Happy New Year! Yes, many of us are fat, sated and broke but that doesn't mean we can't look forward to some wonderful performances by Columbus's arts community in the next few weeks. Here's my list. What's yours? ProMusica Chamber Orchestra Composer Kevin Puts won the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his opera, Silent Night. Puts is one of the best new "voices" in music. His work for string quartet and orchestra, How Wild the Sea is on ProMusica's program January 24 Pontifical College Josephinum, and 25 Southern Theater. David Danzmayr conducts, with the Miro Quartet. Also on the program, Mendelssohn's Symphony 3 and Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. They give out free cookies, too. Columbus Symphony Music director designate Rossen Milanov conducts the Organ Symphony by French composer Camille Saint-Saens. If you like it loud, louder and loudest this program is for you. Elgar's Cockaigne Overture opens the program, and we'll hear a new work, the Cello Concerto by Mason Bates. January 30 and 31, Ohio Theater Ballet Met The Great Gatsby The glamour and decadence of the Roaring 20's. Jazz Age dances and stunning choreography by Ballet Met's own Jimmy Orrante. Perfect for date night! February 6-14, Capitol Theater https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ci3qE6M2Us CATCO Master Class at the Riffe Center, February 11-22 : Maria Callas (1923-1977) gave a series of master classes at the Julliard School in New York in 1972. Terrence McNally's hit play Master Class is based on these appearances. We find Callas devastated by the loss of her voice and by Aristotle Onassis's marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy. McNally takes plenty of liberties with this searing play (I was present for two of these classes and as they actually happened would hardly have made compelling theater.) CATCO presents Master Class at the Riffe Center, February 11-22. CATCO presents Ilona Dulaski as Maria Callas. Here's a clip from the recent Broadway production, with Tyne Daly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06ZvB5i8FgU OSU School of Music Verdi's Requiem in Mershon Auditorium. Grab any opportunity to hear this magnificent work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkssNMI_niE Watch this space for more highlights of the 2015 of the arts in culture-rich Columbus!
Christopher Purdy is Classical 101's early morning host, 7-10 a.m. weekdays. He is host and producer of Front Row Center – Classical 101’s weekly celebration of Opera and more – as well as Music in Mid-Ohio, Concerts at Ohio State, and the Columbus Symphony broadcast series. He is the regular pre-concert speaker for Columbus Symphony performances in the Ohio Theater.