Symphony closes season with 'Visions of Beauty'

The Peoria Symphony Orchestra will close its 2012-13 season by celebrating spring and Mother's Day with a concert titled "Visions of Beauty."

The concert, which will feature soprano Kara Shay Thomson's return to a Peoria stage, will begin at 8 p.m. at Grace Presbyterian Church on Illinois Route 91 in Peoria.

A highlight of the concert will, said music director George Stelluto, will be "the dreamy, Freudian world of Mahler's Fourth Symphony, perfect for the coming spring. It is one of his most performed, most enjoyed, and most commented on symphonies."

Soprano Kara Shay ThomsonAlso scheduled for the concert will be Mozart's Overture to Don Giovanni and Beethoven's Ah! Perfido.

Tickets are $51, $36 and $26 for adults and $11 for students and can be reserved by calling 671-1096 or online at www.peoriasymphony.org. They also can be purchased at the symphony box office at 101 State St. in Peoria, open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday and noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday. They also can be purchased at the church beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday.

In his pre-concert memo "From the Podium," Stelluto wrote of Mahler's Fourth Symphony: "Some call it innocent, some sardonic, some say it is paradoxical, bittersweet, and yet childlike. It was certainly one of Mahler's favorites. It is the last of his own works he conducted — programmed with the New York Philharmonic just one week before he fell ill and returned to Europe and died. One thing is certain; it is a spiritual symphony, one that on its surface is congenial and innocent yet achingly profound and wise at deeper levels.

"Musically it evokes aspects of the classical era, certainly the romantic, and even, if I dare, elements of Danny Elfmann. It is deceptively simple and tuneful yet very sophisticated formally. Evidently, Mahler composed it in sections and then rearranged the sections until he had the structure he wanted — almost like putting together a puzzle. Certainly it tells a great tale, perhaps a cautionary one."

Stelluto added that this symphony "possesses the quality of a children's movie actually meant for adults. It has marches, play, waltzes, fantasy, and even funny little characters telling us stories. Finally, it ends in a beautiful lullaby."

The story teller for the concert is Thomson, who performed in Collins "Daughter of the South" for the Peoria Symphony last year, a performance that will be broadcast on WTVP at the end of the month.

Thomson has performed in many operas, including in New York, as well as in concert. Samples of her performance quality and powerful voice can be heard on her website, www.karashaythomson.com. She resides in Cincinnati and earned her graduate degree in performance from the esteemed New England Conservatory of Music.

Stelluto also discussed Mozart's: Overture to Don Giovanni and said it is an allegory.

"This famous opera involves the playboy Don Giovanni, who chooses pride and damnation over reconciliation and redemption, losing his mediocre soul in the end. This 'once upon a time' start to our concert is followed by Mozart's concert aria "A questo seno deh vieni" in which a young woman expresses her relief at the return of her lover after battle."

Beethoven's Ah! Perfido "depicts the wild mood swings of a woman scorned and the extremes of anger and despair that we all can experience in love."

Before the concert there will be a lecture from Stephen Heinemann and in the atrium members of the Central Illinois Youth Symphony Prep Orchestra will perform.

About the Author

Paul Gordon is the editor of The Peorian after spending 29 years of indentured servitude at the Peoria Journal Star. He’s an award-winning writer, raconteur and song-and-dance man. He also went to a high school whose team name is the Alices (that’s Vincennes Lincoln High School in Indiana; you can look it up).