On summer nights, the hills of Transylvania County come alive with the sound of music. Brevard Music Center opens its 2015 Summer Festival on June 20th with internationally acclaimed pianist André Watts and the Music Center Orchestra performing Beethoven. For seven weeks, noted performers will join artistic director Keith Lockhart and others to perform a myriad of classical music selections before thousands on the Music Center’s lakeside, open-air stage. Brevard College is honored to partner with BMC to host weekly festival performances in the Porter Center for Performing Arts and Ingram Auditorium, including Giuseppe Verdi’s operatic masterpiece Rigoletto, international opera and Broadway star David Pittsinger, Mozart’s Così fan Tutte, and a diverse offering of chamber music.
Brevard Music Center brings together world-class musicians, distinguished faculty and four hundred of the most promising classical music students from around the world to dazzle patrons at the Summer Festival’s 80 concerts. With an outstanding lineup of orchestra, opera and chamber music, Brevard will feature special 2015 performances of The Steep Canyon Rangers and the Brevard Sinfonia, and A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. Music Center audiences will enjoy a dazzling array of talent in a glorious natural venue where classical music spends the summer. Almost half of the Summer Festival concerts are free and open to the public.
Brevard Music Center Summer Festival Schedule
Thursday, June 18
OPERA’S GREATEST HITS
Scott Concert Hall | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30 PM | $45
Brevard Music Center’s Janiec Opera Company, joined by Maestro Jerome Shannon and the Brevard Festival Orchestra, performs ensemble pieces from some of the world’s most loved operas.
Monday, June 22
CHAMBER MUSIC: MOZART AND SCHUMANN
Ingram Auditorium at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30PM | $25
Brevard Music Center presents Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet and Schumann’s Piano Quartet.
Wednesday, June 24
CHAMBER MUSIC: ELGAR PIANO QUINTET
Ingram Auditorium at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30 PM | $25
Brevard Music Center presents Hindemith’s Viola Sonata, Vaughan Williams’ On Wenlock Edge, and Elgar’s Piano Quintet.
Thursday & Saturday, June 25 & 27
RIGOLETTO – a Brevard Music Center Co-production with Asheville Lyric Opera
Scott Concert Hall | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
Thursday, June 25 | 7:30 PM | $45
Saturday, June 27 | 2 PM | $45
Giuseppe Verdi’s masterpiece Rigoletto portrays the happenings in the court of the despicable Duke of Mantua. Complexities abound when the Duke lays eyes on the daughter of his court jester, Rigoletto. With libretto by Francesco Maria Piave’s, Rigolettowas an instantaneous hit after its premiere in 1851 and features one of opera’s most loved arias, “La donna é mobile.”
(Ticket holders may attend a free Pre-Opera Talk in Scott Commons, which begins 1 hour before the performance.)
Monday, June 29
CHAMBER MUSIC: STRAUSS, NIELSEN, BARTOK
Scott Concert Hall | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30 PM | $25
Guest artist Ilya Yakushev joins Brevard Music Center faculty members in a performance of Bartok’s stunning Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion. The evening concert also includes Strauss’ Sextet from Capriccio and Nielsen’s Wind Quartet.
Wednesday, July 1
CHAMBER MUSIC: BILL PREUCIL AND FRIENDS
Scott Concert Hall | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30PM | $25
Brevard Music Center presents Bill Preucil and friends performing Dvořák’s Terzetto, Moszkowski’s Suite for Two Violins and Piano, and Mendelssohn’s Octet.
Monday, July 6
CHAMBER MUSIC: THE SHANGHAI QUARTET
Scott Concert Hall | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30 PM | $25
Brevard Music Center presents Haydn’s String Quartet No. 34, Bartok’s String Quartet No. 4, and Ravel’s String Quartet in F major.
Wednesday, July 8
CHAMBER MUSIC: THE ANCIENT CALL
Scott Concert Hall | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30 PM | $25|
Brevard Music Center presents Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 3 and Reza Vali’s The Ancient Call (world premiere and live recording).
Friday, July 10
PICCOLO OPERA
Morrison Playhouse| Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
4:30 PM | FREE!
Brevard Music Center’s talented High School voice students present opera scenes.
Monday, July 13
CHAMBER MUSIC: JUST BRASS
Ingram Auditorium at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)|
7:30 PM | $25
Brevard Music Center’s faculty and students join forces for a brass-travaganza.
