As summer fades away, plans made over the last year for events in the 2012-2013 performing arts season move toward fruition, offering rich opportunities for beauty, edification, and inspiration to audiences in this region.
In advance of The Blade's Season of the Arts section, here are some more detailed previews of special series about to launch.
At Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral, 2535 Collingwood Blvd., eight concerts will feature local and visiting choirs; visiting organists and a celebration of World Organ Day; the return of the Toledo Symphony for a Bruckner Symphony, plus several liturgical choral events.
The opening concert, at 3 p.m. Sept. 23, will present the Liszt School of Music Chamber Choir from Weimar, Germany, conducted by Jurgen Puschbeck. The concert is presented in memory of Joseph Lawton.
The Toledo Diocesan Choir and Orchestra, conducted and performed by Paul Monachino, mastermind of the Cathedral Series, is to present Vivaldi's Magnificat and Handel's Organ Concerto in G minor at 3 p.m. Oct. 21.
Scotland-born Organist Douglas Bruce will be in the cathedral at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13. The annual Advent Lessons and Carols service is slated for 3 p.m. Dec. 2. On Feb. 10, Vox Choralis, a Cleveland-based professional chamber choral ensemble, will perform at 3 p.m., under the direction of David Jaronowski.
As part of its Mozart and More Series, the Toledo Symphony with principal conductor Stefan Sanderling will perform Bruckner's Symphony No. 2 at 4 p.m. March 10 in the cathedral. The sacred Tenebrae service is set for 7:30 p.m. March 27.
The series will wrap up with a 7:30 p.m. concert honoring World Organ Day, marking the 850th anniversary of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
For more information, contact Monachino at 419-244-9575 or rosary cathedral.org.
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Hill Auditorium, the landmark concert hall at the University of Michigan, will mark its centennial in 2013. In honor of the milestone, the University Musical Society has planned its 134th performance season emphasizing the landmark venue.
Among special orchestral performances to take place inside Hill will be the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, with Riccardo Muti, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27; the Mariinsky Orchestra with pianist Denis Matsuev at 8 p.m. Oct. 27; the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in a performance featuring the Hill organ, at 4 p.m. Jan. 13; and the New York Philharmonic on Feb. 23 and 24.
The season opener will be the Suzhou Kun Opera Theater of Jiangsu Province, China, presenting different productions at 8 p.m. Sept. 28 and 29 in Lydia Mendelssohn Theater of the U of M League. This traveling company specializes in traditional Chinese opera.
Chamber music presented in the august grandeur of Rackham Auditorium will include the Jerusalem String Quartet playing Shostakovich and Beethoven at 7 p.m. Oct. 10; the New Century Chamber Orchestra with violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, at 8 p.m. Feb. 2; the Berlin Philharmonic Woodwind Quintet with pianist Martin Katz in a program of music by Danzi, Ibert, Milhaud, and Poulenc, at 8 p.m. Feb. 9, and the Takacs Quartet at 8 p.m. April 12.
The 22nd annual Dance Series from UMS will begin with the debut of Kidd Pivot Franfkurt RM, a Vancouver-based company known for combining original music, movement, and images, on Sept. 21-22. At both 8 p.m. shows in the Power Center, the company will present its latest work, "The Tempest Replica," based on the Shakespearean drama.
Also scheduled are the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, another debut, Oct. 6 and 7; the Martha Graham Dance Co., Jan. 25 and 26, and the Ragamala Dance ensemble directed by Ranee and Aparna Ramaswamy, a mother-daughter team, on April 24.
Other areas of the UMS season — 68 performances by 42 companies and groups — include Divine Voices, the 19th annual Jazz Series, International Theater, the Global Music concerts, and category-busting events including Gabriel Kahane & Friends, Esperanza Spalding; Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, and Bobby McFerrin. For a complete listing and ticket details, call 734-764-2538 or visit ums.org.
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Singers: There is still time to sign up for groups preparing for the upcoming concert season.
●The University of Toledo Community Chorus, directed by Stephen Hodge, will resume rehearsals Monday at the UT Center for Performing Arts, Room 1017. Rehearsals begin at 7 p.m., with registration at 6:30 p.m. Monday and Sept. 10. No audition is necessary. For details, contact Stephen.hodge@utoledo.edu or 419-530-4558.
●The Bowling Green State University Choral Society is under the leadership of Mark Munson. Auditions are necessary for this group, which begins rehearsals 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Moore Musical Arts Center. For an audition, call 419-372-2181.
●The Lourdes University rehearsals are 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays. For details, contact conductor Karen T. Biscay at 419-824-3772 or Biscay@lourdes.edu.
●The Toledo Opera Chorus meets Sunday evenings at 425 Jefferson Ave., sixth floor, to rehearse. Auditions can be scheduled at 419-255-7464.
Send information for News of Music to svallongo@theblade.com at least two weeks in advance. Allow for weeks if sent by standard mail.
First Published August 23, 2012, 4:00 a.m.
