Miami Music Festival to present 2018 program including the highly anticipated concert by The MMF Wagner Institute, conducted by the great grandson of famed German composer Richard Wagner
Miami Music Festival (MMF), an intensive training program for the next generation of classical musicians to work with mentors and gain performing experience, announces the lineup for the 2018 season from June 5 through July 29, 2018 at various venues in Miami. Going into its fifth season, MMF will host young artists from around the world selected from top conservatories and universities.
This season will include musical milestones such as the return of MMF’s POPS Concert and Independence Day Celebration after a successful first year and the directorial debut of Antoine Wagner, great grandson of famed German composer Richard Wagner, as the MMF critically acclaimed Wagner Institute stages complete Acts from Lohengrin and Die Walküre. On July 14th Antoine Wagner will create the concept, set design and stage direction for Act II of Die Walküre in a digital immersive experience. Bass Baritone Alan Held returns as Wotan and Wagnerian Soprano Linda Watson joins the cast of professional Wagner Institute participants as Brunhilde.
| Antoine Wagner |
“We’re excited to be back in Miami for another successful season,” said Michael Rossi, MMF’s Founder & Artistic Director. “Year after year we are inspired by our remarkable faculty and talented young students to provide educational and performance opportunities in this rich metropolis for our emerging classical artists during the summer season.”
The Festival will present over 45 public events this summer including the MMF Wagner Institute, full opera productions, symphonic concerts, piano performances by guest artists, numerous piano recitals and chamber music performances by MMF participants, Opera Aria Nights, Zarzuela in the Summer Nights, Broadway Nights, Faculty Chamber Series, more than 30 masterclasses, and more.
The program includes:
• June 21 & June 22 @ 7:30 p.m. - Dido and Aeneas and The Medium (Double Bill)
Enjoy a double bill evening where two one-act classic operas are paired perfectly for one amazing night! Dido and Aeneas, by English baroque composer Henry Purcell, is based on the legendary love story between the Queen of Carthage, Dido, and the Trojan prince, Aeneas. Enter the spiritual realm with The Medium, a modern work by Gian Carol Menotti that tells the story of Baba, who hosts seances that trick bereaved parents into spending their money.
• June 28 & June 30 @ 7:30 p.m. – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Pure magic comes to life on stage in Britten’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s iconic play. The enchanting fairytale brings magical creatures together in romance and comedy. A Midsummer Night’s Dream closely follows Shakespeare’s original, and features a spectacular range of characters from fairies to royalty with interwoven plots capturing your attention to the very end.
• June 29 @ 7:30 p.m. & July 1 @ 2:00 p.m. – Ariadne Auf Naxos
Comedy and music are beautifully intertwined in Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss. Taking place in 18th century Vienna, one very serious group of opera singers is juxtaposed against a group of comedians, leading to an entertaining evening of unplanned performances and a love story in this opera-within-an-opera.
• July 4 @ 5:00 p.m. – Independence Day Celebration
Celebrate the 4th of July with the MMF Symphony Orchestra!
Capture the uniquely American spirit with Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring Tchaikovsky’s bombastic 1812 Overture, movie music from John Williams, Stars and Stripes, and other patriotic favorites round out a fun evening of orchestral hits sure to please the whole family. Plus, rock out to 80s and 90s classic rock, with Michelle Kim on electric violin!
• July 26 & July 28 @ 7:30 p.m. – La Rondine
La Rondine is an Italian comic opera set in mid-19th century Paris and the French Riviera. Created by Giacomo Puccini in 1916, it tells the love story between a woman from high society and a naïve younger man of lesser means. The story twists and turns through the tumultuous times of true love.
• July 27 @ 7:30 p.m. & July 29 @ 2:00 p.m. – Ghost of Versailles
For the first time in Florida, MMF proudly presents John Corigliano’s grand opera buffa, The Ghosts of Versailles. The spirits have literally come back to court; the court of Louis XVI that is. Marie Antoinette is upset about having been beheaded, so her favorite playwright attempts to entertain her by continuing the adventures of his characters from The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro. This opera-within-an-opera goes awry when Figaro refuses to stick to the script and the playwright must come to the Queen’s rescue and win her affection.
The festival will also present a series of Faculty Recitals. The artists are part of the faculty and distinguished artists-in-residence who mentor the students each summer. It is a special privilege to offer the audiences the opportunity to hear them perform. Some of the artists will include:
• Alon Goldstein
• Ching-Yun Hu
• Alexandre Moutouzkine
• Peter Takacs
Through their continuous and generous partnerships, MMF is proud to call Barry University its home campus and The Betsy South Beach its official hotel, with major concerts performed at both venues.
Miami Music Festival is made possible through partial grant funding and sponsorship including assistance from Barry University, Pohanka Auto Group, The Betsy – South Beach, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Culture Builds Florida, the City of Miami Beach, Steinway Piano Gallery-Coral Gables, The Plutzik Goldwasser Family Foundation, and Miami Salon Group.
For the full schedule, to purchase tickets and more information on Miami Music Festival, please visit www.miamimusicfestival.com and follow MMF on Facebook and Twitter.
About Miami Music Festival
The mission of the Miami Music Festival is to provide affordable, world-class instruction and groundbreaking performance experience to the next generation of elite classical musicians while contributing to South Florida's artistic community in an impactful way. Comprised of unique institutes–Orchestra, Opera, Piano, and Conducting–training also includes a Professional Division incorporating the Miami Wagner Institute, and a selective Career Institute. The Festival gathers over 250 of the finest young talents from 25 countries to receive instruction and mentorship from an international array of 55 esteemed artist faculty. Founded in 2013, the Festival is a distinctive, exceptional platform dedicated to identifying and developing the careers of the world’s most talented young professionals. For more information, please visit miamimusicfestival.com.
About Barry University
Founded in 1940 by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, Barry University offers more than 100 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. Based in Miami, Fla., the university is composed of two colleges and six schools in the areas of Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Law, Nursing and Health Sciences, Podiatric Medicine, Professional and Career Education, and Social Work. The university enrolls approximately 8,000 students from nearly all 50 states and 80 countries, and has more than 65,000 alumni worldwide. For more information, visit www.barry.edu.
About The Betsy - South Beach
The Betsy - South Beach is the only Forbes Four Star and AAA Four Diamond rated boutique hotel in Greater Miami. Located in the heart of the Art Deco District on Ocean Drive, The Betsy’s unique hospitality model champions the power of community through its dedicated PACE (Philanthropy, Arts, Culture, Education) program by weaving those brand pillars into the guest experience. Recently expanded, The Betsy now boasts 132 guestrooms and a 3,200 sq. ft. rooftop complex with a suspended swimming pool, dedicated library, and an additional 17,000 sq. ft. of special event space to scale the celebrated PACE program. The Betsy Poetry Rail is a new piece of public art, located adjacent to the hotel on Espanola Way between Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive that celebrates the poetry of 12 literary figures that shaped Miami history and culture. www.thebetsyhotel.com
About Steinway - Coral Gables
Steinway Coral Gables has served South Florida and the Caribbean for over a decade. The 6,000 sq. ft. showroom is home to the largest collection of Steinway instruments in South Florida, housing a diverse selection of Steinway, Boston, and Essex models. The Gallery hosts hundreds of concerts, recitals, master classes, and events in a unique 100-seat recital hall. For more information, visit www.steinwaymiami.com.
