By Charlene Baldridge
At the end of the 2013 Mainly Mozart Festival, founding Music Director David Atherton retired from the organization, which he co-founded with executive director Nancy Laturno (Bojanic) in 1988.
At the 2014 festival, presented at the Balboa Theatre, San Diego music lovers had a chance to observe the four top candidates for Atherton’s long-held post.
Among them was dynamic young British conductor Michael Francis, whose program, personality, acumen and enthusiasm proved a match.
This month, Francis struts his stuff with what he calls “this fantastic orchestra.”
“It’s going to be very much a joyous celebration of what is past and a joyous celebration of what’s to come,” Francis said. “For example, I’m including pieces never played at Mainly Mozart before, amazingly enough, Beethoven’s 7th Symphony (June 6) and Mendelssohn’s 4th (June 10). Of course people would know them, but not by this orchestra, which is, after all, the only version one should ever hear. We also involve the choir, so we will be doing the Mozart Mass in C Minor (with San Diego Master Chorale June 13).”
The 2015 Mainly Mozart Festival, to be held June 6 – 20 at the Balboa Theatre, features the 52-piece Festival Orchestra, gathered from top orchestras around the nation. Francis conducts four of the five programs and Concertmaster William Preucil leads a conductor-less evening June 17. Each concert features guest artists and presents music mainly by Mozart. Other composers are J.S. and J.C. Bach and Antonio Vivaldi.
Celebrated soloists are pianist Jon Kimura Parker (Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21, June 6), violinist Benjamin Beilman (Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.3 — “Strassburg” — June 10), the San Diego Master Chorale (June 13), flutist Jeffrey Khaner (Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1, June 17) and violinist Simone Lamsma (Beethoven’s Concerto for Violin, June 20).
A chamber orchestra is about half to two-thirds the size of a regular symphony orchestra with much the same instrumental composition. The reduced number of players and the fine acoustics of the Balboa Theatre make attendance of and playing in such programs exceptional from many aspects, especially under the baton of Francis.
Francis has led many of the world’s leading orchestras since coming to prominence in 2007 as an 11th-hour replacement for the ailing Valery Gergiev in concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra. One month later, he was asked — with only two hours notice — to replace composer John Adams in performance of Adams’ own works.
Soon after, Francis replaced André Previn on tour with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony. Currently he is chief conductor of Sweden’s Norrköping Symphony Orchestra and music director of the Florida Orchestra.
“Michael is so committed,” Bojanic said. “Prior to each orchestra concert, he will moderate a brief mini-concert available to ticketholders one hour prior to the 7:30 p.m. concert time.”
Bojanic said Francis also plans to wear a microphone and open up the rehearsals to the public. That way, those uncertain that chamber music is to their liking can try it on for size. And for free.
Those five rehearsals will be performed at the Balboa Theatre June 6, 10, 17 and 20, from 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.; and June 12, from 7 – 10 p.m.
In addition — and in celebration of Balboa Park’s centennial — Mainly Mozart invites all amateur and aspiring players to pick up their instruments and play alongside the nation’s top musicians.
Open to the public, the free event, titled “San Diego Makes Music,” takes place at 3 p.m., June 14, at Plaza de Panama, Balboa Park. Up to 33 advanced amateurs will be paired up with concertmasters from various orchestras across the country. For more info visit mainlymozart.com/sandiegomakesmusic.
The Mainly Mozart Festival will be held June 6 – 20 at the Balboa Theatre, located at 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Concert tickets range from $25 – $85. For more information and full program details, visit mainlymozart.org or phone 619-466-8742.
— Charlene Baldridge has been writing about the arts since 1979. You can follow her blog at charlenebaldridge.com or reach her at [email protected].
