Collaboration has been a key element in Brady R. Allred's vision for the Salt Lake Choral Artists. And in keeping with his ideas, the ensemble will share the spotlight with the Salt Lake Symphony on Oct. 28-29 for Carl Orff's ever popular "Carmina Burana," its initial offering of the 2006-07 season. "We're opening the season in a big way, with a real crowd pleaser," Allred said.
With the new season, the group also has a new name. Until now, the Salt Lake Choral Artists were known as the Utah Choral Artists. But a lawsuit filed by the Utah Chamber Artists earlier this year forced them to alter their name.
But Allred isn't disappointed with the change. He feels it will improve the group's image. "I think it will give us better recognition here and outside of Utah."
This is Allred's third season with the Salt Lake Choral Artists. And for the new season, he has an impressive series of concerts lined to underscore his love for variety and his interest in bringing the best in choral music to his audience.
Building on his desire to collaborate with other local ensembles, the Choral Artists and the Salt Lake Symphony will join forces a second time in April, when they'll perform Johannes Brahms' "German Requiem."
"This will be a new English edition of the work by Lara Hoggard," Allred said. "And as far as I can tell, this will be the Utah premiere of this version." The performances take place on April 21 and 27, 2007.
The remaining two concerts will be as far removed from Orff and Brahms as one can imagine. On Dec. 16, the ensemble will present its annual Christmas concert. "This year, the concert will have a Utah and Southwest slant," Allred said. There will be music by Utah composers and arrangers, along with some Spanish music.
The concert on Feb. 17, 2007, will show the lighter side of the choir. Titled "Love Songs from the Stage and Screen," the program is a tribute to the American Songbook. "The concert will include music by Jerome Kern, Cole Porter and George Gershwin," Allred said. "It will also feature section leaders in solos."
Among the other community performing arts organizations that have their new season already planned is the Orchestra and Chorus of Sandy City. Under the baton of Joel Rosenberg, who has led the south valley-based ensemble for a dozen years, the orchestra has consciously attempted to raise the bar for community groups.
Its season opens Oct. 12-13 (with a repeat performance on Oct. 20), with selections from Dvorak's Symphony No. 7 in D minor, op. 70, and from Verdi's operas "Nabucco" and "Aida."
Two large-scale orchestral/choral works are also planned. On Dec. 1-2 and Dec. 9, the orchestra and chorus will perform Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. And on the season closer on May 18-19, 2007, and May 21, 2007, soprano Jill Dewsnup and tenor Robert Breault join Rosenberg and his ensemble for Verdi's spectacular Requiem.
Coming off a rather dismal 2005-06 season, the Utah Symphony bounces back with a number of noteworthy concerts. Among these are Mendelssohn's oratorio "Elijah" (Dec. 15-16); Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 7 (Feb. 23-24, 2007), conducted by music director Keith Lockhart; Richard Strauss' "Symphonia Domestica" (April 6-7, 2007); an all-Sibelius program (March 9-10, 2007); and Messiaen's "Des Canyon aux Etoiles," written when the composer was visiting southern Utah (April 27-28, 2007).
Among soloists appearing during the new season are violinists Sarah Chang (Nov. 10-11) and Hilary Hahn (March 9-10, 2007); pianists Awadagin Pratt (Oct. 27-28) and Garrick Ohlsson (Nov. 17-18).
Guest conductors include the return of several popular figures — Pavel Kogan (Dec. 1-2 and May 4-5, 2007); Matthias Bamert (Jan. 5-6, 2007) and Graeme Jenkins (April 6-7, 2007).
The Chamber Orchestra series returns after a one-year break. The four-concert series also includes two programs devoted to contemporary (but conventional) music that take place in the Rose Wagner Theatre (Oct. 12 and Jan. 11, 2007).
In addition to a couple of warhorses (Verdi's "La Traviata," Oct. 14-22, and Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," March 10-18, 2007), and Richard Strauss' "Ariadne auf Naxos" (Jan. 13-21, 2007), Utah Opera will present a new work. Librettist Michael Korie's adaptation of John Steinbeck's sweeping novel "The Grapes of Wrath," with music by Ricky Ian Gordon, will be given its Utah premiere on May 12-20, 2007. The production is a co-commission with Minnesota Opera, with Utah Opera furnishing the sets and costumes.
For a complete list of scheduled events for the upcoming classical music and dance seasons, go to Classical music and dance schedule for the 2006-07 seasons.
E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com