A quarter-century in, the Savannah Music Festival is still growing and evolving.
The recently announced 2015 fest, set for March 19 through April 4, will introduce the first full-scale opera in festival history, expand the number of programs and feature the most international acts to date.
Here’s a glance at the diverse 26th edition:
- Classical: On the opening weekend, the SMF will present, in co-production with with the Savannah Voice Festival, two Puccini operas, "Suor Angelica" and "Gianni Schicchi." The one-acts will feature the Savannah Philharmonic under Eugene Kohn with baritone Mark Delavan and sopranos Verónica Villarroel and Micaëla Oeste.
In celebration of the 80th birthday of baritone and and Savannah Voice Festival co-founder Sherrill Milnes, the three music organizations join forces not only in presenting the two nights of opera but also a chamber orchestra concert with Daniel Hope & Friends and a concert with singers from the voice festival.
SMF Associate Artistic Director Hope has helped curate a 1o-concert chamber music series, including the Emerson String Quartet, the Brooklyn Rider string quartet and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Recitalists include pianists Murray Perahia, Stephen Hough, Paul Lewis and Nikolai Lugansky as well as guitarist Milos Karadaglić. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, conducted by music director Robert Spano, also will appear, with cellist Lynn Harrell performing the Dvorák Cello Concerto.
- Jazz: Highlights include the Marcus Roberts Trio; the Warren Vaché Quintet on a bill with the Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet; Dianne Reeves; trumpeter Sean Jones' quartet sharing a bill with vibraphonist Warren Wolf and Wolfpack; the Julian Lage-Jorge Roeder duo; the annual late night jam, with the Sean Jones Quartet, Wycliffe Gordon and friends; and concerts celebrating the music of Bud Powell, Benny Carter and Louis Armstrong. Kurt Ollmann appears in the original cabaret production "Come Rain or Come Shine."
- Blues, gospel, R&B: Mavis Staples; Heritage Blues Orchestra; and Irma Thomas joins the Dirty Dozen Brass Band for a New Orleans Soul & Brass Party.
- Acoustic and rock: Bluegrass ensembles will include Balsam Range; the Boxcars; Jerry Douglas' Flatt & Scruggs project the Earls of Leicester; and Hot Rize. The Band Courtbouillon (featuring Steve Riley, Wayne Toups and Wilson Savoy) hosts the Cajun Dance Party, while Buckwheat Zydeco and his group are featured at the Zydeco Dance Party. The McIntosh County Shouters perform slave shout songs from the Georgia coast. A three-night run of western swing features the Hot Club of Cowtown and Asleep at the Wheel. String music of the American South and South African string music meet when Dirk Powell and Riley Baugus share the stage with Vusi Mahlasela.
A “Southern Troubadours” program presents Joe Ely, Ruthie Foster and Paul Thorn. Songwriters Josh Ritter, Lucinda Williams and Rosanne Cash also play individual concerts. Folk-rock artists Shovels & Rope share a bill with one-man band Shakey Graves.
- Global roots music: Mandolinist Mike Marshall performs Brazilian music with his group Choro Famoso, composer-jazz pianist Clarice Assad and her ensemble Off the Cliff. Persian spike-fiddle player Kayhan Kalhor and banjo ace Béla Fleck perform separate shows with Brooklyn Rider; Irish band Lúnasa returns; Adonis Puentes and the Voice of Cuba Orchestra host the Latin Dance Party; and Ukrainian drum and song ensemble DakhaBrakha closes out the festival.
More pop and rock concerts will be announced in early February. Tickets: 912-525-5050, www.savannahmusicfestival.org.
VISUAL ART
GSU students wade into Miami scene
Third-year Master of Fine Art students from Georgia State University’s Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design will be making the scene for the fourth consecutive year at Aqua Art Miami 2014, a satellite fair held at the Aqua Hotel during Art Basel Miami Beach.
Their multidisciplinary group exhibition, “On the Edge,” will be presented Dec. 3-7. Ranging from painting and ceramic installations to photography and performance art, the show will feature work by Kelly Stevenson, Ion Yamazaki, Charles Snyder, Lane Ketner, Ricky Warren, Lauren Peterson, Nick Adams and Westley Terpstra.
Also exhibiting at the South Beach boutique hotel will be the Atlanta gallery Whitespace. Details: www.aquaartmiami.com.
Doll adoption for the holidays
North Georgia artist Emily Birdsong passed away this fall, leaving a grouping of her Birdsong Dolls in need of adoption. Sycamore Place Gallery & Studios will be seeking to place these babies with new families (for $25 each, adoption certificate included) at its Holiday Art Show, 5-8 p.m. Dec. 6. Also for sale: paintings, jewelry and ceramics.
Free. 120 Sycamore Place, Decatur. 404-660-9967, www.decaturartclasses.com.
MUSIC
Carols in Marietta by candlelight
The 110-voice Georgia Festival Chorus will present its 24nd annual “Carols by Candlelight” Christmas concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. Frank Boggs conducts the chorus and guest artists tenor Bryan Watt, an “American Idol” finalist, and pianist David Carnes.
Doors open at 6:45 p.m. Free. 950 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta. 404-234-3581, www.tgafc.org.
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