BFO: Ravel, Sibelius, & Reid
$27-$49 ($25-$47 ages 60+, $12 ages 1-12 lawn seating); all orders subject to $7 fee
Ellen Reid — TODAY AND TODAY AND TODAY AND TODAY AND TODAY AND TODAY AND TODAY AND TODAY AND TODAY AND TODAY
Bedřich Smetana — "Vltava" ("The Moldau") from Má vlast
Angélica Negrón — Fractal Isles (West Coast premiere)
Maurice Ravel — Rapsodie espagnole
This orchestral concert is a program full of adventure!
Opening with Sibelius's most known work, Finlandia, this work is often described as the song that helped to define Finland’s national identity and unite the Scandinavian nation in its struggle for independence from Russia.
Commissioned by the Seattle Symphony in 2022, that orchestra's website invites you to "Take Ellen Reid's TODAY AND […] piece, which, in the words of the composer, "evokes a sense of the present and also of 'foreverness' that feels constraining, yet expansive. 'Today and today' was how I experienced a lot of the last year." Reid dramatizes the possibility of passing through disorientation to euphoria; she uses glissandi "stretched through the whole string section to create a sense of groundlessness," and a motif develops "to propel you further into a joyful place."
The symphonic poem Má Vlast ("The Moldau") by Bohemian composer Smetana is world known as one of the greatest musical depictions of the vast and ever moving river that begins its life in the mountains of Bohemia and winds its way through the countryside growing ever-stronger until it ends in the beautiful city of Prague.
The world premiere of Angélica Negrón's Fractal Isles occurred in January 2023 under the baton of Maestro Abrams with the Louisville Orchestra and will have its West Coast premiere on the Britt hill in June. A work that embraces the sounds of nature and uses instruments and soundscapes to depict the sounds all around us, it will be a beautiful complement to our outdoor pavilion, where the sounds of nature exist in harmony with our music.
There is no better depiction of the tendency in the early 1900s for French composers to be fascinated by Spain than Ravel's Rapsodie espagnol – at once fluid and harmonically rich, listeners will be transported to the elegant and fascinating world abroad.
Gates open: 5:45pm Early Entry | 6pm General Public
Pre-Concert Talk: 7pm on the Sam & Hannelore Enfield Stage in the Performance Garden
Patrons will be permitted to bring in outside alcohol for this performance. Food is available for purchase from West Coast Events and Sianos Karibbean Cookhouse food truck. For more information and venues, click here: https://www.brittfest.org/venue-info/concessions-menu/
About Britt Music & Arts Festival
Britt Music & Arts Festival, a non-profit organization, is the Pacific Northwest's premier outdoor summer performing arts festival. Located in the historic 1850s gold rush town of Jacksonville, Oregon (USA), Britt presents dozens of summer concerts, featuring world-class artists in classical music, jazz, blues, folk, bluegrass, world, pop, and country music. Britt's performance venue is a naturally formed amphitheater set among majestic ponderosa pines and native madrones on the beautiful hillside estate of 19th-century photographer Peter Britt. Viewing a map of the facility will give you a clearer picture of how we have combined stadium seating within this natural setting. Tens of thousands of music lovers travel from all over the West to enjoy Britt's world-class performances, spectacular scenery, and casual, relaxing atmosphere.
https://www.brittfest.org/About Britt Festival Orchestra
The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO) brings a professional group of musicians together each summer to perform under the leadership of Music Director Teddy Abrams, an established leader and conductor in the symphonic world. Our orchestral summer festival spans 3 weeks from mid-June through early July and includes orchestral concerts, chamber music events, and curated performances for children, all at our extraordinary outdoor venue in the historic town of Jacksonville, Oregon.
Established in 1963, the BFO comes together each summer from world-class orchestras around the globe to perform a remarkably diverse selection of music under the stars, ranging from traditional classical to modern works. Our concert hall, the Britt Pavilion, is a natural outdoor amphitheater under the great Oregon sky where audiences can sit on the reserved bench seats or on the grassy Britt hill and enjoy the concerts.
Additional festivities include free BrittKids Koncerts, open rehearsals, pre-concert conversations with guest artists and orchestra members, and special projects and collaborations with a variety of community groups.
https://www.brittfest.org/britt-festival-orchestra/