Lakes Area Music Festival's 16th Season Celebrates Heroic Journeys

LAKES AREA MUSIC FESTIVAL’S 16th SEASON CELEBRATES  HEROIC JOURNEYS

The season begins with LAMF’s largest musical event: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, in collaboration with Brainerd High School and VocalEssence. 

Grammy-winner Julia Bullock presents solo recital.

Composer Fellowship and Opera Lovers’ Weekend offer new immersive package experiences.

 

The Lakes Area Music Festival (LAMF) in Brainerd, Minnesota, has announced its 16th season: HEROIC JOURNEYS, bringing more than 200 artists from top orchestra and opera companies around the world to Minnesota. Grammy-winning Music Director Christian Reif and LAMF musicians will perform chamber music, orchestra, and opera – as well as various community outreach activities impacting the local community. Programming throughout the 2024 festival will explore the emotional journeys of heroes of all kinds from Olympic athletes to comic book and television superheroes, literature’s greatest protagonists, underdogs, the unlikely heroes we encounter each day, plus, of course, classical musical legends from now and throughout history.

 

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights of the 2024 season, which runs from July 26 through August 18, include a season opening weekend that features an Olympic-inspired gala and LAMF’s largest musical collaboration yet: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with full orchestra, four vocal soloists, and a choir comprised of the Brainerd High School A Cappella Choir, the Legacy Chorale of Greater Minnesota, and the acclaimed Minneapolis-based VocalEssence Ensemble Singers.

Recent Grammy Award-winning vocalist Julia Bullock also returns to LAMF to present a solo recital to celebrate her new album and upcoming Metropolitan Opera debut. Artistic Advisor and violinist Chloe Fedor leads a baroque chamber music program titled Storms, Shipwrecks & Sorcery, and virtuoso violinist Stefan Jackiw makes his LAMF debut in a chamber orchestra concert including Dvorák’s Violin Concerto and Mozart’s “Prague” Symphony, plus a new work will debut sharing stories of survivors of human trafficking, written by American composer Leanna Primiani.

This season’s fully staged opera is Igor Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, directed by award-winning contemporary stage director Omer Ben Seadia and featuring soprano Kearstin Piper Brown, tenor Miles Mykannen, bass baritone John Taylor Ward, and contralto Sara Couden.

The LAMF Orchestra also presents a superhero-themed Family Concert featuring Russell Peck’s The Thrill of the Orchestra, which introduces audience members of all ages to the sections of the orchestra.

The 2024 season closes with an epic hero’s tale in Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life), along with the U.S. premiere of Aurora, a work inspired by the Roman Goddess of dawn, by Danish American composer Lil Lacy

 

NEW IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES

New this season are two special immersive musical experiences for audience members: The Composer Fellowship Experience and The Opera Lover’s Package.

The LAMF Composer Fellowship Program, led by mentor composer Jimmy López Bellido, will bring three of today's most talented composers–Hannah Ishizaki, Sage Shurman, and Liza Sobel Crane–to Brainerd for a week of workshops and performances. On Saturday, August 3, anyone in the community is invited to a free concert of three string quartet world premieres, performed by the Thalea Quartet, LAMF’s Resident Artist Quartet. On the same day, the LAMF Orchestra will hold a reading session of music currently in progress by this year’s Composer Fellows.

In partnership with Ruttger’s Bay Lake Resort, the all-new Opera Lover’s Weekend (August 9-11) is a unique opportunity to be immersed in world-class music while enjoying the beauty of the north woods. Culminating in a new production of Stravinsky’s rarely performed masterpiece, The Rake’s Progress, the 2024 Opera Lover’s Weekend will provide guests with education, enrichment, and amazing performances, featuring GRAMMY winners, artists from the Metropolitan Opera, and recipients of the MacArthur “Genius Grant.” Additional opportunities include pre-event online lectures, an opening reception and backstage tour, exclusive meet and greet with Julia Bullock and an intimate performance, attending the opera at Gichi-ziibi Center as well as the cast party. Opera Lover’s Packages are available with or without housing at the Ruttger’s Bay Lake Resort.

 

TICKETS

Tickets for the 2024 season events will be available starting in May. LAMF uses a name-your-price ticket model to ensure equal access to all who are interested, regardless of financial means.

 

ABOUT LAMF

Since it began as a small summer chamber music series in 2009, LAMF’s programming has expanded year after year, now offering a packed three week calendar of musical activities for a wide and diversifying audience. Each season, performances range from chamber music to symphonic orchestra to opera and ballet. In addition, educational opportunities are offered for audiences of all ages – including a week-long day camp for children, performance-based opportunities for youth, open rehearsals, pre-concert lectures, and more. LAMF furthers its reach into the community through its Outreach initiative–bringing classical music into area public libraries, eldercare facilities, correctional facilities, women’s shelters and more.

