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New venue, new season for the ASO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will open the first season at its new amphitheater in Alpharetta with a mixed bag of classical favorites, Broadway show tunes and an appearance by musicians from local high school marching bands.
Music director Robert Spano will lead the Saturday concert on May 10 at 8 p.m. in the 12,000-seat Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park. Among the highlights: the Marcus Roberts Trio performing Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” and the final movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 “Ode to Joy” with the ASO chorus. Also on the program are Broadway songs by Bernstein and Rodgers and Hammerstein. The ASO also has invited 320 musicians from Alpharetta and Milton High School to perform “Seventy-Six Trombones.”
Also, there will be a family concert with Julie Andrews narrating “Simeon’s Gift,” a book she co-authored with her daughter. Score by Ian Fraser and lyrics by John Bucchino.
The outdoor concert venue announced in January that the Eagles will headline on May 14. Later in the summer, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Rod Stewart and ’80s metal band Rush will appear. In addition to classical and popular concerts, the amphitheater is expected to be a hub for high school graduations, fund-raising events, high school music concerts and competitions.
The $35 million venue, operated by the ASO, is expected to be a big cash-generator for the symphony. It gives the ASO a third venue in which to perform, in addition to the 6,000-seat Chastain Park Amphitheatre in Buckhead and the 1,750-seat Symphony Hall in Midtown.
Among eight other classical concerts in the summer lineup:
_ An Evening of Beethoven. Spano conducting. June 28.
- A semi-staged concert performance of the Puccini opera “La Boheme.” Spano conducting. July 26.
-“ASO Connects,” a free concert conducted by ASO assistant conductor Mei-Ann Chan. Aug. 14.
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