On March 2, the Tulsa Signature Symphony once again put on a riveting and moving display of musicality. The show featured a chorus of 90 musicians and singers and acting done by Kurt Harris, who starred as Ludwig van Beethoven during the performance.
The packed audience at the Tulsa Community College’s VanTrease Performing Arts Center for Education (PACE) was treated to an impactful recreation of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony during the “Inevitable Beethoven: The Struggle for Creation” concert. Hundreds were delighted and left in awe at the production.
Presented on a screen behind the symphony was a film, written by Vern Stefanic, a celebrated local producer, magazine editor, and playwright. The film highlighted the life and times of Beethoven and explained the inspiration behind the musical selections performed. In the show’s second half, the audience was stunned by the singing done by soloists.
The outstanding performers were sopranos Whitney Myers and Maddie Breedlove, tenor J. Warren Mitchell, and baritone Elliot Wulff. Each was directed by renowned conductor Scott Seaton, who is the artistic director for the Signature Symphony. The artists filled the air with vibrant tones in their singing of Beethoven’s pieces
“We practiced about two hours a day for five days, so about 10 hours,” states bassist Dean DeMerritt. The production shows the effort it took to put together such a masterful performance. When I spoke to artistic director and conductor Seaton, he stated that “Everything he (Beethoven) did was so well done. From a man who was so far from perfect himself to create something like this, and to be almost completely deaf in the process is an extraordinary story.”
This impressive symphonic production informed the audience of Beethoven’s legacy and celebrated the music of centuries gone by written by the virtuosic composer.
The 2023-2024 Horizons season continues this April 6, 2024, when “Tulsa Sings! Best of Broadway” is preparing to give another impactful showcase to symphony lovers. So, mark your calendar, and call the ticket office at (918) 595-7777.
| PACE Ticket Office | 918.595.7777 |
| Tulsa Sings! Best of Broadway | April 6, 2024 |
| Overture: 2024 Make Music With Us | April 27, 2024 |