If you could describe The Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra’s new season in one word, the word would be variety as this season includes everything from movie music to Ukrainian dancing.
This season, which kicked off Sept. 28 with the first Lethbridge Symphony Chamber Series includes everything from Handel’s Messiah to popular film sound tracks.
They will be winding up the season in May by joining forces with the Troyanda Ukrainian Dancers for two days, May 12-13.
“ We definitely have a lot of variety this year,” enthused Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra musical director Glenn Klassen.
They open their Masters Series concerts, Oct. 15 at the Southminster United Church with a superb selection of pieces including Felix Mendelssohn’s “Overture to Ruy Blas Op. 95, Robert Schumann’s piano concerto in A Minor Op 54 and Carl Neilsen’s Symphony No. 1 in G Minor Op. 7.
But Klassen is especially excited about the second Masters Series featuring 40 years of Hollywood Magic, Nov. 19. They will be playing a variety of movie music including obscure Russian films scored by Prokofiev; Errol Flynn’s “Sea Hawk”; ET; pop culture classics like John Williams scored movies Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark and modern day films like Avatar.
“ You’ll really be getting the cream of the crop,” Klassen said.
Klassen always enjoysThe Symphony performs Handel’s Messiah every two years, which Klassen always enjoys.
“ I’ve conducted it a half dozen times and I always discover something new in it,” he said. They will be performing with Vox Musica, which Klassen always enjoys.
The Symphony will be doing several collaborations this season, including their opera. They will be working with the University of Lethbridge opera workshop for Fledermaus (The Bat)— The Opera Ball, which runs Jan. 30.
“ It will be as complete as we can in the Southminster United Church,” he said adding the performers will have complete costumes as well as some set, though it won’t be as extravagant as if it were in a formal opera hall.
“We’ll be doing it from start to finish,” he said.
The season ends with a collaboration with the Troyanda Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, May 12-13.
“I love collaborating with other Lethbridge community organizations,” Klassen enthused adding he is looking forward to working with senior artistic director Dean Mackedenski. They will also be working with The University of Lethbridge theatre department and the University of Lethbridge Opera Workshop on “Fledermaus.”
He always enjoys working with Musaeus. Several of the Chamber series performances feature clarinetist Margaret Mezei.
“ I’m just delighted to work with them and see them work,” he continued.
He is also excited about working with a couple former members of the Orchestra including former young artist competition winner Brooke Day who returns from England play some viola, March 25 for the fifth edition of the Masters Series. They carefully choose which guest artists to feature.
“We want artists who are good, polished performers,” he said.
