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Minnesota Orchestra
Sean O'Loughlin, conductor

Thanks to Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the music of the Big Easy is alive and well, as demonstrated by the way this great band packs concert halls around the globe, including our own Orchestra Hall. Add the hot sales and critical acclaim of its recent recordings, plus the sweet success of the Band’s music in the hit movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and it’s clear: New Orleans jazz—and this band in particular—is timeless. For this return engagement, audience members are in for a special treat: the Preservation Hall players share the stage—for the first time ever—with our own Minnesota Orchestra.

Complete Program Notes

“One of the world’s great songwriters.” The New York Times

Gilberto Gil, vocals and guitar
Jaques Morelenbaum, cello
Bem Gil, guitar and percussion

Brazil’s internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter and guitarist Gilberto Gil brings his powerful rhythms and rich melodies to Orchestra Hall for one night only! In a career that now spans four decades and nearly 40 albums—six of them gold, alongside four platinum singles—Gil has become a legend, one of the most relevant and renowned performers in world and pop music. Gil was key among the leaders of the Tropicalia movement, fusing bossa nova, samba and salsa with rock and folk music—and securing his fame both abroad and at home in Brazil. He went on to become the Brazilian Minister of Culture, playing a key role in the constant modernization of Brazilian popular music and culture throughout the world. Returning to Minneapolis for the first time in nearly a decade, this seven-time Grammy winner promises to surprise, entertain and, not least, inspire.

Please note: This concert is 90 minutes with no intermission. The Minnesota Orchestra does not perform on this program.

Minnesota Orchestra
Sarah Hicks, conductor
Michael Cavanaugh, vocals and piano

Broadway sensation Michael Cavanaugh, hand-picked by Billy Joel to star in the smash hit musical Movin’ Out, brings a thrilling night of the Piano Man’s music to the Orchestra Hall stage. A Tony-nominated vocalist and pianist known for high-energy performances, Cavanaugh will sing such show-stoppers as “Uptown Girl,” “Piano Man,” “Crocodile Rock” and more.

Minnesota Orchestra
Jack Wall, conductor
Tommy Tallarico, host

Experience the Minnesota Orchestra accompanied by game footage on giant video screens, as it performs the music of the most popular games from the beginning of video gaming to the present. Plus, there will be an interactive segment: selected audience members will play a game live onstage while the orchestra performs the music!

“A touring multimedia show that has already been seen by more than 250,000 people is playing at the world's finest concert halls — with the world's finest orchestras powering through some of the world's most popular video-game music. And it's attracting a decidedly different audience. There were more than children and teenage gamers … [there were] a lot of grandmas out there.”
NPR – National Public Radio

Games include:
Mario™, Zelda®, Halo®, Metal Gear Solid®, Warcraft®, Myst®, Final Fantasy®, Castlevania®, Medal of Honor™, Sonic™, Tron, Tomb Raider®, Advent Rising, Headhunter, Beyond Good & Evil™, Splinter Cell®, Ghost Recon™, Rainbow Six®, EverQuest® II and a special retro Classic Arcade Medley featuring more than 20 games from Pong® to Donkey Kong®, including such classics as Dragon's Lair, Tetris, Frogger, Gauntlet, Space Invaders and Outrun!

U.S. Tour Sponsor:

Minnesota Orchestra
Sarah Hicks, conductor (first half)
Marvin Laird,conductor (second half)
Bernadette Peters, vocals

Step out for a night of sheer delight with the incomparable Bernadette Peters, actress, singer, comedienne and Tony award-winner—the face of Broadway. This versatile chanteuse promises to thrill with songs from her acclaimed Broadway performances as well as from her Grammy-nominated recordings. By turns belting and ethereal, this performer dazzles with her remarkable interpretations of standards by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein and other great songwriters.

Please note: The Minnesota Orchestra will perform on the first half of the concert, and will be joined by Ms. Peters for the second half of the concert.

Minnesota Orchestra
Sarah Hicks, conductor (first half)
Marvin Laird,conductor (second half)
Bernadette Peters, vocals

Step out for a night of sheer delight with the incomparable Bernadette Peters, actress, singer, comedienne and Tony award-winner—the face of Broadway. This versatile chanteuse promises to thrill with songs from her acclaimed Broadway performances as well as from her Grammy-nominated recordings. By turns belting and ethereal, this performer dazzles with her remarkable interpretations of standards by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein and other great songwriters.

