In Wednesday’s (11/20) Chicago Tribune, John von Rhein writes about the Music of the Baroque: “The Chicago orchestra and chorus, which specializes in 17th and 18th century repertory played on modern instruments, stands as a model of administrative responsibility and artistic integrity in this, its 43rd season. But Karen Fishman, the group’s executive director, refuses to crow, or to be complacent about, MOB’s hard-fought victory. She’s been around long enough to realize how easily lack of vigilance, poor planning or, worse, another economic meltdown, could erode several decades of accomplishments in an instant. … MOB’s subscription renewals are running high at the start of the season, she reports. Single-ticket sales are keeping pace with those of last year, when they dipped about five percent. Fundraising took an uptick last season and is expected to do at least as well in 2013-14. MOB’s regular venues … are selling roughly 90 and 80 percent of seating capacity, respectively, for the seven programs the group is presenting this season. … None of this would have been possible, she points out, without the superior music-making achieved by the orchestra … and its excellent resident chorus, all under music director Jane Glover, principal guest conductor Nicholas Kraemer and chorus master William Jon Gray.”
Posted November 20, 2013