Wednesday, July 15
CHAMBER MUSIC: CHRISTOPHER REX
Ingram Auditorium at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30 PM | $25
Brevard Music Center presents Schumann’s Fantasiestucke, Mendelssohn’s Cello Sonata No. 2, and Brahms’ String Sextet No. 2. Brevard welcomes 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award-winner Christopher Rex, principal cello of the Atlanta Symphony, as he joins BMC’s artist faculty for an evening of Romantic chamber music.
Thursday & Saturday, July 16 & 18
COSI FAN TUTTI
Scott Concert Hall | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
Thursday, July 16 | 7:30 PM | $45
Saturday, July 18 | 2 PM | $45
Brevard Music Center Present’s Mozart’s beloved opera buffa Così fan Tutte. It provides great entertainment and laughs as its story weaves an intricate web of love, and truly tests the ties of two engaged couples. Così fan tutte is the final collaboration of Mozart and the gifted librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte.
(Ticket holders may attend a free Pre-Opera Talk in Scott Commons which begins one hour before the performance.)
Monday, July 20
CHAMBER MUSIC: INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ENSEMBLE.
Scott Concert Hall | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30 PM | $25
Brevard Music Center presents an exciting evening with one of this country’s most adventurous new music ensembles.
Tuesday, July 21
A Celebration of the American Songbook with David Pittsinger
Scott Concert Hall | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30 PM | $25
International opera and Broadway star David Pittsinger performs patriotic anthems and selections from South Pacific, Sound of Music, Camelot, and more!
Wednesday, July 22
CHAMBER MUSIC: BREVARD CAMERATA
Scott Concert Hall | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30 PM | $25
Brevard Music Center’s presents Bach/Webern’s “Ricercare” from The Musical Offering, Hindemith’s Concerto for Woodwinds, Harp, and Orchestra, and Mozart’s Symphony No. 36,“Linz.”
Thursday, July 23
BMC Piano Competition Finals
Scott Concert Hall | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:00 PM | $10
Brevard Music Center presents the five finalists chosen for the annual Piano Competition.
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday, July 23, 24, 25
FALLING ANGEL
Morrison Playhouse | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
Thursday, July 23 | 2 PM | $45
Friday, July 24 | 2 PM | $45
Saturday, July 25 | 2 PM | $45
Brevard Music Center presents Falling Angel, this season’s Opera in a Box, which is based on the classic, thrilling horror-mystery novel of the same name, by William Hjorstberg.
(Ticket holders may attend a free Pre-Opera Talk in Scott Commons, which begins 1 hour before the performance.)
Monday, July 27
CHAMBER MUSIC: MENDELSSOHN PIANO TRIO
Ingram Auditorium at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30 PM | $25
Brevard Music Center presents Connesson’s Sextuor, Schulhoff’s Concertino for Flute, Viola, and Double Bass, and Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 2.
Wednesday, July 29
CHAMBER MUSIC: SOLOISTS OF THE AMERICAN SPIRITUAL ENSEMBLE
Ingram Auditorium at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
7:30 PM | $25
Brevard Music Center presents The American Spiritual Ensemble – a critically-acclaimed professional group composed of some of the finest singers in the classical music world. The vocalists have thrilled audiences around the world with their dynamic renditions of classical spirituals and Broadway numbers.
Thursday & Saturday, July 30 & August 1
THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE
Scott Concert Hall | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
Thursday, July 30 | 7:30 PM | $45
Saturday, August 1 | 2 PM | $45
The Ballad of Baby Doe is one of the most popular and beautifully melodic American operas in the standard repertory! Baby Doe is based on the story of Horace Tabor, Elizabeth “Baby” Doe Tabor, and Augusta Tabor – all real historical figures. The action takes place in Colorado and Washington, DC…even President Chester Arthur and William Jennings Bryan make an appearance.
(Ticket holders may attend a free Pre-Opera Talk in Scott Commons which begins one hour before the performance.)
Friday, July 31
PICCOLO OPERA
Morrison Playhouse | Porter Center at Brevard College Campus (1 Brevard College Drive)
4:30 PM | FREE!
Brevard Music Center’s high school students present opera scenes.
For a complete listing of festival performances, visit brevardmusic.org.