Please note: The Minnesota Orchestra will perform on the first half of the concert, and will be joined by Ms. Peters for the second half of the concert.

Manhattan Transfer made history in 1981 as the first group to win Grammy awards in two different categories in the same year. Its Top Ten single “Boy from New York City” won the Pop category and “Until I Met You” was honored as Best Jazz Performance. In all, the Group has collected eight Grammys—for hits such as “Birdland,” “Route 66,” “Why Not!,” “Brasil” and “Sassy”—further cementing its status as an icon in the national and international music landscape.

Please note: The Minnesota Orchestra does not perform on this program.

The world-famous Count Basie Orchestra is more than 70 years old and still going strong. The 19 performers—including musicians hand-picked by Count Basie himself—celebrate the Big Band experience with sizzling energy, dynamic rhythms and impressive solos. With numerous awards—including 17 Grammys—and countless special honors, it’s clear that this American institution is timeless, priceless and always a swinging good time!

Please note: The Minnesota Orchestra does not perform on this program.

Patti LuPone, vocals
Conceived and Directed by Scott Wittman
Musical Arrangements by Dick Gallagher
Musical Direction by Chris Fenwick

“Patti LuPone can belt ‘em out like nobody since Ethel Merman.”
- Chicago Sun-Times

They say every Patti LuPone concert is a party—and here’s one you don’t want to miss. Patti’s first appearance at Orchestra Hall delivers a knockout punch with Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda, songs from musicals which she could have played, would have played, did play and will play! You’ll hear numbers from Hair, Bye Bye Birdie, Funny Girl and West Side Story, as well as from her Tony Award-winning performances in Evita and Gypsy.

Please note: The Minnesota Orchestra does not perform on this program.

Kathy Mattea, vocals and guitar
Bill Cooley, acoustic guitar
Eamonn O’Rourke, fiddle, mandolin and vocals
David Spicher, acoustic bass and vocals

When Kathy Mattea performed onstage with the Minnesota Orchestra two years ago, the concert sold out quickly—and it’s easy to understand why. Mattea's voice is unmistakable, a rare blend of warmth and power, and when you factor in the way she connects with the audience, a star is born. This multi-Grammy, multi-Country Music Association award-winning artist returns to perform her top hits in a special concert with her band. You’ll hear “Come from the Heart,” “Where’ve You Been,” “Love at the Five and Dime,” “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses” and more. Get ready for a lovely treat.

Please note: The Minnesota Orchestra does not perform on this program.

Minnesota Orchestra
Courtney Lewis, conductor
Jearlyn Steele and Robert Robinson, vocals

The Orchestra’s new assistant conductor, Courtney Lewis, leads this celebration of American music, performed on the anniversary of our nation’s independence. You’ll be awed by “The Star-Spangled Banner” and John Williams’ theme from Star Wars—colorful sounds that embody the diversity of this great land, all born in the USA!

Minnesota Orchestra
Andrew Litton, conductor
Jon Kimura Parker, piano

Program to include:

Get lost in the romance of a Viennese evening as Sommerfest Artistic Director Andrew Litton returns to kick off this festival tradition with Nicolai’s captivating overture to The Merry Wives of Windsor plus plenty of joyful waltzes, including Strauss’ Emperor Waltzes, a “toast of friendship” from Austria. Rounding out this evening of grandeur, the sure-fingered pianist—and Orchestra favorite—Jon Kimura Parker on Beethoven’s powerful Piano Concerto No. 3.

Minnesota Orchestra
Andrew Litton, conductor
Vadim Gluzman, violin
Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano

Greatness takes center stage in this performance of Tchaikovsky’s beloved Violin Concerto. A protégé of Isaac Stern, the Ukrainian-Israeli, world-renowned violinist Vadim Gluzman plays a 1690 Stradivarius once owned by the founder of the Russian school of violin playing. His impassioned virtuosity is matched by that of opera star Heidi Grant Murphy, perfectly suited to the part of Mahler’s angel with her silvery, celestial soprano. Settle in for a night of pure musical pleasure.

Andrew Litton, piano
Vadim Gluzman, violin
Members of the Minnesota Orchestra

Joined by members of the Minnesota Orchestra in a program of glorious chamber music, Sommerfest Artistic Director Andrew Litton trades the podium for the piano on all three of this evening’s selections. You’ll be treated to Fauré’s delightful Piano Quintet—which underscores the composer’s reputation as a master of the French art song—and the return of Vadim Gluzman for an encore performance: the violinist simply can’t leave town without playing Prokofiev.

