It’s probably a given considering its named the Concord Community Music School, but it’s worth mentioning you can catch some quality concerts at their Wall Street location. It’s not just a place to learn how to play an instrument or sing.
Just last week we told you that none other than Dan Zanes was going to perform there, and now we’re here to let you know that there’s another show to put on your list of things to check out.
And it probably couldn’t be more different than when Zanes was rocking the house.
This Friday, the Musicians of Wall Street will take to the Recital Hall stage for an operatic adventure with a performance of Handel’s Rinaldo.
Featuring Andrea Veal, voice; Steven Lundahl, recorder; Bozena O’Brien, violin; Kate Jensik, cello; and Kathryn Southworth, harpsichord and piano – all members of the music school’s faculty – the concert will explore the opera through the eyes of the two main female characters, the witch Armida and the commander’s daughter Almirena, fiancee to the warrior Rinaldo.
Now the original baroque opera is about three hours long, so this will be more of an excerpt of two halves that will last about an hour and a half.
“Baroque opera doesn’t get done in its entirety a whole lot, especially in New Hampshire,” Veal said.
Veal chose which arias, which is basically a long song accompanying a solo voice in an opera, she wanted to perform from Rinaldo, and the musicians chose the pieces they wanted to play when it’s the instrumental portion of the show.
“This is a collaboration concert so we want to highlight the musicians who are an equal part of the show,” Veal said. “It’s going to be a really nice blend of styles.”
The music is a broad range of baroque and modern pieces, so that means anything from the 1600s to the 21st century will be performed.
“There will be a lot of variety,” Veal said. “There will definitely be a great blend of old and new.”
Veal has been planning this show for about two years and is excited to perform the final product.
“It’s been a fun process,” Veal said. “There’s a lot of room for creativity.”
Veal’s husband has done a lot of the set work, while Veal and the musicians will be in costume.
Since this is only a portion of the original opera, the program will have explanations of what else happened to help fill in the gaps.
And in order to give you an idea of what Rinaldo is all about, here’s a little explanation.
The world of Rinaldo is one of dragons, sirens, a raging sea, a utopian garden, flying spirits, an enchanted palace, monsters and a treacherous mountain that stands in love’s way.
It’s a place of fantasy but also one filled with compelling human emotion that remains completely current to us hundreds of years after its first performance.
So don’t be surprised to see a king desperate to retain control of his kingdom, a commander on a quest to conquer, a girl caught in the crossfire, a knight confident in love’s power and a witch searching to belong.
In all, there will be seven fully staged and costumed arias from the opera.
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15 and $12 for students and seniors.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit ccmusicschool.org or call 228-1196.