CIM Announces March Events

Soprano Christine Brewer, CIM@Severance Hall, Performance Competitions and more

CLEVELAND, OHIO -02-21-13 The Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) begins March by finishing its run of Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites and ends with the third event in the CIM@Severance series season. In between, Grammy-winning soprano Christine Brewer closes this season's Mixon Hall Masters Series and students perform in two prize competitions.

Read about March HIGHLIGHTS below, or visit the CIM event calendar for a complete list.

The Cleveland Institute of Music presents hundreds of events each year, most of which are free of charge. Programs are performed at 11021 East Boulevard, Cleveland, unless otherwise noted. CIM's Box Office is open weekdays from 10a.m. - 3p.m. and has a NEW direct dial phone number: 216.795.3211.

Opera Theater Presents Dramatic Dialogues of the Carmelites

Ends March 2

Following a light-hearted presentation of Il matrimonio segreto this fall, CIM Opera Theater artistic director David Bamberger challenged vocalists to perform the dramatic Poulenc work Dialogues of the Carmelites (1957), February 27 through March 2.

Francis Polenc's Dialogues recounts the true story of an order of Carmelite nuns whose world collapses during the French Revolution and the onset of the Reign of Terror. The plot focuses on the spiritual journey of Blanche de la Force, a timid and fearful daughter of a wealthy nobleman.

Initially, Blanche seeks refuge from the coming revolution by joining the Carmelite nuns. The anti-religious fervor of the revolutionaries leads the nuns to adopt a vow of martyrdom. The young novice flees the convent but eventually, discovering her own strength of character and conviction, she rejoins the sisters in their final act of faith.

Dialogues is a remarkably beautiful work with music that is stirring and rich - at times hymnal and haunting. Though based on a dark period in 18th century French history, it raises questions that are as timely as today's news broadcasts.

In keeping with the composer's wishes, CIM will perform the opera in English allowing audiences to more easily follow this dramatic tale to its emotionally gripping conclusion.

Soprano Christine Brewer Closes This Season's Mixon Hall Masters Series March 7, Presents Master Class March 8

Thursday, March 7, one of the biggest names in opera arrives at CIM. Grammy Award-winning soprano Christine Brewer closes out this season's Mixon Hall Masters Series with accompanist Craig Terry at 8 p.m.

On the opera stage, Brewer is highly regarded for her striking portrayal of the title role in Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos, which she has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Opéra de Lyon, Théatre du Chatelet, Santa Fe Opera, English National Opera and Opera Theater of St. Louis. Attracting glowing reviews with each role, she has performed Wagner's Tristan und Isolde at San Francisco Opera, Gluck's Alceste with Santa Fe Opera, the Dyer's Wife in Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten at Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Paris Opera, and Lady Billows in Britten's Albert Herring at Santa Fe Opera.

PLEASE NOTE: Ms. Brewer has revised the repertoire for her Mixon Hall Masters Series event. The program now includes Standards and Art Songs by American composers Samuel Barber, Alan Smith, Richard Rodgers, Irving Berlin and more.

Ms. Brewer is actively involved in passing a love of opera on to the younger generation. She introduced her program "Opera-tunities" to the sixth grade students of Marissa Elementary School, where she herself once taught in Illinois. She'll work with CIM students in a master class that is free and open to the public on Friday, March 8 in Mixon Hall at 10 a.m.

Students Compete in Two Performance Competitions

Conservatory Concerto Round 2 :: March 6

Darius Milhaud Prize :: March 24

Conservatory Concerto Competition Round II - March 6

Each semester, CIM students compete for the opportunity to solo with the CIM Orchestra in an upcoming event. This season, the institute is making the final rounds of that competition open to the public. Hear the finalists compete for the chance to solo with the CIM Orchestra in fall 2013. The competition begins at 6 p.m. in Kulas Hall.

Darius Milhaud Performance Prize Competition - March 24

CIM students will compete for cash prizes for best performances of a work by French composer Darius Milhaud on March 24 at 3 p.m. in Kulas Hall Winners will be announced at a small reception for performers and the audience. The competition, now in its 20th year, is made possible by the Darius Milhaud Society. The Society was founded to encourage performances of the composer's music and to help make it more widely known to performers, teachers and students.

CIM Returns to Severance Hall March 27

The CIM Orchestra and conductor Carl Topilow perform distinct and inspiring masterpieces surrounded by the beauty of Severance Hall at 8 p.m. on March 27.

Pianist I-Chieh Wang will perform the much-beloved and romantic Piano Concerto by Edvard Grieg. The CIM Orchestra will take center-stage with a second-half offering of Serge Prokofiev's Fifth Symphony, composed during WWII, which was intended as a "hymn to free and happy Man, to his might powers, his pure and noble spirit." The program also includes Mussogorgsky's Prelude to Khovanschina.

Tickets for CIM@Severance events are just $5 general admission. Call 216.231.1111 to order or online at clevelandorchestra.com.

For a complete list of events at the Cleveland Institute of Music, visit the CIM event calendar.