Santa Rosa Symphony celebrates opens 80th Season with Bruno Ferrandis conducting Messiaen, Mahler and a multi-media version of Holst's The Planets

News Release Contact:
Sara Obuchowski, (707) 546-7097 ext 218

September 17 , 2007

(SANTA ROSA, CA) –Santa Rosa Symphony’s 80th anniversary season opens October 13-15 at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts under the musical direction of Bruno Ferrandis. The concerts feature a unique performance of Gustav Holst’s The Planets accompanied by images sourced from NASA and live-sequenced while the orchestra plays. Audiences will experience the universe in music and video, as well as being able to “explore” the solar system using Video Concepts software set up on a computer station in the WFC lobby. This production of The Planets is supported by a grant through “Performance Sonoma” by The James Irvine Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Also on the October program are the works of two composers who reach beyond the borders of the usual imagination. Messiaen, in his tribute to Mozart called “A Smile” (Un Sourire), touches on the mysticism of nature and the joy of creation. Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer, performed by mezzo-soprano Jacalyn Kreitzer, expresses the passion of German folk poetry in symphonic form.

Kreitzer began her professional career when she stepped in for ailing soprano Felicity Lott with Simon Rattle and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Following excellent critical acclaim, she was then engaged with the Metropolitan Opera for four seasons, and recorded Die Walkure with the Met on Deutsche Grammaphon. Kreitzer has performed in some of the world’s great opera houses and with symphonies including Deutsche Oper Berlin, Theatre du Chatelet, New York City Opera, Barcelona, Spoleto, Chicago Lyric and San Francisco operas, the Dublin Grand Opera, Prague National Symphony, and the Kronos, American, Mendelssohn and Sequoia string quartets. She is a first prize winner in the New York Liederkranz competition, the recipient of the Flagstad Young Wagnerian Singer Award, an Astral Foundation Grant and a Sullivan Foundation. At each of the three performances, patrons may purchase Jacalyn Kreitzer’s CDs, and she will be available to autograph them.

Concert times are Saturday and Monday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa. Conversations with the Conductor begin in the main concert hall one hour prior to each concert. The popular Discovery Series of open rehearsals continues at 2 p.m. on October 13. These concerts, priced at $10 for adults and $6 for youth, offer a sneak peek into the final rehearsal process before each concert set.

The October 13, 14 and 15 performances of the Santa Rosa Symphony Classical Series are underwritten by Barbara and Jacques Schlumberger and Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate. Bruno Ferrandis’ appearance is underwritten by Margaret and Harry Wetzel.

For tickets, call (707) 546-8742, purchase online at santarosasymphony.com, or come in person to the Symphony Box Office at 50 Santa Rosa Avenue (North Coast Bank building, off the elevator lobby), from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, Wednesdays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased at the door 1½ hours before each performance (based on availability.)

Single tickets are $27-50, with student and senior discounts available. $10 Student Rush tickets (student I.D. required) can be purchased a half hour prior to curtain.