BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – The Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VSO) is returning to Bellows Falls on Sunday, Nov. 5, with a special matinee at the Bellows Falls Opera House (BFOH). The performance is part of the VSO’s 2023 “Made in Vermont Series” – shows highlighting guest artists from the Green Mountain State’s vibrant indie, folk, and rock scene.
The VSO’s chamber orchestra will perform musical favorites by Henry Purcell, Manuel De Falla, and Astor Piazolla, and welcomes a special guest to the stage: Vermont’s own sensational soul singer Kat Wright.
“Wright has that special balance of power and grace in her voice that can shimmer and float to the top,” enthuses Americana music publication Red Line Roots. “The VSO is excited to partner with Kat Wright again, after an amazing concert in 2019. Her soulful voice is a perfect match to lush string and orchestral arrangements, and we hear her music in a new way,” said Matt LaRocca, artistic advisor and project conductor at the VSO.
With around 40 annual performances statewide in a variety of settings, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra is the nation’s oldest state-assisted orchestra, and is regarded as one of the finest of its size. The VSO serves year round with in-school educational programming, children’s concerts, and composer residencies, as well as symphonic, choral, and chamber music concerts.
“Kat Wright is an emerging presence, from a Burlington-based singer/songwriter to national fame, and has been a joy to watch,” says Keith Marks, executive director of Next Stage Arts. “Her collaboration with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra for the next installment of the Ray Massucco concert series is a perfect pairing that continues to elevate this series as a regional draw.”
“This is the fourth in the 2023 Ray Massucco Concert Series,” says Ezra Veitch of Ray’s the Roof Productions, organizers, along with Next Stage Arts, of the series. “It’s a great way to honor Ray – he always was so pumped to bring the VSO to town.” Massucco, a beloved local lawyer and music promoter, passed away unexpectedly last year. Additional shows planned by Ray’s the Roof and Next Stage at the Opera House are Crys Matthews, Peter Mulvey, and BettySoo, in a powerhouse triple bill on Nov. 16, and Karla Bonoff and Livingston Taylor’s “Home For The Holidays” concert on Dec. 16. Media sponsor is Great Eastern Radio.
The Bellows Falls Opera House is located at 7 Village Square, Bellows Falls, Vt. Doors open at 3 p.m., and the show begins at 4 p.m. Tickets and information at www.bellowsfallsoperahouse.com.