PEORIA -- The Heartland Festival Orchestra's New Year's Greeting concert brought Vienna to the Peoria area, in its best ever event on Jan. 8 at Five Points Center, Washington, IL.
Operatic singers and professional ballet dancers were part of the evening of pure beauty and melody -- such a contrast to the cacophony of Blue Man Group playing elsewhere. (See review below.)
The orchestra in formal dress looked as impressive as it sounded, with views aided as always by live TV on a large screen above the stage.
Artistic director/conductor David Commanday presented commentary on most of the numbers, generating an intimacy rarely found at classical concerts.
The selections, from Vienna composers Strauss, Lehar, Offenbach and others were all familiar numbers not often heard now but familiar to me from childhood memories. They were delightful, though, perfect for a New Year's event.
The highlight of concert was a comic scene from the Act l finale of Strauss's Die Fledermaus, sung and acted by soprano Kay Welch, tenor Justin Vickers and bass-baritone Ronald Hedlund. There was even a lounge and table brought to the stage to provide a set for the scene.
Finally, after a standing ovation to conclude the evening, balloons dropped from the ceiling -- another innovation at this type of concert.
Heartland just keeps getting better and better -- innovative as well as musically expert.
-- Elaine Hopkins
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