A gorgeous sunset and comfortable temperatures paralleled the warm, comforting vocals of Josh Groban at the Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center on Tuesday night. The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra provided the lush accompaniment for his vocal swells. Because of Groban’s more recent Broadway pursuits, which earned him a Tony nomination, I went to the concert interested in hearing that part of his repertoire. I reported on the concert at Rochester Overture:
Josh Groban and RPO Luxuriate in Songs from Stage and Screen
Today, I’m at the Chautauqua Institute, where I’m slated to hear Renée Fleming and Béla Fleck, who collaborated on a wonderful, recently released album, The Fiddle and the Drum. I’m not writing a formal review for Rochester Overture, but I may write up a quick Field Note for our Rochester Fleming fans. (Fleming is an Eastman alumna who grew up in Churchville, so we often claim her as one of our homegrown successes.)
In other noteworthy happenings, the Skaneateles Festival finale is tomorrow, Saturday the 22nd, featuring the incomparable Cécile McLorin Salvant. I wrote about Salvant’s RIJF appearance in June, and her set was one of my top two shows. I highly recommend getting down to Skaneateles if you have the chance.
Also, the Eastman School of Music released a recording today on Lexicon Classics titled In Plain Sight: The Black Anthology, featuring Eastman faculty and students performing repertoire by Black American composers. I’ll write more on this soon, but do know that Rochester folks can hear the project in concert on Tuesday, September 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Kilbourn Hall, as part of the Eastman Presents season.
The summer is nearly over so I hope you are all savoring those wonderful final days of warmth and sunshine!