Artosphere Announces Symphonic and Classical Music Programming
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS, May 2, 2022 –Artosphere: Arkansas’ Arts + Nature Festival, taking place throughout the month of May, celebrates art, music and nature with exciting performances, activities and events that the whole family can enjoy. Each year, audiences are excited to experience the classical and symphonic performances that make up a large portion of the festival’s programming.
Artosphere spotlights artists and performers from around the world who are inspired by nature, and provides a creative framework for the community to discuss issues of sustainability and environmental awareness. The online travel site Road Trips for Families named Artosphere one of the Top 10 Summer Festivals for Families because of its unique programming and mix of both free and low-cost performances.
The Artosphere Festival Orchestra (AFO) has been a key part of the festival lineup since 2011, and this year is no different. After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, AFO has returned to what will once again be a full execution of the orchestra. This year the classical music offerings include three performances of the full orchestra, an opera, the casual pop up and smaller group performances and the world premiere of a new work.
Artosphere Symphonic and Classical Music Schedule of Events
Second Nature Presented by Opera Fayetteville
8 pm | Saturday, May 7 | Starr Theater at Walton Arts Center
Tickets: $25
A tale of the enduring and transformative power of hope, Second Nature tells the story of two young people, Jake and Lydia, curious about what lies beyond the confines of their artificial habitat. Written by Matthew Aucoin, one of the most lauded composers of his generation, this “dystopian fairy tale…full of whimsical touches” asks: What do you do in a virtual world when you’re longing for a taste of the truly real?
Starring Heather Jones and Brian Skoog, with stage direction by Laura Shatkus, music direction by Brendon Shapiro, and accompanied by members of the Opera Fayetteville Orchestra.
Crystal Bridges’ Garden Party Featuring Members of AFO
Noon | Sunday, May 15 | Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Tickets: Free & open to the public
Art and nature collide when Artosphere Festival Orchestra ensembles perform outdoors on the beautiful Crystal Bridges trails. Families can explore the museum grounds and view outdoor art along the trails, participate in art making, nature and art talks, and enjoy tasty refreshments, local food trucks and more!
World Premiere of Steve Mackey’s Memoir
Performed by Dover Quartet, arx duo and Natalie Christa
7 pm | Wednesday, May 18 | Starr Theater at Walton Arts Center
Tickets: $15 - $25
A theatrical musical work by Grammy Award®-winning composer Steven Mackey and director Mark DeChiazza, Memoir explores the tumultuous 20th century as told through the eyes of a first-generation American woman charting her own path in search of the American Dream. Elaine Mackey’s journey—through love and loss, struggles with gender norms and social mores, and a personal battle with alcoholism—is told through music and narrated vignettes from her own memoir and that of her son, the composer. Written for the unusual combination of string quartet, percussion duo, and narrator, the visually and sonically captivating work spans diverse musical landscapes and characters, from witty and playful to rich and profound.
Live from Crystal Bridges: Mozart in the Museum
Corrado Rovaris, Music Director
Featuring Van Cliburn Competition Laureate, Pianist Benedetto Lupo
CBMAA and Broadcast Live on National Public Radio KUAF 91.3 FM
7 pm | Thursday, May 19 | Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Tickets: $43 - $49
- W.A. Mozart | Overture to La Clemenza di Tito, K. 621
- W.A. Mozart | Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K.488
featuring Benedetto Lupo, Piano - W.A. Mozart | Symphony No. 39 in E♭ major, K. 543
Artosphere Festival Orchestra: Tango & Passion
Featuring Bandoneón soloist Hector del Curto Corrado Rovaris, Music Director
7 pm | Monday, May 23 | Baum Walker Hall at Walton Arts Center
Tickets: $10
- Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla | Tangazo
- Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla | Bandoneón Concerto, “Aconcagua”
featuring Hector del Curto, Bandoneón - Giuseppe Martucci | Notturno in G flat op. 70 n. 1
- Felix Mendelssohn | Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 “Italian”
Seraph Brass Chamber Concert
6 pm | Tuesday, May 24 | Memorial Park Chautauqua Amphitheater, Siloam Springs
Free
Seraph Brass is a dynamic brass ensemble drawing from a roster of America’s top female brass players. Performing primarily as a brass quintet or sextet, Seraph also performs as a larger ensemble of 10 performers. Committed to engaging audiences with captivating programming, Seraph Brass presents a diverse body of repertoire that includes original transcriptions, newly commissioned works, and well-known classics.
AFO Off the Grid
7 pm | Thursday, May 26 | Downtown Fayetteville and Rogers
Free
AFO musicians perform pop-up concerts throughout downtown Fayetteville and Rogers in various locations. A list of performance locations will be available on the Artosphere App the week of the performance.
Artosphere Festival Orchestra: An Evening of Strauss & Stravinsky
8 pm | Friday, May 27 | Baum Walker Hall at Walton Arts Center
Tickets: $15 - $67
-
Richard Strauss | Don Juan
-
Richard Strauss | Four Last Songs
featuring Tiffany Townsend, Soprano -
Igor Stravinsky | The Firebird Suite
For more information about the Artosphere Festival and a complete event lineup, download the Artosphere App from Google Play or the Apple App Store or visit artospherefestival.org.
Artosphere 2022 is sponsored by Walmart and supported by Friends of Artosphere and Sustainers Circle. Support for Dover Quartet and Maestro Corrado Rovaris provided by Mary Ann and Reed Greenwood. Trail Mix is sponsored by Bank of America. 10x10 concert support provided by Paul M Angell Family Foundation, Dick & Margaret Rutherford and Micky & Marybeth Mayfield. The AFO Finale concert is supported by Marti and Kelly Sudduth and Peter B. Lane and Barbara Putman. Media support provided by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, KUAF 91.3FM Public Radio, Celebrate Arkansas magazine and CitiScapes magazine.
The Artosphere App is compatible with all standard smartphones and tablets. App Store is a service mark of Apple® Inc. Google Play™ is a trademark of Google Inc.
Masks are encouraged but not required at Walton Arts Center shows. Patrons should be aware that masking protocols may vary from artist to artist and location to location. If you have questions about an upcoming performance, please visit the policies at www.waltonartscenter.org, or call the box office at 479.443.5600.
Support for Walton Arts Center is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Walton Arts Center is Arkansas’ largest and busiest performing arts presenter. Each year more than 215,000 people from Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma and beyond attend more than 300 public events at Walton Arts Center, including performances, rehearsals, community gatherings, receptions, weddings and more. Approximately 35,000 students and teachers participate annually in arts learning programs at Walton Arts Center, and almost 250 volunteers donate 28,000 hours of time each year to its operations. Walton Arts Center presents entertainers and artists from around the world including Broadway musicals, renowned dance companies, international artists, up-and-coming jazz musicians and more. As a non-profit organization, Walton Arts Center enjoys the generous support of public sector funding, corporate sponsorship and private donors, allowing audience members to enjoy world-class performances at a great price. To learn more about Walton Arts Center, visit www.waltonartscenter.org.
###