The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra is set to conclude its Masterworks series with a performance featuring music from Bizet’s Carmen, Ravel's Bolero, and Debussy's Iberia at 7:30 pm on Saturday, May 3 in Miller Auditorium, led by music director Julian Kuerti. He joins Cara Lieurance to talk about the program, along with tenor Ben Gulley.
Gulley is excited about performing the role of Don José: "It's one of those bucket list roles for a dramatic tenor... Each act, you're meeting a more mature tenor." Gulley appreciates Bizet's skill as a composer, too: "Bizet is so brilliant, he gives you big bombastic moments, and then immediately gets out of the way so the singer can sing."
Kuerti says the concert features not only soloists Ben Gulley and mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb, but “We’re also working with the Kalamazoo Choral Arts. They’ll be our choir and our chorus, and we've got Ballet Arts Ensemble who will be dancing.” These ensembles will be featured in the Carmen portion of the program.
The first half of the concert will feature Debussy's Iberia and Ravel's famous Bolero, a piece that Kuerti says "resonates with our culture.” He explains that Ravel’s inspiration was the growth of technology and industrialization in his era.
Tickets and further details about the performance can be found the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra website.
