“The Youngstown Symphony Orchestra will mark a historical milestone with a fresh approach at its season-opening concert,” writes Guy D’Astolfo in Wednesday’s (9/27) Vindicator (Youngstown, OH). The concert, the first in the orchestra’s 50th season, will feature “an actor playing Mozart as he reads letters he’s written to his wife, father and cousin. Youngstown-based vocalist and actor James McClellan will play Mozart, and the orchestra will perform … during the segment, which will be the first half of the concert…. In the second half … the YSO will perform Mozart’s Symphony No. 41. The Mozart letters program was created by [Music Director] Randall Craig Fleischer … along with McClellan…. Patricia Syak, president of the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra … described [it] as a play within a concert…. Three actor-singers will be in period costume.” In addition to performing classical repertoire throughout its season, “the orchestra will up the ante again in February when it presents a semi-staged concert version of the Broadway musical ‘Guys and Dolls.’ … ‘A lot more effort and time is put into these type of shows,’ said Syak…. ‘We view it as a way to create awareness and make it more exciting.’ ”
Posted September 28, 2018
In photo: Randall Craig Fleischer conducts the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra
