In Thursday’s (7/28) Herald Palladium (St. Joseph, Michigan), Jeremy D. Bonfiglio writes, “In the five years Robin Fountain has served as conductor and music director of the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, he has built a reputation for programing concert seasons that are far more accessible than the standard classical repertoire. Now as he prepares to enter his sixth season, the SMSO as an organization seems to be following his lead. The 2011-2012 Mainstage Series, which is held at Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center, not only continues a mix of collaborations and the blending of musical genres, but also dramatically restructures ticket prices in an effort to expand the orchestra’s reach. … The SMSO announced late Tuesday afternoon that the Mendel’s best seats will be priced at $35 for adults, $30 for seniors and $5 for students, down from $36, $31 and $8 a year ago. New this year, however, is a second tier of reserved seats, which are priced at $15 for adults and $5 for students. Another new addition is that children age 12 and younger in either tier will be admitted free. … The six-concert Mainstage Series features everything from a fully staged production of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice’s musical ‘Evita,’ to a ‘Celtic Celebration’ with new arrangements of classic tunes made for orchestra and the electric harp, to the multimedia event ‘Ellis Island: The Dream of America.’ ”
Posted August 1, 2011
