Stephen Osmond, Music Director
- Fifth Subscription Concert, fifty-EIGHTH season
- 8:00 pm April 19, 2008
- Potter Center Music Hall
- Jackson Community College
"Kismet" - Baubles, bangles and exotic goings-on highlight JSO production
As luck would have it, the JSO will finish its 2007-2008 season with a concert version of a light-hearted and zany musical with a happy-ever-after ending. “Kismet” (translated “Fate”) is the story of a poet/beggar and his daughter struggling to survive in ancient Baghdad. Through a series of fortunes and misfortunes, the father winds up as Emir (prince) of Baghdad and the daughter marries the Caliph (ruler) of Baghdad.
The performance is scheduled for 8 p.m. April 19 at Jackson Community College’s Potter Center. “Kismet” was originally a play written by Edward Knoblock. It opened on Christmas Day in 1911 and was made into a film at least five times later. In 1953, “Kismet” was presented as a musical and won three Tony Awards the next year. Robert Wright and George Forrest relied heavily on the music of Russian composer Alexander Borodin (1833-1887) to write the music and lyrics for “Kismet.”
Performing “Kismet” is an appropriate way for the JSO and Maestro Stephen Osmond to complete his 30 th season as JSO conductor. He performed the lead acting role in “Kismet” in a high school production and says that during his curtain call he gazed at the conductor in the orchestra pit, he thought prophetically to himself: “That is where I want to be – conducting.”
Of course, it wasn’t a bout of luck that transformed Osmond from schoolboy-actor to creative conductor. He’s been conducting for many years and tonight the audience will see his ability to bring together many challenging musical and theatrical elements. The Jackson Chorale has been tapped to perform in this production and some highly regarded actors will perform the exotic roles in “Kismet.”
Kimm Julian will play the scoundrel poet Hajj and Jennifer Larsen will appear as his beautiful daughter Marsinah. The role of the evil Wazir of Baghdad Police will be played by Chris Grapentine and Wendy Bloom will appear as his seductive wife. Rounding out the cast are Kurt Hansen as the handsome, sought-after Caliph of Baghdad, Monte Long as the Marriage Arranger and Craig Richard Nelson as Omar Khayyam, an advisor to the Caliph.
“The music of Borodin blends so well in this fantasy that one would think he had the Arabian Nights in mind when he wrote it,” said Director Gerald Blanchard. “Kismet is an absolute delight in every aspect.”
Other directors are Chorus Master Wendy Treacher, Choreographer Carolina Pahde, Technical Director Dennis Young and Assistant Director Nathaniel Parker.
The lush score of “Kismet” includes well-known songs such as Stranger in Paradise
(from Borodin’s the Polovtsian Dances of ''Prince Igor”), And This is My Beloved (taken from Borodin’s Nocturne, and Baubles, Bangles and Beads (from his Second String Quartet).
It is predestined. The fate of anyone attending “Kismet” is to enjoy a light-hearted evening of entertainment that includes exotic characters, comic moments, exuberant music and plenty of kitsch.
Subscription series sponsor: Willis & Jurasek PC, CPAs/Consultants.
Cast appearances made possible through the support of Country National Bank, Midbrook, Inc. – Mick and Aileen Lutz, Anne Platt Moore Fund, and the Stephen and Melissa Osmond Creative Initiative Fund.
- Location: Jackson Community College, Potter Center
- Tickets for the performance: Individual tickets are $18, $27 and $32.
- For additional ticket information, please phone the JSO office at 517-782-3221
-