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Canta L'Italia!
By Irene Maslanik '07
STAFF WRITER

On Thursday, September 19, 2006, I decided to wander down to check out the first installment of the Janet Lowrey Gager Community Concert Series. The inaugural concert of the 2006-2007 school year was to be “The Music of Italy” and, as an aficionado of both music and Italy, I thought this was an opportunity I could not afford to miss.

There were four performers and four unique, enjoyable performances. Miriam Hermosa, a voice professor for more than fifteen years here at Sweet Briar College, began the concert with four popular Neapolitan songs from a series of contests in the mid 18th and 19th centuries. She was followed by Michael Havens, the guitar instructor, who played an adaptation of Rossini’s greatest Opera hits, and captivated the audience with his nimble fingers and playful style.

Dr. Rebecca McCord, a long time piano professor and director of the concert series, played a Menotti arrangement of themes from The Old Maid and the Thief, which was alternately demanding and pithy. Caitlin Cashin ‘07, who will be directing a production of that very opera in the spring as her senior project, introduced the piece and explained the finer points of the opera.

Finally, the compelling voice and presence of Marcia Thom concluded the musical luncheon with three songs representing three fascinating roles for women in Italian opera, mostly written by Puccini.

Each performer showcased their skill as a musician but also as a teacher, for each carefully explained their pieces. Perhaps the most memorable, Thom explained that her favorite aspect of opera was that “you get dressed up and throw yourself around the stage and get paid for it. I love that!” She then proceeded to act out scenes from the operas she described and in one instance mimed the suicide of her character melodramatically.

The first concert of the year was filled past capacity and many stood at the door vying for empty seats. In the true spirit of a community concert, students, community members, staff, and professors filled the rows and enjoyed bag lunches. Forrest Gager, whose gift established the concert series, attended, and afterwards declared that he “enjoyed the concert very much” and “liked having the students there.”

The next concert in the series, which will be presented on Wednesday November 1 at 7:30, will be “Music of Russia.” Professors, students, and even our Dean of Academics, Dr. Jonathan Green, fill out the program for this event. I had a fantastic time skimming the surface of the music of Italy and I encourage all of our campus community to join me in a couple weeks for the “Music of Russia” – if you can get a seat!