.

For more information about The Choral Art Society and the 2008-09 performances visit www.choralart.org or call (207) 828-0043.

Christmas at the Cathedral with Portland's Choral Art Society, December 6 and 7

PORTLAND'S CHORAL ART SOCIETY PRESENTS CHRISTMAS AT THE CATHEDRAL, DECEMBER 6 AND 7

PORTLAND, Maine – For the 19^th consecutive year, the Choral Art Society (CAS) will present their popular Portland holiday tradition, Christmas at the Cathedral, featuring the Choral Art Singers, the Portland Brass Quintet, and organist Dan Moore. The concerts begin Saturday, December 6 with a preview performance at noon and full concert at 8:00 p.m., and additional performances Sunday, December 7 at 2:30 and 7:00 p.m. Concerts are held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress Street in Portland.

From the majestic opening processional to the poignant candlelit finale, this concert is filled with stirring and exquisite seasonal music. The Choral Art Singers, joined by the Portland Brass Quintet and organist Dan Moore, will perform Vivaldi's Gloria as well as familiar seasonal music, a cappella motets, and music for chorus and brass as part of this concert celebrating the spirit of Christmas.

Christmas at the Cathedral is sponsored by Norton Insurance and Financial, Tom's of Maine, and Sunday River. Advance tickets are $20 for standard seating and $30 for premium seating. At the door, standard seating tickets are $25. Tickets for the Saturday noon preview are $10 for adults and $5.00 for youth (under age 21), and are available only at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.choralart.org or (207) 828-0043.

Other upcoming CAS holiday events include their annual CAS Messiah Sing-Along and Handel on Hunger Food Drive, Monday, December 15 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church. The food drive will benefit Project FEED, an emergency food pantry in Portland, and admission is $5.00 at the door (students are free). An Epiphany Celebration will be held Saturday, January 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Immanuel Baptist Church in Portland. Visit www.choralart.org for more information.

About The Choral Art Society:
The Society has more than 150 members who perform in three distinct ensembles: the symphonic Masterworks Chorus, the mid-sized Choral Art Singers, and the intimate a cappella Camerata. All singers are skilled amateurs, selected by audition. The Society offers an annual concert series and appears regularly as guests of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Robert Russell, professor of music at the University of Southern Maine, is the conductor and artistic director of The Choral Art Society.

For more information about The Choral Art Society and the 2008-09 performances visit www.choralart.org or call (207) 828-0043.

PSO'S Magic of Christmas a True Celebration of Local Talent

A full list of performance times and dates follows at the end of the release.
Images for Magic of Christmas can be downloaded at www.portlandsymphony.com/media_library

IN THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAYS, PSO's 2008 MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS IS A TRUE CELEBRATION OF THE DIVERSITY OF LOCAL TALENT

PORTLAND, Maine – For their 29^th annual family holiday spectacular Magic of Christmas, the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has again brought together an exceptional collaboration of local talents making the event a veritable "who's who" of current and past artistic performance in Maine. In the true spirit of the holidays, and now extending through three generations of New Englanders, the PSO continues to create a holiday event not to be missed. This year's shows include a Portland favorite returning conductor, two southern Maine professional ballet companies, a well-known voice from Maine public radio, southern Maine's most prolific high school choral group, and more.

Bruce Hangen returns to Maine this year from Boston to conduct Magic of Christmas. PSO's Music Director for ten seasons (1976 through 1986), Hangen conducted the first Magic of Christmas performances in 1980. Hangen is a founder of Portland's PORTopera and was its first artistic director. He is currently the Director of Orchestral Activities at the Boston Conservatory and Artistic Director of Indian Hill Music in Massachusetts. He was the principal guest conductor of the Boston Pops from 2002 to 2006, a culmination of a 30-year relationship with the Boston Pops, beginning in 1979.

"From its beginnings, Magic of Christmas has always been an exciting local artistic partnership, and this year is especially rich because of the diversity of Maine talents involved, old and new," says Hangen. "It is always a pleasure to return to Portland, and I am thrilled to be back to conduct Magic this year. I will always be connected to Portland's audiences and artistic communities, so it feels like coming home to me."

The PSO is pleased to announce that the Maine State Ballet (MSB) and the Portland Ballet Company (PBC) will be represented in the Magic of Christmas performances this year. MSB dancers will perform in the December 12-18 performances; PBC dancers in the second half of the performances, December 19-21. The dancers will perform variations from the Nutcracker.

MSB dancers:

· Frederick Bernier (Arabian Prince). Bernier is a resident of South Portland.

· Glenn Davis (Russian Cossack). Davis is a resident of Windham.

· Leslie Flores (Chinese Dancer). Flores is a resident of Portland.

· Michael Holden (Chinese Solo). Holden is a resident of Falmouth.

· Rebecca Purser (Arabian Princess). Purser is a resident of Portland.

· Courtney True (Chinese Dancer). True is a full-time student at USM and a resident of Windham.

PSC dancers:

· Emily Belanger (Chinese Dance). Belanger is a resident of Portland.

· Derek Clifford (Arabian Dance). Clifford is a resident of Bath.

