Summer heat no match for passion and fireworks of these romantic blockbusters

TOCCATA-Tahoe Symphony Orchestra’s 13th SummerFest concludes with a commemoration of the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy. The concert opens with Alex Eisenberg’s virtuosic performance of the beautiful Bruch “Violin Concerto #1.” Then, fasten your seatbelts for the extraordinary drama and emotional power of Verdi’s “Requiem,” presented by a mighty 66-voice chorus, large orchestra, and amazing soloists.

Bruch felt that the violin could “sing a melody better than a piano, and melody is the soul of music,” and this concerto is full of great melodies, from the intimate and tender to the intense and exultant. The concerto is a true showpiece for the master violinist, but its lyrical beauty and emotional sincerity make it an audience favorite as well. The piece moves from a fervent, expectant opening section into a middle movement that combines exquisite soaring melodic lines and bravura technical displays with the sweetness of a lullaby. The joyous, dazzling finale builds intensity and speed, getting higher as it gets faster and louder, right up to the fiery end.

TOCCATA-Tahoe welcomes back brilliant violinist Alex Eisenberg, one of our favorites. Alex studied at both the Moscow Conservatory and the Hochschule for Music in Vienna. He has won numerous prestigious awards, including First Prize in the Michelangelo Abbado Violin Competition in Sondrio, Italy, the Paolo Brociani special prize for chamber music, and he is a winner of Concorso Internationale Rameu in France. As a soloist and chamber musician, Alex has performed with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Vienna Soloists, Moscow Symphony, Odessa Philharmonic, Belgrade Radio Symphony Orchestra, Dubrovnik Festival Orchestra, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Because Verdi brings all his skill as an operatic composer to bear in the “Requiem,” no other requiem comes close to approaching its drama and tension. You’ll experience all the soaring, lyrical melodies, the passion, and the wild intensity of a Verdi opera in this work. The emotional arc of the piece moves from profound loss in the subdued opening section to sheer terror at what lies ahead on judgment day in the “Dies irae” section. You might be a little afraid yourself what with the chorus singing full voice in the midst of thunderous drums, lightning-strike chords, and plunging and climbing runs in the orchestra. But the other sections of the piece are full of consolation and even joy and, of course, those gorgeous Verdi melodies. The ebb and flow of emotion the “Requiem” generates make it one of the great icons of Western music, a riveting sonic story that you never want to end.

General admission is $30 for adults, $25 for seniors, FREE for youth (under age 23); preferred/reserved seating is $40/adults, $15/youth. Donations of any size are always appreciated: ticket sales do not fully cover our expenses.

WHERE and WHEN:
Sunday, Sept. 2, 4:00 p.m., Gardnerville – St. Gall Catholic Church, 1343 Centerville Lane
Friday, Sept. 7, 7:00 p.m., South Lake Tahoe – St. Theresa Catholic Church, 1041 Lyons Ave.
Sunday, Sept. 9, 4:00 p.m., Reno – St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 1070 Plumb Lane
Tuesday, Sept. 11, 7:00 p.m., Incline Village – Cornerstone Church, 300 Country Club Drive
Further information: Please call 775-313-9697; e-mail us at ToccataTahoe@gmail.com; or visit us at www.ToccataTahoe.org or https://www.facebook.com/toccatatahoe/.

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