 

See complete season calendar below.

 

All Lakes Area Music Festival activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Five Wings Arts Council and Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

 

2024 LAMF SEASON CALENDAR

(All events are held at the new, state of the art Gichi-ziibi Center unless otherwise noted.)

 

GALA: SUMMON THE HEROES

Friday, July 26, 8 p.m.

Christian Reif, conductor
Andrea Ross, voice
VocalEssence Ensemble Singers

LAMF’s annual gala and largest fundraiser of the year will feature Christian Reif conducting the LAMF Orchestra in iconic fanfares and daring musical adventures by superstar composers, including John Williams and Leonard Bernstein. Guest vocalist Andrea Ross and the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers will join the orchestra for this special event. In addition to the performance, a pre-concert gala dinner will take place with live auction, and other opportunities to show support for the Lakes Area Music Festival.

 

BEETHOVEN’S NINTH
Sunday, July 28 3 p.m.

Christian Reif, conductor
VocalEssence Ensemble Singers
Legacy Chorale of Greater Minnesota
Brainerd High School A Cappella Choir

 

JIMMY LÓPEZ BELLIDO                  Rise!
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN             Symphony No. 9

LAMF’s 2024 season begins with a single performance of Beethoven’s monumental Ninth Symphony in what will mark the largest musical collaboration performed at the Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts since it opened its doors. Christian Reif conducts the LAMF Orchestra in collaboration with singers from Brainerd High School A Cappella Choir, the Legacy Chorale of Greater Minnesota, and the acclaimed Minneapolis-based choral ensemble, VocalEssence.

 

KIDS’ CAMP: EXPLORE MUSIC
July 29 - August 2, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. daily

Participants will move, dance, sing, and play instruments every day and exercise their creative muscles through guided improvisation. They will also have a chance to experience a special live performance featuring LAMF’s professional musicians. This program often sells out in advance. Register by July 1 to ensure your young explorer can participate.

Cost: $95

 

STORMS, SHIPWRECKS & SORCERY
Wednesday, July 31, 7:30 p.m.

Chloe Fedor, artistic advisor, and violin
Nola Richardson, soprano

 

JOHANN HEINRICH SCHMELZER             Die Fechtschule (The Fencing School)
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL                   Armida Abbandonata
JOHANN HEINRICH SCHMELZER             Lamento sopra la morte di Ferdinando III
ANTONIO VIVALDI                                 Violin Concerto Op. 8, No. 5, La Tempesta di Mare
GIOVANNI BATTISTA BUONAMENTE        Sonata a tre violini
MATTHEW LOCKE                                  Curtain Tune from The Tempest
LOUIS-NICOLAS CLÉRAMBAULT              Médée
HENRY PURCELL                                    Chaconne from The Fairy Queen

Storms, Shipwrecks, and Sorcery is a fantastical journey through some of the most dramatic music of the 17th and 18th centuries. Guest soprano Nola Richardson portrays two sorceresses scorned, and LAMF’s Artistic advisor and curator Chloe Fedor performs the dizzying La Tempesta di Mare, Vivaldi’s violin concerto depicting a storm at sea.

 

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
Friday, August 2, 7:30 p.m.

Christian Reif, conductor
LAMF Opera Resident Artists

 

Experience many of opera’s greatest moments all in one concert featuring the 2023 LAMF Resident Artists and the LAMF Orchestra. The LAMF Resident Artist program provides singers early in their careers with mentorship and performance opportunities. These singers work one on one with our team of directors and coaches to hone their craft, while participating in productions and performances alongside our world-renowned roster of singers.

 

SOUND GARDEN
Saturday, August 3, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Northland Arboretum 

Kids and adults of all ages are invited to walk along the forest trails at the Northland Arboretum, where you will encounter LAMF musicians from each section of the orchestra performing music in small ensembles.

 

LAMF COMPOSER FELLOWSHIP EXPERIENCE
Saturday, August 3, 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Thalea Quartet performance of three world premiere works by composer fellows.

11 a.m. | Tornstrom Auditorium

Orchestral readings with Christian Reif and the LAMF orchestra

2 p.m. - 4 p.m. | Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts

The LAMF Composer Fellowship Program will bring some of today's most talented composers to Brainerd this summer. The 2024 Fellows are Hannah Ishizaki, Sage Shurman, and Liza Sobel Crane. 

