Danbury Community Orchestra Is Preparing An Operatic World Premiere

By SHANNON HICKS

Published: May 04, 2007 12:00 am

DANBURY â The Danbury Community Orchestra will perform under the direction of Stephen Michael Smith, music director and conductor, on Sunday, May 6, at 7 pm. The concert will be in Western CT State Universityâs Ives Concert Hall, 181 White Street.

That evening, the orchestra will perform the world premiere of Suite from The Bridge of San Luis Rey by the contemporary New York composer Paula M. Kimper. Ms Kimper wrote this opera based upon Thornton Wilderâs classic novel Bridge of San Luis Rey.

Bridge Over San Luis Rey is a story about five unrelated people who are killed while crossing a bridge in the Peruvian Andes which suddenly collapses, sending all to their deaths. Danbury Community Orchestra has been prepared by the composer for this premiere.

In addition to the world premiere, graduating high school seniors Elena Zitzman and Kellie Kravarik, violins; Julia Isaacson, viola; and David Becroft, cello, will be featured in Mozartâs Serenata Notturna.

Elena resides in Southbury and Kellie resides in Newtown; both are home schooled. Julia lives in Danbury and is graduating from Danbury High School this year, and David Becroft lives in Ridgefield and is graduating from Ridgefield High School.

The orchestra will also perform the musical counterparts of other stories and fables, including Prelude to Die Meistersingers by Wagner, and Legends by Dvorak.

Danbury Community Orchestra will be joined by Danbury Preparatory String Orchestra, under the direction of Glen Lebetkin, in a musical finale based upon an American television and movie legend familiar to adults and children of all ages. This surprise encore will end the concert with a flourish.

The 80-piece Danbury Community Orchestra is comprised of half teenagers and half adults from greater Danbury. Exceptional high school and adult musicians from more than 15 communities in Connecticut and western New York State have successfully auditioned for membership in this group.

Stephen Michael Smith has been music director and conductor of DCO since 2004. He resides in New York City and New Fairfield. He is the director of the Stephen Smith Singers of New York City, Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, is the founder and conductor laureate of Sing Out! Brooklyn, and has been guest conductor of numerous orchestras throughout Europe and the USA.

Admission is free. Call Danbury Music Centre at 748-1716 for additional information about attending this concert or performing in a Danbury Music Centre group.

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The voters certainly spoke — and I respect the outcome — but let’s not forget that a “majority” doesn’t mean everyone agreed. Many of us are deeply concerned about the rising cost of living here. Supporting schools and services is important, but so is ensuring that residents can afford to stay in the town they love. We all want Newtown to be a great place to live, but lately, it’s starting to feel less like “Nicer in Newtown” and more like “More Expensive in Newtown.” That’s not sustainable, and it’s not a criticism of the town itself — it’s a call for responsible budgeting and long-term planning that doesn’t rely on tax increases year after year. I hope future decisions will reflect not just the desire to maintain services, but also the need to ease the financial burden on residents.

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Danbury Community Orchestra Is Preparing An Operatic World Premiere

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