Arizona Pro Arte and Award-Winning Guests Breathe Musical Life Into Shakespeare

PHOENIX - April 8, 2013 - PRLog -- Even before the close of its successful first season, the Phoenix-area orchestra Arizona Pro Arte has established a reputation for groundbreaking performances that synthesize unique artistic experiences for audiences of all ages. The orchestra’s season finale on April 26, 2013 promises to be no exception.

Timothy Verville titles the concert “Shakespeare in the Desert.” As Arizona Pro Arte’s artistic director and conductor, he’s looking forward to the challenge of building a musical and theatrical bridge between Arizona and Avon. Verville and the APA orchestra will supply most of the musical side of the bridge-building, along with Arizona State University’s Solis Camerata and Choral Union. Stagecraft will be provided by local Shakespearean actors.

“Everyone is aware of Shakespeare’s monumental contributions to theater,” observes Verville. “What is less realized is how much his influence is felt in the musical world. It’s only natural that Arizona Pro Arte bring the two together; to play music inspired by Shakespeare, and partner that music with the scenes and texts that inspired it.”

Also partnering with APA and the ASU choral groups is Kira Rugen, soprano soloist from another critically acclaimed local ensemble, the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale. Rugen will be featured in Shylock, a suite of pieces from Gabriel Faure’s exquisite score for “Merchant of Venice.” “Julius Caesar” is represented, not by Shakespeare’s account of the emperor, but by music from Handel’s opera that shares the title. The Bard’s own words will be presented in original, uninterpreted form, however, in several unaccompanied choral settings, and in Shakespearean scenes and vignettes interwoven with the musical selections.

Arizona Pro Arte’s “Shakespeare in the Desert” offers the same fearless and fun artistic synthesis that has brought attention to the group in only its first season. The orchestra performed live on TV in November of 2012, earning recognition from 12 News Phoenix for “a unique collaboration of performing and visual arts that’s never been done before.” KBAQ-FM likewise described APA’s debut season as “…infused with a vigorous dose of collaboration often utilizing visual arts: film, painting and real-time computer visualizations.”

Verville says the April 26 performance is an opportunity for Arizona Pro Arte and its growing audience to simultaneously look back and look forward. “This wonderful evening of collaborative arts is not merely the closing of an amazing season,” Verville says, “but also a springboard toward our new summer music series and our 2013–14 season.”

Arizona Pro Arte performs “Shakespeare in the Desert” on Friday, April 26, 2013 at Paradise Valley United Methodist Church, 4455 E. Lincoln Dr. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance are $15, though college students and senior citizens are admitted for $10. Admission is free for those under 18. Tickets and information are available at http://arizonaproarte.com. Tickets will also be available at the door.

DETAILS
Friday, April 26, 7:30 p.m.
Paradise Valley United Methodist Church
4455 East Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley 85253

PROGRAM    
unaccompanied choral music on texts by Shakespeare
Handel: music from Julius Caesar
Fauré: Shylock Suite

conductor: Timothy Verville
featuring soprano Kyra Rugen, Arizona State University’s Solis Camerata and Choral Union, Shakespearean actors

For more Information and to purchase tickets, visit:
http://www.azproarte.com
(623) 282-AZPA (2972)

About Arizona Pro Arte Ensemble:
Arizona Pro Arte (APA) is a flexible ensemble model for innovation in the performance of classical music in Arizona through the presentation of expert-level collaborative performances.

Arizona Pro Arte offers audiences an opportunity to explore music through an unusual mix of the arts. By creating collaborations between performing arts and visual arts, the APA shatters common expectations. It leads audiences through explorations of synergies between music, dance, theater, film and visual arts that
kindle the kind of meaningful experiences that only the arts can inspire. By combining the arts in less traditional performances, we aim to provide new resources in Arizona to expand its cultural richness. Their repertoire consists of music from Haydn and Handel through world premieres.