On Saturday, August 3, audiences are invited to witness the creation of new music in performance of three string quartet world premieres, played by the Thalea Quartet, and an orchestral reading session of music in progress by this year’s Composer Fellows. These events are open to the public; no tickets required. Donations will support the LAMF Composer Fellowship program.

 

FAMILY CONCERT: THRILLS & SUPERHEROES
Sunday, August 4, 3 p.m.

Christian Reif, conductor
Jeff Andrews, narrator

 

RUSSELL PECK                                The Thrill of the Orchestra
MICHAEL GIACCHINO                     “Incredits” from The Incredibles
JOHN WILLIAMS                               Superman March 

In this family-friendly concert narrated by Jeff Andrews and featuring music and story by Russell Peck, kids of all ages will embark on a spectacular journey through the dynamic forces, instruments, and individuals that make up a symphony orchestra.

 

DOWNTOWN BRAINERD BLOCK PARTY
Wednesday, August 7, 7:30 p.m.
New Location: Mississippi Landing Amphitheater at Lyman P. White Park 

LAMF musicians perform pop and favorite classical music while enjoying food trucks, a beer tent, and social time with friends in the Lakes Area community. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets required.

 

JULIA BULLOCK SOLO RECITAL
Friday, August 9, 7:30 p.m.

Julia Bullock, voice
Bretton Brown, piano 

This winter, at the 66th annual awards ceremony, Julia Bullock was awarded a GRAMMY® in the category of ‘Best Classical Solo Vocal Album’ for her 2022 Nonesuch Records album, Walking in the Dark, “an album that shines, introducing us to an artist curating a career on her own distinctive terms,” (NPR). A regular guest artist of the Lakes Area Music Festival, Julia returns this summer to perform a solo recital in collaboration with pianist and LAMF Vocal Fellowship leader, Bretton Brown.

*Tickets required: $40 general admission; $100 reserved seating with exclusive Meet & Greet

 

YOGA & LIVE MUSIC
Saturday, August 10, 10 a.m.
Location: Mississippi Landing Amphitheater at Lyman P. White Park 

Music, meditation, and fitness come together in this hour-long outdoor yoga class guided by Jennifer Smith of Nisswa Yoga, with music provided by a quintet of LAMF musicians from around the country. Donation-based and open to the public; pre-registration recommended.

 

THE RAKE’S PROGRESS
Saturday, August 10, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 11, 3 p.m.

Christian Reif, conductor
Omer Ben Seadia, director
Miles Mykkanen, Tom Rakewell
Kearstin Piper Brown, Anne Truelove
John Taylor Ward, Nick Shadow
Sara Couden, Baba the Turk

 

IGOR STRAVINSKY              The Rake’s Progress 
With libretto by Chester Kallman and W.H. Auden

Opera director Omer Ben Seadia and music director Christian Reif lead an all-star cast in an exquisite production of Igor Stravinsky’s delightfully clever opera, The Rake’s Progress.

 

JACKIW PLAYS DVORÁK
Wednesday, August 14, 7:30 p.m.

Christian Reif, conductor
Stefan Jackiw, violin

 

LEANNA PRIMIANI               Neither men nor money validate my worth
ANTONÍN DVORÁK              Violin Concerto in A Minor
WOLFGANG A. MOZART       Symphony No. 38, “Prague”

In a moving new work, American composer Leanna Primiani centers the heroic stories of the survivors of human trafficking, painting a unique sonic landscape and awakening our understanding of an ongoing tragedy. Stefan Jackiw, a virtuosic musician with “talent that’s off the scale” (The Washington Post) makes his Lakes Area debut in Dvorák’s rhapsodic Violin Concerto.

 

MUSICIANS’ NIGHT OUT
Thursday, August 8, 7 p.m.
Location: Roundhouse Brewery in Nisswa 

Musicians’ Night Out is a chance for our musicians to let loose playing music with colleagues and friends in a casual outdoor setting, while socializing with members of the Lakes Area community. Free and open to the public; no tickets required.

 

A HERO’S LIFE
Saturday, August 17, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 18, 3 p.m.

Christian Reif, conductor

 

GUSTAV HOLST                   “Jupiter” from The Planets
LIL LACY                                Aurora  - U.S. Premiere
RICHARD STRAUSS            Ein Heldenleben  (A Hero’s Life) 

Holst’s Jupiter, from The Planets, sets the stage for the 2024 Lakes Area Music Festival’s closing ceremony. As the U.S. premiere of Lil Lacy’s Aurora honors new beginnings and the opportunities of a new day, Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life) tells the ultimate story of adventure and accomplishment.

 

Visit lakesareamusic.org for complete event details and ticket information.