by Patti Connor
Staff Writer
As blonde, fresh and perky as back in the days when she charmed legions of fans — not to mention a thoroughly smitten John Travolta — in the runaway smash musical “Grease,” Grammy Award-winner Olivia Newton-John will appear with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra as part of the orchestra’s debut performance of its 2002-03 season.
The show is scheduled for Sept. 22 at the T-U Center.
Currently celebrating a 30-year music and film career, Newton-John also starred in the hit “Xanadu.” She ascended to pop stardom with her hits “Physical,” “Let Me Be There,” “I Honestly Love You,” and “Hopelessly Devoted to You.”
A native of Australia, this will be the first time Newton-John has been to Jacksonville.
“From everything I’ve read, her voice is as strong as ever. So from that standpoint, it’s almost like you’re being transported back in time. And, of course, her charm is positively infectious. It’s just a great way to start the season,” said Paul Witkowski, spokesperson for the JSO.
With performances showcasing works by musical icons ranging from Sinatra to Rachmaninoff, the debut performance by Newton-John points to the very versatility for which the JSO is gradually gaining national acclaim.
“We’re just a very versatile, entertaining venue, and I think that is obvious from the wide range of performers, and performances we’ll be featuring, this year,” said Witkowski, adding that the JSO has been recognized on National Public Radio.
From a performance by Terrance Wilson, a 26-year-old pianist from the Bronx and a child prodigy who taught himself to play simply by listening to various recordings, to the staging of a pair of lighthearted, comic operettas, there’s no denying this year’s performances offer a little something for all types of music lovers.
With a nod to the traditional, the JSO will kick off the holiday season with a performance Nov. 30 of George Frideric Handel’s timeless classic, “Messiah.” Performances of the perennial Christmas favorite, “The Nutcracker,” with its beloved score by Tchaikovsky, will star renowned principal dancers and young local dancers and will be performed Dec. 13, 14, and 15.
“A Salute to Vienna,” inspired by Vienna’s world-famous New Year’s Concert, is set for Jan. 4 at 8 p.m. Featuring a cast of 75 musicians, singers and dancers, the program will showcase a selection of Johann Strauss’ waltzes, polkas and marches.
On Feb. 7-8, the symphony will debut its Piano Festival, featuring guest artists Arnaldo Cohen and Christopher O’Riley, performing solo and with orchestra. Billed as “a chance to travel wherever your imagination takes you,” programs will include solo works of Chopin and concertos by Mozart, Schumann, Brahms and Prokofiev.
At 8 p.m. April 5, the symphony will present “Carmen,” Georges Bizet’s classic opera of love and betrayal. Victoria Livengood will star in the title role.
Opening night of the centerpiece season, the 10-concert Masterworks Series, will feature pianist Terrence Wilson, performing with the symphony in Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme” by Paganini. Performances are set for Sept. 26-28.
Other highlights include No. 6 of the Mahler Symphony, “The Tragic,” Oct. 17-18; a Brahms Violin Concerto, starring Gil Shaham, Dec. 5-7; Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3, starring Brazilian pianist Christina Ortiz, Jan. 9-20; the Berlioz Requiem, featuring an expanded orchestra, tenor soloist William Brown and members of the orchestra chorus, Feb. 13-14; and an American Music Festival, April 24-25, featuring the music of Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and violinist Elmar Oliveira performing Samuel Barber’s “Violin Concerto.”
As part of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida’s Pops Series, Peter Nero will open the series with a tribute to Frank Sinatra, Sept. 20-21. Marvin Hamlish will return to the stage March 21-22. Other highlights include “For the Love of Broadway — A Romantic Journey,” Oct. 11-12, featuring such classics as “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “All That Jazz”; a performance by eclectic harpist Deborah Henson-Conant, Nov. 1-2; Billy and the Hillbillies, a “Red, White and Bluegrass” tour of Americana, Jan. 17-18; and A Night In Dixieland with the Side Street Strutters, Feb. 21-22.
For information or to reserve tickets, call 354-5547.