40th Anniversary Season Finale: Mozart Requiem, Featuring, Adirondack Voices and Soloists of Seagle Festival

NEWS CONTACT:

Jennifer Brink, Executive Director

Phone: (518) 793-1348

E-mail: exdir@gfso.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

April 22, 2024

Glens Falls Symphony’s 40th Anniversary Season concludes Sunday, May 5, 2024 with Mozart’s Requiem.

The 40th season of the Glens Falls Symphony comes to a musical peak with one of the most widely cherished works by the most beloved composer, Mozart’s magnificent final work, Requiem. Mozart’s Requiem was left uncompleted at the end of his life amid illness and financial woes. Myths about the mysterious stranger abound, including one theory that the commissioner was Mozart’s jealous competitor Antonio Salieri, as depicted in the play and film Amadeus. History shows that it was more likely that the dubious figure was a nobleman in the habit of acquiring works by gifted composers and passing them off as his own. In a creative frenzy, pouring out his genius in an attempt to improve his fortunes, Mozart was more productive in his final year than in any other period in his life. His Requiem’s “Dies irae” (Day of Wrath) blazes with theatricality, and his ineffably sorrowful “Lacrymosa” remains one of the most beautiful passages in all of classical music. This concert will be conducted by Glens Falls Symphony Music Director Charles Peltz.

The performance will feature the text of the requiem mass sung by the 85-voice Adirondack Voices, who are themselves celebrating their 25th anniversary season. The Glens Falls/Queensbury region chorus is led by Corey Cerullo, and is accompanied in rehearsals and concerts by collaborative pianist CarolAnn Elze-Sussdorff. The four vocal solo singers are all alumni of the Seagle Festival. Soprano Jazmine Saunders, a native of Rochester, NY, completed her undergraduate degree in performance from the Eastman School, and is now pursuing a Masters of Music from the Juilliard School in NYC. Mezzo Soprano Grace Heldridge grew up in Omaha, NE, and earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas. She was a semi-finalist in the Mass Opera and NextGen National Vocal Competitions. Tenor Patrick Bessenbacher studied with tenor Matthew Chellis during undergraduate studies at University of Colorado, and then went on to earn a Masters of Music from the Juilliard School. Bass Robert Feng grew up in Hawaii, and then earned his Bachelor’s degree at Peabody Conservatory and his Master's degree at Manhattan School of Music. Hailed by Opera News as "a booming, well-crafted bass," Robert placed first in the Dorothy Lincoln Smith Regional Voice Competition, second in the NY Classical Music Society International Voice Competition, third in the Lyra Mozart International Voice Competition, and third in the Opera for Earth Vocal Competition.

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Mozart Requiem Concert and Related Events:

• Wednesday, May 1 at 2:30pm, “Sound+Film” series, featuring free screening of “Amadeus” at Crandall Public Library.

• Thursday, May 2 at 7pm, "Behind the Scenes- A Night of Humor, Music and Singing" at Tannery Pond Center, North Creek, NY. Featuring Soprano Francesca Mehrotra. Tannery Pond “Behind the Scenes – A Night of Humor, Music, and Singing” tickets: Advance tickets online at www.theglensfallssymphony.org are $15. At the door: $20. This one-hour concert features another Seagle Festival alum, soprano Francesca Mehrotra, with GFS Concertmaster Michael Emery, violin, and guest pianist Michael Clement. A relaxed evening of conversation with Maestro Peltz and Ms. Mehrotra about the fascinating world of opera and opera singing.

• Pre-Concert Talk: Music Director Charles Peltz discusses the concert, the music, and the artists in a free talk at 3 pm, in the Glens Falls High School Auditorium. Free with purchase of concert ticket.

• Sunday, May 5 at 4pm, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart "Requiem" featuring Adirondack Voices, Glens Falls High School Auditorium. TICKETS: Adult: $39/$33/$26. Student Ticket: $10. Location: Glens Falls High School Auditorium, 10 Quade St, Glens Falls, NY 12801

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For more information, contact Jennifer Brink at (518) 793-1348 or exdir@gfso.org

www.theglensfallssymphony.org

Glens Falls Symphony Office (518) 793-1348

Located upstairs in the LARAC Gallery building: 7 Lapham Place in Glens Falls

Office hours: Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

About Glens Falls Symphony

The Glens Falls Symphony, begun as a community amateur orchestra in 1977 at the then-named Adirondack Community College. Celebrating 40 years this season, the symphony successfully moves into its fourth decade of music-making as a professional orchestra since its incorporation in 1983. Since Maestro Charles Peltz’ arrival in 2000, the fully professional Glens Falls Symphony has performed a dynamic repertoire, regularly including musical premieres and world-renowned guest artists while expanding musical offerings to include family concerts, summer pops programs and more. Cited as “one of the great orchestras of our country” by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Joseph Schwantner, the orchestra comprises professional musicians who come from all over the Northeast to perform.