Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra to Present “Bon Appétit!” at New Jersey State Museum Auditorium
The Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra will present Lee Hoiby’s one-person comic opera “Bon Appétit!,” inspired by PBS’ “French Chef,” at the New Jersey State Museum Auditorium, under the direction of Daniel Spalding. The tuneful music of Saint Saëns, Chopin, Scott Joplin, and Martinu rounds out this triple bill, along with National Champion Ballroom Dancers Anton Domansky and Ruth Hernández, and acclaimed pianist Artem Tenkeli. There will also be surprises!
Daniel Spalding’s artistic vision continues to unfold in front of delighted and growing and audiences. Since its founding in 2013, he propelled the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey into a respected regional professional orchestra of the highest quality with internationally acclaimed guest artists and innovative programs. His lifetime of experience includes his tenure as Music Director of the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra for over 33 years, a world class ensemble that has performed in 29 states, Europe, South America, and Mexico, and has recorded numerous acclaimed Grammy-nominated recordings. He has conducted many European orchestras including the London Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, National Russian Philharmonic, and Hungarian State Opera, and has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Hall, and other prestigious stages. He is a former Assistant Conductor with the Houston Symphony and holds an M.M. degree from Northwestern University.
Mezzo soprano Christine Meadows flawlessly channels Julia herself and keeps audiences in stitches without skipping a beat, singing as she actually bakes a cake on stage! A native of the Pacific Northwest, Ms. Meadows has performed in concert and opera throughout the United States. Highlights from her career include performances with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and two seasons at the New York City Opera, and appearances with the opera companies of Miami, Houston, Indianapolis, and others. Meadows served as Director of Opera at Portland State University where she previously had the pleasure of singing and playing Julia in “Bon Appétit!” The Northwest Reverb said, ¨In teaching the audience how to make a Le Gâteau au Chocolat L’Éminence Brune, a classic French chocolate cake, Meadows nailed the persona and gestures of Child so well that it was outrageously funny and sort of flabbergasting at one gulp.”
Romanian born pianist Gabriela Imreh has been principal soloist with the Philadelphia Virtuosi since 1991, joining the orchestra on numerous national and international tours. She has also captivated audiences on five continents, performing with many of the world’s leading orchestras including the Vancouver Symphony, London Mozart Players, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Copenhagen’s Tivoli Festival Orchestra, and the Buenos Aries Philharmonic at Teatro Colon. As a recitalist, she has performed in over 150 American cities from coast-to-coast and at New York’s Lincoln Center and Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, as well as notable concert halls in Europe. She has many acclaimed CDs to her credit, including her world premiere recording on Naxos with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra of the Vittorio Giannini Piano Concerto. Gramophone commented how “there’s masses of beefy bravura that she delivers with stunning command.” In addition to serving as Principal Soloist with the Philadelphia Virtuosi, Gabriela is also PVCO’s Creative Director, bringing to the orchestra new and unusual stagings in many of their concerts. Her vision enhances presentations with lighting, costumes, sets, and more, all meant to enhance the classical concert experience. Her diverse talents brought her to the attention of award-winning choreographer Doug Varone, who placed Gabriela in the starring role as an actress, dancer, and pianist in his world premiere production of Heaven at the Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival.
Ruth Hernández is an accomplished Argentine tango dancer and instructor with a career spanning over 20 years. She has led classes and workshops, performed in shows, and participated in festivals across Chile, Argentina, and now the United States. In 2015, Ruth was honored with the “Outstanding Dancer” award at Chile’s National Tango Championship. In 2017, she received recognition from the renowned radio program “Malena Cuenta el Tango” of Los Angeles Municipality, Chile, for her remarkable tango career. She later secured the title of “Vice-Champion” at the National Tango Championship in 2018 and 2019. She actively performs in various states and specializes in teaching women’s tango technique.
Anton Domansky is a champion professional ballroom and Latin dancer with over 30 years of competitive and show dance experience. Originally from Ukraine, he has been dancing since he was eight. After winning the Ukrainian National Youth Championship at 16, he went on to study with the world’s top teachers in London and Italy. Since immigrating to the US in 2001, he has won multiple US National Youth Ballroom and 10-dance championship titles and represented the US in three World Championships. After his first trip to Buenos Aires, Anton fell in love with Argentine Tango; 12 years later, he is US National Argentine Stage Tango Champion.
Russian born pianist Artem Tenkeli has graced the stages of prestigious venues and collaborated internationally with top artists from renowned theaters. He performed with leading artists of the Bolshoi and Mariinsky theaters, with musicians from the Moscow Virtuosi under the direction of Spivakov and with musicians from the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra and the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra conducted by Fedoseev. He has worked with Gerard Vasiliev at the GITIS Theater Institute and as an accompanist at the Gorki Theater (MKHAT). Recently, he won the first prize in the PHL LIVE competition (2022) and impressed audiences at the Academy of Music with his performance in the Triumph competition of Rachmaninov (2023). He has toured extensively as a concert pianist in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Tajikistan. He now resides in New Jersey, captivating audiences with his classical concerts. His recording of Chopin’s Nocturnes has been viewed over four million times on YouTube.
A chocolate cake reception follows the concert. It’s all happening right here in Trenton! For more information: Philavirtuosi@msn.com • www.pvco.org
WHEN & WHERE: Saturday, November 23 at 7:30 pm, New Jersey State Museum Auditorium, 205 W. State Street, Trenton, NJ.
TICKETS: $40 (general seating) & $60 (VIP seating front and center, limited availability) purchase tickets online at www.pvco.org
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