Minnesota Orchestra
Sarah Hicks, conductor

“How refreshing and inspiring it is to encounter a young artist whose achievements match his ambitions.” — The Washington Post

“One of the 10 Most Exciting Artists Now” — Entertainment Weekly

If you’re new to singer-songwriter Josh Ritter, you’ll be amazed at how quickly his infectious enthusiasm and powerful lyrics take hold of your heart. The free-spirited singer/songwriter—and Idaho native—will perform his greatest hits as well as selections from a newly released CD. His lyrics nail it: “My orchestra is gigantic/This thing could sink the Titanic/And the string section’s screaming!” Watch out!

Osmo Vänskä, clarinet
Members of the Minnesota Orchestra

Program to include:

Music Director Osmo Vänskä dusts off his clarinet to play Mozart’s one and only Clarinet Quintet, which happens to be one of the earliest and best-known works written for the instrument. The lyrical melodies will charm and delight—making this a perfect summer morning encounter.

Minnesota Orchestra
Andrew Litton, conductor

Embrace these wonderful gifts: fresh, lively selections from two classic Russian ballets. First, cool off from the summer heat for a touch of “Christmas in July” with Tchaikovsky’s beloved Nutcracker. Then travel to Verona, Italy, where Shakespeare sets his dramatic tale of forbidden love, so beautifully expressed in Prokofiev’s gorgeous Romeo and Juliet.

Minnesota Orchestra
Osmo Vänskä, conductor

“Fiery, elegant, bristling with character—this is impressive Beethoven....The Minnesota Orchestra is extraordinarily proficient: fleet-footed and articulate…,” exclaimed Gramophone Magazine over the first recording of Beethoven symphonies the Orchestra made with Music Director Osmo Vänskä. Music lovers, here’s new cause for delight! Osmo returns to the Sommerfest podium to conduct two of the composer’s symphonies: the powerful, rarely performed Fourth and the joyful, dance-like Seventh—once declared one of his best works by Beethoven himself.

Minnesota Orchestra
Andrew Litton, conductor
Lizz Wright, vocals
Evan Christopher, clarinet

“There was never any doubt about her lustrous voice, with its gospel and blues roots, its jazzy suppleness, its languid timing and its rich empathy.”
— The New York Times

With her soulful contralto, Lizz Wright has been compared to Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Nina Simone and Odetta, to name just a few. And it’s that earthy voice that commands spine-tingling attention especially in live performance. Celebrated as one of the jazz world’s rising stars, this singer-songwriter is clearly on a journey—just as you will be on hearing her moving renditions of music that is at once intimate and technically superb. Don’t miss this exhilarating performance accompanied by the Minnesota Orchestra.

And there’s more: the second half of this stunning program features clarinetist Evan Christopher, also with the Orchestra, showcasing his authentic New Orleans/Créole sound and premiering his great new piece commissioned by the Orchestra, Treat it Gentle Suite.

Minnesota Orchestra
Andrew Litton, conductor
Barbara Shirvis, Tosca
Stephen Powell, Scarpia
Roy Kallemeyn, Sacristan
Brian Kuhl, Spoletta
Jeffrey Madison, Angelotti & Jailer
Jake Endres, Sciarrone
Benjamin Powell, Shepherd Boy
Minnesota Chorale
Minnesota BoyChoir
Robert Neu, stage director

Once dismissed as a "shabby little shocker,” Tosca now reigns as one of the world’s most popular operas. Expect high passion, dark jealousy and bloody murder in this thrilling production that includes the debut here of soprano Barbara Shirvis in the title role of Tosca and the dynamic baritone Stephen Powell as the vile, shrewd Scarpia. Get your tickets early—this Sommerfest favorite will sell out quickly!

Take a lively jaunt with an irresistible brass-powered septet! You'll start in New Orleans, go island-hopping through the Caribbean, add excursions to Brazil and Africa, and head back to the Crescent City for a parade-strutting finale. Add the dazzle of Mayfield on trumpet and Summers on percussion, and you'll discover heady delights that are enchanting, erudite, funky and ferociously fun!

Please note: The Minnesota Orchestra does not perform on this program.