The Delaware Symphony Orchestra Announces 118th Season of Bold New Artists & Repertoire

A sold-out audience at DSO's March 2023 concert.
Photo by Joe del Tufo.

The content of this post comes from a Delaware Symphony Orchestra press release...

The Delaware Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is proud to announce its 118th season, featuring a captivating lineup of performances. The season will include five Classics Series concerts, three Chamber Series concerts, a return to the Hotel du Pont's Gold Ballroom, and two concerts in Sussex County.

Classics Series: The Classics Series is the DSO’s full-orchestra concert experience with featured guest artists performed at The Grand Opera House in Wilmington and Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes.

Kicking off the series on Friday, October 13, 2023, is Sky, Sea, and Rhapsody. Under the leadership of Music Director Laureate David Amado, the DSO will perform Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, featuring acclaimed guest pianist Stewart Goodyear as well as Claude Debussy's timeless masterpiece, La Mer.

In the next Classics concert, ¡Música Bravo!, guest conductor Michelle Di Russo and guitarist João Luiz will take audiences on a vibrant journey through Hispanic and Latin-inspired works by Arturo Márquez, Alberto Ginastera, Manuel de Falla, Joaquín Rodrigo, and Rimsky-Korsakov. The program will be performed in both Wilmington and Lewes, Delaware, on November 10 and 12, 2023.

On January 19, 2024, the New Year commences with From Home to Rome, directed by guest conductor André Raphel and featuring the virtuosic talents of violinist Jennifer Frautschi performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. In addition, this concert will feature West Chester native Samuel Barber's Symphony in One Movement and Ottorino Respighi's majestic Pines of Rome.

March 22 and 24, 2024, invites you to A John Williams Celebration — the iconic themes from Star Wars, Harry Potter, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, and more — led by guest conductor Scott Speck. This program will also be performed in both Wilmington and Lewes, Delaware.

The final Classics concert on April 26, 2024 — Amado Conducts Mahler — welcomes Maestro Amado back to the podium for Gustav Mahler's epic masterpiece, Symphony No. 7 "Song of the Night.”

Chamber Series: The Chamber Series offers intimate concerts, featuring smaller ensembles, at venues including the DuPont Country Club and the Gold Ballroom of the Hotel du Pont.

The first concert, Percussionists of the DSO, on October 24, 2023, promises an unforgettable evening showcasing the artistry and versatility of these DSO musicians. This exciting concert will feature the works of contemporary composers Joe Taylor, Michael Udow, Ney Rosauro, as well as the Baroque genius, G. F. Handel.

On December 12, 2023, we return to the glittering Gold Ballroom of the Hotel du Pont for Holidays at the Hotel, a delightful evening of festive melodies for the entire family, featuring the talents of Delaware's own baritone Grant Youngblood and works by Bach and Tchaikovsky.

On February 13, 2024, the final Chamber concert showcases Music of the African Diaspora. The Musicians of the DSO will perform works by influential composers Valerie Coleman, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Adolphus Hailstork, Jessie Montgomery, and Carlos Simon.

“This season represents our most diverse programming yet,” said Executive Director J.C. Barker. “Our audiences have grown significantly this past season, and we cannot wait to share this extraordinary lineup of music and artists with our friends, both old and new! We know this season will deliver performances that audiences of all ages and experience can connect with and enjoy.”

Subscription packages are available now; single tickets for all concerts will be available for sale starting August 15, 2023.

Visit DelawareSymphony.org or call 302.656.7442 for more details.

Celebrating "Men Behaving Badly" at OperaDelaware

(L-R): Grant Youngblood, Jeffrey Miller, Ben Wager,
Martin Hargrove, Alok Kumar. Photo courtesy of OperaDelaware.

The hubby and I spent Friday night out with a bunch of truly bad men...and loved every moment!

We attended OperaDelaware's quasi-new programming (it's a few seasons in, although some may not realize) Inside the Opera Studio. The program brings audiences up close and personal to well-known and (perhaps) lesser known — but equally captivating — works from productions both international and U.S. born, under a collective theme. This time, it was "Devils, Drunks and Dastardly Dudes."

OperaDelaware's second-floor rehearsal hall was set with large candlelit tables and rear platform seating facing a small stage under chandeliers, giving the entire night a personal, intimate feel.

Our four featured dastardly dudes were OperaDelaware stars Alok Kumar, Ben Wager, Martin Hargrove and Grant Youngblood in a showcase OperaDelaware General Director Brendan Cooke described as "...men behaving badly."

