On Sunday May 6th, NOVA’s 40th Anniversary Season celebration closes with music by Schubert, Messiaen, and Lutosławski. Featured artists include soprano Melissa Heath, pianist Frank Weinstock, and an all-star lineup of Utah musicians for Schubert’s Octet led by incoming NOVA Music Director Madeline Adkins.
The final program under Jason Hardink’s artistic direction, the concert opens with Olivier Messiaen’s gorgeous Trois Mélodies. Composed at the age of 22, the two outer songs are musical settings of the composer’s own poetry, while the middle song sets a poem by Messiaen’s mother.
Violist Carl Johansen and cellist Andrew Larson, both of the Utah Symphony, will perform Lutosławski’s lively Bucolics, a set of five folk dances inspired by the sonic landscape of Béla Bartók. Melissa Heath and Frank Weinstock then return to the stage with three Schubert lieder, including the dramatic song Gretchen am spinnrade.
Soprano Melissa Heath enjoys a varied career of opera, concert and recital work. Her singing has been described as “gorgeous, wonderfully expressive, lyrical and infused with feeling,” and she has frequented the concert stage as the soprano soloist in Orff’s Carmina Burana, Mozart’s Requiem, Brahms’ German Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42, Howells’ Hymnus Paradisi and in the Fauré and Rutter Requiems.
The concert will end with Schubert’s Octet led by incoming NOVA Music Director Madeline Adkins. This marks an historic transition in NOVA’s history that will be sure to leave audience members eagerly waiting to see what next season has to offer.
Madeline Adkins (Photo courtesy of Cassidy DuHon)
“Madeline Adkins’ 2018-19 season programs will be announced on May 6th,” states Jason Hardink. “We’re extremely excited to share her vision for NOVA with our audience and the community, NOVA’s future looks very bright!”
Audience members are invited to join Jason Hardink and Madeline Adkins for a discussion on the themes, musicians, and composers that will be a part of NOVA’s upcoming 2018-19 season. Pre-concert talks are held in room 270 at the University Of Utah School Of Music at 2:30 PM.
Sunday May 6, 3 PM
Libby Gardner Hall, University of Utah School of Music
$20 general admission, $18 seniors, students free.