With the Columbus Foundation's annual Big Give campaign this week, encouraging and amplifying gifts to area nonprofits, it's good to acknowledge the riches all of us enjoy not only on the football field, but in local concert halls, theaters and galleries.
If you love music and you live in the Columbus area, you won't have to go far to enjoy some incredible performances this weekend.
Friday, October 13
Bring your friends to a free concert opening the Franz Liszt Festival & International Competition at Weigel Hall on the Ohio State University campus at 7:30 p.m.
Check back at Weigel through the weekend to hear the competition finalists and a panel discussion led by the always-dapper Ohio State music professor Arved Ashby.
Saturday, October 14
New Albany Symphony Orchestra offers a sensory-friendly performance tailored for those needing a little more leeway front of house. Audience members can move, stretch, take a break and enjoy a short performance, 11:30 a.m. at the McCoy Performing Arts Center.
Mozart's The Magic Flute will be broadcast live in HD from the Metropolitan Opera in New York to movie theaters around the country. James Levine conducts this performance starring Golda Schulz, a young soprano from South Africa who is getting a lot of buzz. The fantastic production is by Julie Taymor, of Lion King fame. It's perfect for the kids in all of us.
See the Met performance starting at 1 p.m. at AMC Lennox Town Center or Marcus Theaters, Crosswoods. Get there early.
Sunday, October 15
The St. Colman of Cloyne Choir in Washington Courthouse, Ohio, presents Mozart's Requiem at 3 p.m. The concert features a guest quartet of four students from Washington High School, and a quartet of guest section leaders. Soloists include Beth Anne Porter, dean of the School of Music at Cedarville University; Janelle Crider, adjunct faculty at Cedarville; David White, director of choral music at Hillsboro High School; and Mark Spencer, professor of voice at Cedarville.
Also at 3 p.m., the New Albany Symphony Orchestra presents a program called Blanca, Beethoven & the Ballet at the McCoy Performing Arts Center in New Albany. Luis Biava conducts Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 and Piano Concerto No. 4, with the glorious pianist Blanca Uribe making a welcome return visit to NASO.
As part of Blanca, Beethoven & the Ballet, the New Albany Ballet Co. dances Amilcare Ponchielli's glamorous Dance of the Hours, choreographed by Jimmy Orrante.
I want Jimmy to have the last word!
I'll try to be at all these great performances. See you there!