OperaDelaware Music Director Jeffrey Miller, who was accompanist and creator of the program, also served us well as the entertaining "Master of Ceremonies," introducing each piece with brevity and humor, providing background about the opera and its characters. I enjoyed his discussion, as it helped to set the mood of the performances and give us interesting notes about each piece.

The evening began with tenor Kumar in a selection from Verdi's Rigoletto, in which Miller noted, "The Duke is probably a drunk...but definitely a dastardly dude." I know little about opera, but will say that Kumar's voice was incredible and delivered the perfect power-packed start to the evening.

I will also note that bass Ben Wager has his 'devils' down pat — in works from Faust and Mefistofele, his voice not only conveys the proper dose of darkness, but his spot-on laugh and expression are so entertainingly chilling. "Ben seems to specialize in devils..." laughed Miller after one of Wager's performances. 

Wager and Hargrove also performed the provocative Ella giammai m'amo from Act 3, Scene 1 of Verdi's Don Carlo — what Miller called, "...no exaggeration; the greatest confrontation scene in opera."

Rigoletto gave me another favorite piece, this time from Youngblood and Hargrove — as Rigoletto and Sparafucile, respectively — in the duet Pari siamo!

Artfans who may not know much about opera or who think they may not like opera — these programs are right up your alley. They're the perfect informal (and enjoyably educational) introduction to many different styles, composers and stories.

Bravi, OperaDelaware! Next up for Inside the Opera Studio is the Ladies' Night program running March 3 through 5. Tickets available but seating is limited. 

See www.operade.org. 

Delaware Valley Chorale and Delaware Symphony at Immanuel Church

David Christopher conducted members of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra and his Delaware Valley Chorale in a performance May 15 at Immanuel Church on Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Gloria by Lee Hoiby, an American composer who died at age 85 this past March, was harmonically conservative. Hoiby was often accused of having the same style as those who preceded him a century before. Yet, he was called to Curtis by Gian Carlo Menotti after one of his friends showed his work to the famous composer and teacher at the Curtis Institute. Hoiby went on to have a long and successful career.

Written in memory of the brother of one of the DVC members, this piece has a lovely trumpet, trombone and timpani orchestration with organ obbligato that is tightly written and worked beautifully in the large stone sanctuary.

The Brahms Requiem had the support of 52 instrumentalists which sometimes overwhelmed the chorus, but sounded so good that you forgot about that right away.

Soloist Grant Youngblood had no problem holding his own against the group, mesmerizing the audience with his full, rich voice and his ability to communicate the Herr, lehre doch mich (Lord, make me know) and the Denn haben wir keine bleibende Stadt (For we have no continuing city).

Soprano June Suh’s mellow, rounded sound also carried over the orchestra without a hitch. Her high notes seemed effortless as she sang with quiet poise. Her solo melted away but the note continued on the flute in a transition so seamless no one knew where the soprano voice ended and the flute began.

It was a great idea to have players from the Delaware Symphony support this impressive chorale performance.

See www.delawarevalleychorale.org.

Tosca a Treat by OperaDelaware

Opera Delaware’s production of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca is the best I have seen from the organization since OD’s1960s interpretation of Mozart’s Don Giovanni.

Gustavo López-Manzitti’s passionate portrayal of Mario Cavaradossi is intense – his daredevil high tenor notes and focused acting made for a spellbinding character. His Recondita armonia, extolling the mysteries of Floria Tosca and why he finds her beautiful was almost as gripping as his hauntingly sad E lucevan le stelle - accompanied cautiously by clarinetist Marianne Gythfeldt.

Kary Shay Thomson’s Floria Tosca was brilliantly sung. The glockenspiel and flute were perfectly balanced with her voice in E la luna piena – and she brought the house down with her heart wrenching rendition of Vissi d’arte. During the wild applause, both Youngblood and Thomson stayed so firmly in character that I never lost the feeling of being immersed in the story.

The staging by Marc Astafan is inventively illustrative. He places Scarpia on one side, while to his left the choir and cardinal sing the Te Deum to celebrate Napoleon’s defeat. But Scarpia is singing about how he wants to seduce Tosca and cries, “Tosca, mi fai dimenticare Dio” (Tosca you make me forget God) as he demoniacally rips apart a blood red rose given by Tosca as an offering to the church.

Conductor John Baril brings out the contrasting sounds of the Puccini score -- like the bell sounds representing the church as well as tolling the warning of the devious Scarpia. Although the orchestra did not have as many stands as Puccini would have demanded, they produce a great sound. The next performances are on Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8 at 8 p.m.

See www.operade.org.