|
|
Two days later, at 4 p.m. on April 1, Schickle will join Western New York Chamber Orchestra in King Concert Hall for a rare personal appearance as “P.D.Q. Bach” in a concert version of his well-known spoof of classical opera known as The Abduction of Figaro. Tickets to the semi-staged performance range from $30, $40 and $50 each and are available by calling the WNYCO Box Office at 716-673-3501 or toll-free at (866) 441-4928.
The visit of Mr. Schickele is being sponsored by the Williams Visiting Professorship Endowment, SUNY Fredonia, The White Inn, and Classical 94.5/WNED. Additional sponsors include John and Nancy Krestic and Dr. James and Marcia Merrins.
Glen Cortese, who is now in his second season with WNYCO, will conduct the April 1 production. Cortese also serves as the music director of the Oregon Mozart Players and the New York Chamber Sinfonia, has appeared as guest conductor with prestigious orchestras in both Europe and the U.S., and is former assistant conductor to the New York Philharmonic. In fact, it was Cortese’s recent participation in a production of The Abduction of Figaro with Schickele that led to this unique performance in Chautauqua County. “I first proposed the idea of a concert performance of the opera to Peter about three years ago,” Cortese said. “He was skeptical at first but when I pitched the idea of scripting it and having him participate as narrator, it caught his interest. I created a script in the style of the way he writes in P.D.Q. Bach narrative and he revised it a bit and we were good to go.” Schickele’s score will showcase the talents of the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, first established in 1982. The group consists of 45 to 50 of players, rather than the 85 to 100 found in a standard philharmonic ensemble, and its members—some of whom are faculty at the Fredonia School of Music—represent virtually every major school of music and conservatory in the nation. Many former members of the orchestra now play in major symphony orchestras throughout the country.
