PEORIA -- The Heartland Festival Orchestra's Oct. 8 progam was terrific, as usual, with an extra twist: a dramatic play about Beethoven's life, Beethoven Lives Upstairs, performed by skilled actors and accompanied by 29 excerpts from Beethoven's most familiar works.
The audience was wowed, and gave the piece a standing ovation.
It will repeated on Sunday, Oct. 9, and anyone with a ticket for the Oct. 8 program can get in free. Otherwise it's only $10, for an event that would $50 or more in Chicago or other cities. It's at 2 p.m. at Five Points in Washington, Il.
This is an excellent play for children as well as adults, flawlessly performed with precision and perfect timing.
See the information below for details and links.
The Oct. 8 program concluded with Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36, again beautifully performed.
The Heartland Orchestra continues to amaze with the talent and creativity of its musicians and artistic director and conductor David Commanday. It's next concert is Jan. 7. Commanday said it will include Broadway numbers with performers from New York City. Wow.
|
|
 |
Beethoven Lives Upstairs!
|
The Genius of Beethoven!
|
|
What a wonderful program we have for you this weekend!
Saturday, October 8 at 7:30 pm - Beethoven Lives Upstairs with Beethoven's 2nd Symphony
You may have encountered David Commanday on the air, on tv, or in print this week delighting in the charm and poignance of the concert he and the HFO will offer you this weekend:
60 second very fun radio commercial David recorded (That's the HFO you hear in the background playing Beethoven's 1st Symphony!)
WCBU Out and About with Nathan Irwin and Suzette Boulais
WILL FM Live and Local with Kevin Kelly (October 4, David begins around minute marker 31)
Peoria Journal Star article about Beethoven Lives Upstairs
The world famous production of Beethoven Lives Upstairs features a lively exchange of letters between young Christoph and his uncle. Their subject is the "madman" who has moved into the upstairs apartment of Christoph's Vienna home. Through a touching correspondence dramatically underscored with the composer's most beautiful excerpts, Christoph comes to understand the genius of Beethoven, the beauty of his music, and the torment of his deafness. Experience Beethoven through the eyes of a child!
About Beethoven's 2nd Symphony, composer/conductor Leonard Berstein said, "Much more important even than the size, is the sudden new abundance of manic ideas, wild high spirit bordering on madness. This is the way the new, mighty Beethoven announces himself." (Full 2 minute Bernstein video discussion here)
|
Beethoven Lives Upstairs Family Matinee Sunday, October 9 at 2:00 pm
|
The next day, Sunday, October 9, at 2:00 pm Five Points Washington and the Heartland Festival Orchestra will present a matinee performance of Beethoven Lives Upstairs. The matinee will last about an hour and features the dramatic presentation (but not Beethoven's 2nd Symphony). A great concert for families, grandparents and grandkids – everyone, actually! All tickets (open seating) are $10. For further information and tickets go online to:
www.heartlandfestivalorchestra.org or http://www.fivepointswashington.org/ or call the HFO directly at (309) 339-3943. Tickets are also sold at Kidder Music in Peoria.
|
|
|
|
See you at the concerts!
|
|
|
Comments