Mozart, Rossini and More to Be Featured in 28th WOODSTOCK MOZART FESTIVAL, 7/24-8/10

The Woodstock Mozart Festival expands its venue options for its 28th season to include the Woodstock Opera House and, new this year, the Sanfilippo Foundation's Place de la Musique concert hall in Barrington Hills. Performances take place July 24-August 10. Single tickets go on sale April 7.

To kick off the 2014 season, the Woodstock Mozart Festival hosts a benefit, "Be Amazed!", April 12 at the Place de la Musique. The event includes a tour of the Sanfilippo estate, a magnificent mansion decorated in Grand Epoch and Art Deco styles that houses the world's largest pipe organ in its concert hall and is filled with fully restored and operating antique musical instruments, at 5 p.m. A concert in the chandeliered concert hall, featuring pianist Igor Lipinski and violinist Kevin Case, takes place at 6:30 p.m., with an encore by the world's largest pipe organ. The evening concludes with a post-show reception in the Carousel Pavilion, home of the world's most complete original European Salon Carousel. Tickets are $150 and available at mozartfest.org.

For the 2014 Woodstock Mozart Festival, the Woodstock Opera House program lineup is as follows:

July 26 and 27: Conductor Istvan Jaray joins clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein for Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri Overture; Mozart's Clarinet Concerto, K. 622; and Haydn's Symphony No. 101, "Clock."

August 2 and 3: Conductor Istvan Jaray returns to perform with pianist Igor Lipinski on Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture, Op. 26 and two Mozart works: Piano Concerto No. 20, K. 466 and Symphony No. 36, K. 425, "Linz."

August 9: Violinist Igor Gruppman, who also conducts, and violinist/violist Vesna Gruppman return by popular demand after their 2012 and 2013 Festival participation, performing Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525; Vivaldi's The Four Seasons "Winter," Op. 8, No. 4 and his Concerto for Two Violins in A Minor, Op. 3, No. 8 RV 522; Warlock's Capriol Suite for Strings; and two works by Piazzolla: Oblivion and The Four Seasons.

The Place de la Musique programs are as follows:

July 24: Clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein and pianist Igor Lipinski present a chamber music concert, featuring Mozart's Piano Quartet, K. 478 and his Clarinet Quintet, K. 581, "Stadler's," followed by a clarinet master class.

August 10: Violinist Igor Gruppman, who also conducts, and violinist/violist Vesna Gruppman return by popular demand after their 2012 and 2013 Festival participation, performing Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525; Vivaldi's The Four Seasons "Winter," Op. 8, No. 4 and his Concerto for Two Violins in A Minor, Op. 3, No. 8 RV 522; Warlock's Capriol Suite for Strings; and two works by Piazzolla: Oblivion and The Four Seasons.

Both programs include a 90-minute pre-concert tour of the Sanfilippo estate.

The 2014 Woodstock Mozart Festival takes place Saturday, July 26, August 2 and August 9 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, July 27 and August 3 at 3 p.m. at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren Street, Woodstock. Pre-concert introductions take place one hour before each performance. Single tickets go on sale April 7 through the Woodstock Opera House Box Office at 815-338-5300 or at woodstockoperahouse.com.

More Festival events take place at the Sanfilippo Foundation's Place de la Musique, 789 Plum Tree Road, Barrington Hills: the chamber music concert and master class Thursday, July 24 at 3 p.m. and the Festival's final concert program Sunday, August 10 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $45 for the July 24 program and $65 for the August 10 program, each including the pre-concert tour. General admission tickets are on sale now at sanfilippofoundation.org/woodstock-mozart-festival.html

The Woodstock Mozart Festival's first performances took place in 1987 at the restored 1880s Woodstock Opera House in an environment reminiscent of Mozart's day. From the beginning, the Festival showcased internationally recognized guest artists and conductors during its three weekends of concerts in late July and early August. The Festival's goal is to maintain a superb orchestra that delivers extraordinary performances to inspire and educate audiences of all ages through a chamber orchestral program of an outstanding caliber, which is centered on Mozart. The Woodstock Mozart Festival is a member of the League of American Orchestras and the Illinois Arts Alliance. Funding is provided by the Illinois Arts Council,the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture, the AptarGroup Charitable Foundation and private and corporate contributions. For information, visit mozartfest.org.