Monday, November 29, 2010

Meet our Broadway Christmas Cast!


JOHN CUDIA


KELLY SULLIVAN


ERIN STEWART


PETER LOCKYER

Thursday, November 25, 2010

“Christmas with the Symphony” sparkles with stunning new Broadway talent, beloved traditions!

WHAT: CHRISTMAS WITH THE SYMPHONY
WHEN: Friday, December 17 8 PM
Saturday, December 18 2 PM & 8 PM
Sunday, December 19 2 PM & 7 PM
WHERE: Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas Street
TICKETS:Start at just $15; 402.345.0606, 402.342.3560, or www.omahasymphony.org

Omaha, Neb – Omaha’s favorite holiday tradition, Christmas with the Symphony, will have the sparkle and shine of a brand new production this season, thanks to a new director, new music and choreography, and a quartet of Broadway musical stars! Add holiday classics and traditions you know and love (like a full orchestral carol sing-along and the hilarious kick line of dancing Santas) and you have a heartwarming treat for the whole family! Five performances (December 17-19) plus the full orchestra make Christmas with the Symphony the area’s biggest and best seasonal production.

Top-notch talent from Broadway was handpicked to anchor the Omaha Symphony’s most popular show of the year. John Cudia most recently starred in the title role of The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. He holds the distinct honor of being the first and only actor to have performed as both The Phantom and Jean Vajean (Les Misérables) on Broadway. Kelly Sullivan’s Broadway credits include Young Frankenstein (Inga), Contact, and Bells are Ringing. Tenor Peter Lockyer was most recently in Lincoln Center Theatre’s revival of South Pacific on Broadway. Erin Stewart, currently in the Broadway revival of A Little Night Music starring Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch, completes the amazing quartet of lead singers, who will bring exceptional vocals and glamour to numbers like “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” “Silver Bells,” and “O Holy Night.”

Co-directors and choreographers Vince Pesce and Stephen Bourneuf are at the helm of the production, placing a primary focus on the season’s ability to bring people together. “This show is about celebrating our connections and the gift of family,” said Pesce. Two huge dance numbers, “Christmas in the City” and “A Christmas Wish,” will tell the stories of two families from two different eras. “Christmas in the City” spotlights the nostalgic stroll of a 1950s family on a bustling city street, experiencing the simple joys of window shopping and spending time with one another, while “A Christmas Wish” follows the emotional modern day story of a young military couple separated during the holiday season.

Christmas with the Symphony is also a celebration of the area’s tremendous local talent. WOWT-TV personality and community favorite Dave Webber brings his signature spirit to the show, providing charming vocals and lots of laughs. Around 25 young violin students of Omaha Symphony musician Anne Nagosky will also be featured.

Of course, no Christmas with the Symphony would be complete without the popular audience carol sing-along and the jolly dancing Santas. To make the experience even more magical, the Holland Performing Arts Center will be transformed into an enchanting winter wonderland—complete with pre-concert music, a beautifully decorated lobby, and live reindeer outside!

The Symphony Pops series is sponsored by the Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Friday’s night’s performance is sponsored by the Robert H. Storz Foundation, while ConAgra Foods is the orchestra’s holiday season sponsor. The Omaha Symphony is proud to be part of the ConAgra Foods Arts for the Holidays Celebration. This collaboration includes a food drive at all the Christmas with the Symphony performances. Patrons are encouraged to bring canned food and other non-perishable items when attending these concerts at the Holland Center. All donations will support the Food Bank for the Heartland.

Single tickets for Christmas with the Symphony start at $15 and are available at 402.345.0606, 402.342.3560, www.omahasymphony.org, or at the Omaha Symphony Box Office at 1605 Howard Street.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Silly. Goofy. Hilarious. Delightful!



Here's a sneak preview of the comedy of Tomáš Kubínek! He'll be live with the orchestra this Saturday @ 8 PM at the Holland Center. Click here to order your tickets! Expect lots of laughter. :)

Saturday, November 13, 2010

REVIEW: Concert offers musical exhibit

“Come see with your ears.”

Those words were essentially the theme for the Omaha Symphony's third MasterWorks program of the season and the last few words of Maestro Thomas Wilkins' introduction to the evening's lush and resplendent melodies.

Read the ENTIRE Omaha World-Herald review by Ashley Wegner: CLICK HERE.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Popular "PICTURES" to show off orchestra's artistry

Imagine strolling through one of the world’s finest art galleries, with painting after unique painting capturing your eyes and imagination. That’s the experience you’ll have listening to “Pictures at an Exhibition,” the popular masterpiece with movements based on pieces of artwork! Enjoy musical artistry at its best as the Omaha Symphony performs “Pictures at an Exhibition” and more November 12 and 13 at 8 p.m. at the Holland Center.

Omaha Symphony Music Director Thomas Wilkins will conduct this MasterWorks program, themed around the intersection of music and visual art. The concert begins with Johann Strauss, Jr.’s Künstlerleben “Artist’s Life” Waltz, a high-spirited Viennese dance, and Paul Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler (“Mathias the Painter”)—both inspired by visual artists. On the second half of the program, the audience enters “Pictures,” a 10-part piece that showcases the orchestra and numerous recognizable melodies.

Tickets to “Pictures at an Exhibition” are available now, starting at just $15. To purchase tickets, please call the Omaha Symphony Box Office at 402.342.3560 (open M-F, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) or order online at www.omahasymphony.org.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

The Soloist Stars of Saturday's Show...




... our own Ann Beebe and Keith Plenert! Come hear a pair of Omaha's top violinists play Vivaldi's beautiful Concerto in A Minor for Two Violins. Kick it "Old School" this Saturday at 7 p.m. at the UNO Strauss Performing Arts Center.
Click HERE for tickets!