Arts

Embark on “A Mozart Journey”

Last month the Florida Grand Opera’s (FGO) production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” blew me away. FGO turned one of Mozart’s most popular and beloved operas into a spectacular living performance that was pure fun to hear and see. It was energetic, modern and hysterical. Papageno, one of the main characters, was recast as a punk wearing black converse sneakers, skinny jeans, a flashy (think lots of buttons and zippers) aqua denim jacket and a towering Elvis-style hairdo. FGO made opera fun, which may be a dirty word in opera land, but it reignited my interest in Mozart — and hopefully that of other opera-goers as well.

Mozart.

This weekend, February 16-17, the New World Symphony will take audiences through the landscape of Mozart’s startling career with “A Mozart Journey.” The journey is designed as a sampling of Mozart’s vast array of known and lesser-known symphonies, concertos, chamber music and theatrical works. This enigmatic and prolific composer, master of all the major forms of composition, who died at the age of 35, didn’t just create great work. He harnessed and preserved the harmonics of the universe in compositions that withstand fads and trends for all of us to experience.

The performance will feature Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550, Quintet in A major for Clarinet and Strings, K. 581, Concerto No. 2 in E-flat major for Horn and Orchestra, K. 417 among others. The bad news: “A Mozart Journey” is sold out on Saturday, February 16. However, there are seats available for the Sunday, February 17 performance at 2 p.m. And, if you can’t make it to “A Mozart Journey,” there are tickets available for FGO’s production (which I highly recommendand bring the kids, too!) of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” on February 16th (Miami) and February 21st & 23rd (Fort Lauderdale).

“A Mozart Journey” by New World Symphony, Sat., Feb 16 at 7:30 p.m., Sun., Feb 17 at 2 p.m. at the New World Center, 500 17th St., Miami Beach. Order tickets here: www.nws.edu/EventDetail.aspx?EID=603. For information and tickets to Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” produced by the Florida Grand Opera, visit the FGO’s website: tickets.fgo.org/Tickets/EventDetails.aspx?id=962.