An unlikely New Year tradition is well into its third year. Through the assistance of a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s Knight Arts Challenge, the recent installment of Ocean Drive in Vienna will once again mingle the sounds of Vienna with the tropical Latin American grooves of Miami.
The night's music will be provided by the world-class musicians of the Miami Symphony Orchestra as part of the Composers-in-Residence program under the direction of Maestro Eduardo Marturet, the music
Marturet says the original concept of the orchestra’s Viennese repertoire was simply to celebrate the music of a city that served a vital role in classical music, home to influential composers such as Austrian composer Johann Strauss II, otherwise known as “The Waltz King.”
He then came up with the idea to present these Viennese favorites with a Latin twist.
“Four years ago I changed the concept in the sense that instead of doing a traditional concert of Viennese music, I created a metaphor and called it Ocean Drive in Vienna. It’s like an idea of what would happen if Miami’s music would travel to Vienna,” says Marturet.
“It becomes something much more ours and different and hip,” he adds.
The blending of styles is something Marturet feels makes the music more accessible to local audiences. “I wanted to make it different and to make it something that is more ours and something that is more organic to our community,” he says.
Besides Viennese opera favorites, attendees can expect to listen to the “dance” music of yesteryear with Viennese dances, waltzes, and more while paying homage to the dance music of our own backyard with the performance of salsa and merengue. The program will also include operettas from Strauss II as well as other notable 19th century composers.
Listeners will be treated to the MISO's first-ever performance of a set of variations on “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” and Radio and TV personality Alberto Sardiñas will be one of several special guests throughout the night.
If you're in need of a break from the club this weekend, use the code “ADS” for a 20% discount on tickets. Some proceeds will benefit the nonprofit organization America Developing Smiles.
Miami Symphony Orchestra presents Ocean Drive in Vienna. 6 p.m., Sunday, January 10, at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County - Knight Concert Hall, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-949-6722; arshtcenter.org. Admission is $44 to $180. All ages.
