Gateway Festival Orchestra - High Notes & High Drama

Things to Know
This concert is indoors at the familiar and comfortable 560 Music Center in University City. The performance is free and no tickets are required. We will have a reserved section of seats for this performance. There is free parking in the adjacent garage. Those attending can join us afterward for a light bite at nearby Blueberry Hill.

It's best to arrive 30 minutes early to hear the presentation about the concert featuring conductor Leon Burke. This presentation promises to be especially interesting in light of the planned musical program. Please keep your RSVP current.

The Musical Program
Opera Unleashed: High Notes & High Drama

In this concert, the Gateway Festival Orchestra is looking to blow the roof off preconceived notions of opera with a program designed to thrill, move, and inspire everyone.

The full orchestra and four soloists will let it rip with opera’s greatest hits & heart-stopping moments! This IS NOT your stuffy, quiet opera performance. This is a tour de force through the most recognizable tunes and rawest emotions that make opera truly “unleashed.” We will already know many of these melodies.

TIP !!!
Read the detail here to better understand what we will see and hear. And bring this detail with you to review before each piece. Should be fun. And, oh, the program closes with Wagner's “Ride of the Valkyries” ... certainly not an operatic piece. But worth the price of admission just by itself!!

Part I: Passion & Punchlines

• Overture to The Barber of Seville (Gioachino Rossini)
• Picture this: A bustling Spanish street, secret love notes, and hilarious disguises! Rossini’s iconic overture instantly sets the scene for one of opera’s most beloved comedies. Get ready for a whirlwind of mischief!
• “Una voce poco fa” from The Barber of Seville (Gioachino Rossini)
• Meet Rosina: Sweet on the surface, but a clever strategist underneath! Soprano Nini Wang brings to life this sparkling aria, where Rosina declares her cleverness and determination to get what – or who – she wants. It’s a masterclass in vocal agility and a peek into a quick-witted heroine’s mind.
• Papageno’s Moment of Despair from The Magic Flute (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
• The Story: Our bird-catching friend, Papageno, thinks he’s lost his true love forever. Baritone Antonio Watts masterfully conveys this surprisingly poignant and comedic “suicide aria” – a dramatic moment of loneliness so profound, it’s almost funny. Will he find his happily ever after?
• “Là ci darem la mano” from Don Giovanni (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
• The Seduction: Bass-baritone Antonio Watts and soprano Nini Wang join forces for one of opera’s most famous duets. Listen as the notorious Don Giovanni tries to charm the innocent Zerlina. Will she resist his advances, or will she be swept away?
• “Vesti la giubba” from Pagliacci (Ruggero Leoncavallo)
• The Crying Clown: Perhaps the most famous tenor aria of all time! Tenor Justino Gordon-Le Chevalié delivers the heart-wrenching anguish of Canio, a clown forced to perform even as his world crumbles. Prepare for goosebumps – this is pure, unadulterated human emotion.
• “Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix” from Samson and Delilah (Camille Saint-Saëns)
• Delilah’s Seduction: Mezzo-soprano Nadiana Ortiz performs Delilah’s intoxicating appeal, where she tempts Samson to reveal the secret of his strength. This aria is a masterclass in sensual beauty and cunning persuasion.
• “Je veux vivre” from Roméo et Juliette (Charles Gounod)
• Youthful Joy: Before tragedy strikes, Juliet sings of her desire to live and revel in the joy of youth and first love. Soprano Nini Wang expresses this breathtaking exuberance, painting a picture of a girl full of life and hope.
• “Kuda, kuda” (Lensky’s Aria) from Eugene Onegin (Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)
• A Farewell to Life: Tenor Justino Gordon-Le Chevalié returns for this poignant aria, as the young poet Lensky reflects on his life and impending duel. It’s a moment of profound introspection and a powerful premonition of fate.

INTERMISSION
Part II: Grandeur & Glamour

• Overture to Die Fledermaus (Johann Strauss II)
• The Ultimate Party: Get ready to waltz! This overture from Strauss’s famous operetta is pure Viennese sparkle – Champagne, masked balls, and mistaken identities. You might just want to dance in your seat!
• “Belle nuit, ô nuit d’amour” (Barcarolle) from The Tales of Hoffmann (Jacques Offenbach)
• Dreamy Duet: Soprano Nini Wang and mezzo-soprano Nadiana Ortiz create a moment of sheer beauty with this iconic “Barcarolle.” Picture gliding down a Venetian canal under a moonlit sky – it’s hauntingly beautiful and utterly romantic.
• “Try to Remember” from The Fantasticks (Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, arr. David Gill)
• A Beloved Classic: While not strictly opera, this timeless ballad from the world’s longest-running musical perfectly captures the emotional depth and storytelling power we celebrate. Baritone Antonio Watts reminds us of the power of memory and the sweetness of nostalgia – a true “high note” of feeling.
• “Ride of the Valkyries” from Die Walküre (Richard Wagner)
• EPIC! You know this one! The ultimate power anthem, the “Ride of the Valkyries” needs no introduction. Experience the raw, thunderous force of Wagner’s genius as the orchestra brings this monumental piece to life. It’s a jaw-dropping finale that will leave you breathless!