George Gershwin's 100th birthday will be celebrated in grand style by the Intermountain Classical Orchestra on Saturday, Jan. 3, in Abravanel Hall.
"Who Could Ask for Anything More?" is the orchestra's tribute to this great American composer, and will feature the complete works for piano and orchestra: "Rhapsody in Blue," "I Got Rhythm Variations," "Concerto in F" and the "Second Rhapsody." These works, incidentally, will be presented together on a single program for the first time ever in Utah.The Intermountain Classical Orchestra's music director, Jeff Manookian, will be the piano soloist, and the orchestra will be guest conducted by local favorite Joel Rosenberg, who, in addition to his work as a guest conductor and violist, is also the music director of the American West Symphony and Chorus and director of the Paradigm Concerts.
The "I Got Rhythm Variations" and the "Second Rhapsody" will receive their Utah premieres at this concert, along with the newly restored, original version of the well-known "Rhapsody in Blue," with its missing five minutes of music. Manookian and Rosenberg performed the U.S. premiere of this restored version in October.
Performances of "Who Could Ask for Anything More?" will be at 2 and 8 p.m.
Tickets range from $10 to $35 and can be obtained at the Capitol Theatre Box Office, at select ArtTix outlets or by phoning 801-355-ARTS.