· Leah Fournier (Chinese Dance). Fournier is a resident of Lewiston.

· Arianna Lawson (Olivia). Lawson is a resident of Scarborough.

· Emily Lutts (Arabian Dance). Lutts is a resident of Portland.

· Adam Mosey (Russian Dance). Mosey is a resident of Gorham.

· Anastasia Street (Russian Dance). Street is a resident of Gorham.

· Hannah Wallace (Chinese Dance). Wallace is a resident of Cape Elizabeth.

Singer, actor and broadcaster Suzanne Nance narrates Magic of Christmas this year for the first time. Audiences will recognize her voice from Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN), where she serves as music director as well as producer and host of the weekday morning classical music program from 9 a.m. to noon. An opera singer, Nance has enjoyed performances on PBS and NPR as well as a guest appearance on Good Morning America, and has most recently performed onstage in Prague, London, Philadelphia, Chicago, New York and Bangor and Portland, Maine. She is a resident of Bangor.

For the first time, the PSO is pleased to welcome the Windham Chamber Singers to the collection of voices in Magic of Christmas. Directed by Dr. Richard Nickerson, the Chamber Singers consist of 37 students, all of whom are enrolled at Windham High School. Selected by audition, the Chamber Singers have traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Europe; have performed the National Anthem for the Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, Portland SeaDogs and Portland Pirates; and made their debut at Carnegie Hall in 1998. They have appeared on CBS This Morning and the Today Show and have performed for two U.S. Presidents, including a command performance at the White House for the Congressional Ball. Each year the choir tours the Northeast, presenting assemblies and workshops at area schools in addition to holding public concerts.

This year's Magic of Christmas Chorus is a group of over 120 volunteers who are members or friends of the Portland Community Chorus. Rehearsals began in October, and most members will perform in at least ten of fourteen concerts. Every year singers come from as many as 27 communities extending from York to Brunswick and Baldwin to Otisfield. They represent a varied range of vocations including homemakers, students, nurses, educators, retirees, and executives.

Ray Cornils, Municipal Organist for the City of Portland since 1990, will perform the popular Organ Prelude on the Kotzschmar Organ one hour before each performance. Cornils is a member of the music faculty at USM where he teaches organ and harpsichord, as well as teaching at Bowdoin College and the Portland Conservatory of Music. He also serves as Music Director of First Parish Church in Brunswick where he leads an extensive choral and handbell program. Cornils is a resident of Brunswick.

Sponsored by Hannaford Supermarkets, IDEXX Laboratories, KeyBank, and Northeast Delta Dental, a total of thirteen performances will run December 12 - 21. Tickets to all shows are currently still available. Prices range from $20 to $60, with special pricing available for students and seniors. Groups of 10 or more also receive special pricing and personalized assistance.

For tickets call PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com, and new this year, the website offers real-time online seat selection. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

###

Full list of 2008 PSO Magic of Christmas performance dates and times:
(All concerts take place at Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St., Portland, ME)

December 12, 2008 7:30 p.m. (preview)

December 13, 2008 3:00 and 7:30 p.m.

December 14, 2008 1:00 and 5:00 p.m.

December 18, 2008 2:00 and 7:30 p.m.

December 19, 2008 2:00 and 7:30 p.m.

December 20, 2008 3:00 and 7:30 p.m.

December 21, 2008 1:00 and 5:00 p.m.

PSO Presents a Concert for Peace, November 11

PORTLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS DONA NOBIS PACEM TUESDAY NOVEMBER 11

PORTLAND, Maine – The Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) explores themes of peace and reconciliation on Tuesday, November 11. Music Director Robert Moody conducts Christian Zeal and Activity by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Adams, followed by Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 5, "Reformation," inspired by Martin Luther. The evening concludes with Dona Nobis Pacem, a glorious plea for peace composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams, featuring soprano Tracy Dahl, baritone Troy Cook, and the Choral Art Society.

Limited seating is still available for this concert which begins at 7:30 PM in Merrill Auditorium. A Concert Conversation with Robert Moody will be held at 6:15 PM in the Rehearsal Hall.

Canadian Soprano Tracy Dahl has sung at La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera and Canadian Opera Company and more. She has "a voice filled with sunshine, rainbows and laser light" according to Opera Magazine, and the San Francisco Chronicle finds her "bright, sparkling, and bouncing, accurate and winning."

Baritone Troy Cook has just performed with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Opera Pacific, Opera Omaha, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Berkshire Opera and others. His voice has been called "supple" and "resonant with a warm tone and solid musicality."

The Choral Art Society, led by Robert Russell, was founded in 1972. Singers are selected by audition and perform in several concerts a year in Greater Portland.

This concert is sponsored by the Canadian Consulate General.

Ticket prices start $17 with special pricing available for students, seniors and groups. All Portland Symphony Orchestra tickets are sold through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com, and new this year, the website offers real-time online seat selection. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. For complete season information, including artist biographies and program notes, visit www.portlandsymphony.com.

The Portland Symphony Orchestra will next perform on November 15 and 16 with Classical Mystery Tour, a tribute to the Beatles.