HOW TO GO
What: Middletown Symphony Orchestra presents Concert III “Sesquicentennial Salutes!” featuring special guest Catherine Fishlock.
When: 2:30 p.m., Sunday, March 8
Where: Dave Finkelman Auditorium, Miami University Middletown, 4200 N. University Blvd.
Cost: $30 adults, $20 students
More info: Call (513) 424-2426, or visit www.MiddletownSymphony.com
MIDDLETOWN — The Middletown Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will present “Sesquicentennial Salutes!” a concert featuring mezzo-soprano soloist Catherine Fishlock Sunday, March 8 at 2:30 p.m. in Dave Finkelman Auditorium at Miami University Middletown.
According to Carmon DeLeone, the symphony’s musical director and conductor, the concert will continue to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Jean Sibelius and include the hauntingly beautiful selection “Valse Triste.”
MSO is also marking the 150th year of French composer Paul Dukas, DeLeone said.
“We will open the concert with his brilliant Fanfare to La Péri for brasses, and close with his ever-popular ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentice.’ We are also delighted to feature a wonderful mezzo-soprano, Miss Catherine Fishlock on two works in the program with Gustav Mahler’s “Songs of a Wayfarer,” and Henry Purcell’s aria from Dido and Aeneas, ‘When I Am Laid In Earth,’ ” DeLeone said.
The concert will also include “Pantomime, a delightful work for strings by British composer Philip Lane, and a famous overture “Overture to The Thieving Magpie!” by Gioachino Rossini.
“There are seven selections on the concert, which is rare for a symphonic program, but several of the selections are very short. It will be a comfortable program for everyone to listen to,” DeLeone said. “This whole program idea started with an idea of one piece that is a beloved favorite of mine, and I’ve never had the chance to perform it. It’s from an early opera, Dido and Aeneas.
“Dido sings a lament to her beloved, ‘When I Am Laid In Earth.’ It’s mostly for string instruments of the orchestra, accompanied by a solo voice. The piece was written for mezzo-soprano and strings. In its simplicity is its beauty, and I’m so happy to get a chance to do it. Of course, I needed to find the right voice. I auditioned several voices, and I chose Catherine Fishlock.”
As a versatile songstress, Fishlock is equally comfortable singing oratorio, opera and concert works. She has appeared in mainstage productions with Lyric Opera Cleveland, Ohio Light Opera, Greater Miami Opera, Brevard Music Center, Cincinnati Regional Pops and several others. Fishlock lives in Cincinnati with her husband, CSO percussionist David Fishlock, and their four children.
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