In Monday’s (8/20) edition of The Plain Dealer, Zachary Lewis reports that the Cleveland Orchestra “has formalized plans to offer free tickets to young people at Severance Hall, collaborate on a fully staged production of ‘The Nutcracker’ and greatly bolster its partnerships with area schools and cultural organizations, including a ‘residency’ in Cleveland’s Gordon Square… After two summers of distributing some 23,000 free tickets at Blossom Music Center to children accompanied by paying adults [through the “Under 18s Free” program], the orchestra will now extend the offer to Severance Hall.… It’s valid only for all ‘Fridays@7’ concerts, Friday matinees and performances on Sunday afternoons.” The five “Nutcracker” performances this fall will be in collaboration with Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet at the State Theatre. Scheduled for next May is a pair of “California Masterworks” concerts (Lou Harrison, Terry Riley, John Adams) at the Cleveland Museum. “Next spring, the full orchestra will kick off a new ‘Neighborhood Residency’ program in the Gordon Square district with numerous outreach events and a traditional concert at St. Colman Catholic Church… [Executive Director Gary] Hanson said his intention is to arrange a similar residency every year in one neighborhood somewhere in the region.” Performances in public schools are “destined to become regular events, thanks to a $1 million gift from Norma Lerner and the Lerner Foundation establishing the Alfred Lerner In-School Performance Fund…A separate gift from Cliffs Natural Resources also will support a new partnership with Cleveland Breakthrough [charter] Schools.”
Posted August 20, 2012
