Summer events coming to NPAC

During the summer, much of my interest and efforts are spent in Fountain Park with the Summer Music Series.  Meanwhile, the Niswonger Performing Arts Center gets cleaned up and preparations are busily being made for another fresh season to come in September.  But just as the National Football League starts its pre-season schedule in the summer, we will have a little pre-season of our own at the NPAC.  There are actually two events I want to make everyone aware of and we will call them our pre-season NPAC schedule.

On Saturday night, July 14, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic will present a concert of one of the most spectacular and well-known symphonies of all-time: Beethoven’s Ninth.  Many consider it the greatest piece of music ever written.  It is a spectacular piece of music that is tremendously powerful and moving, combining a huge chorus with a full symphony orchestra and four vocal soloists.  It is the last of his symphonies he wrote and is even more amazing that it was composed after he had lost his hearing!   The last movement is the one everyone recognizes as the chorus joins in with “Ode to Joy.”

To hear a live performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is an incredible experience that everyone should have at least once in their lifetime.  For us to offer it here in Van Wert at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center is a feat most could only ever dream of.  We appreciate the Fort Wayne Phil for the opportunity of hosting this very special concert.  It will be performed the night before outdoors at the Foellinger Theatre in Fort Wayne and then on Saturday it will be moved indoors to the air-conditioned Saltzgaber Music Hall with its outstanding acoustics.

Tickets will be available one month in advance starting June 14 at the NPAC Box Office.  Adults are $20 and Students $10.  The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m.  Any experienced singers who would like to be a part of this monumental occasion by singing in the chorus should contact me immediately at my office (419.238.1743) or email me at director@npacvw.org.

The other summer event at the NPAC is an exciting opportunity for us to be televised on NBC and FOX TV as we host the West Central Ohio Scholarship Pageant. It will be held on Friday, July 27, at 7:30 p.m.  You will have the chance to be in the TV audience and witness some talented and beautiful young ladies, as well as see Miss America 2009, who will host the event. Tickets are $20 and will be available at the door and at the NPAC Box Office.

So there is our pre-season line-up of events at the NPAC; two great reasons to come in from the heat and experience music and entertainment this summer.

Bravo to you brave-hearted souls who stuck it out in Fountain Park last Friday night to hear The Bronx Wanderers.  It was better weather March 1 than it was for us on June 1!  For the benefit of those attending the Peony and ArtRageous events in the park, we decided to keep the concert in the park.  At least it didn’t rain!  And by the time we finished, you could almost see some sunshine poking through the clouds.

Next up: the Legendary Doo-Wah Riders on Friday, June 15.  Watch for more on them next week!

FINÉ.