Music Mountain to Present Blair String Quartet with Melvin Chen, 8/23-24

America's Oldest Continuing Summer Chamber Music Festival, Music Mountain, continues its 85th anniversary season with a talented trio performing Baroque Italian Opera Arias and Duets on Saturday, August 23 (6:30PM) followed by the Blair String Quartet performing with guest artist Melvin Chen, piano on Sunday, August 24 (3PM). Gordon Hall will be filled with the classical sounds of opera this weekend - a first for Music Mountain's annual festival. Jazz, country and chamber concerts continue thru September 14.

For the first time in their diverse summer seasons, Music Mountain presents Baroque Italian Opera Arias and Duets featuring Nicholas Tamagna, Countertenor; Sarah Moulton Soprano; and Christine Gevert, Harpsichord. The trio will perform a selection of some of the greatest love duets of the times, including Pur ti miro and Io t'abbraccio from Handel's Rodelinda, as well as duets from operas by J.A. Hasse and A. Scarlatti.

Soprano Sarah Moulton Faux has appeared with Amore Opera, New York Opera Forum, and New York City Opera. Award-Winning countertenor Nicholas Tamagna recently appeared with the Indianapolis Opera, and Utopia Unlimited Opera Company, as well as solo concerts at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, and Avery Fischer Hall. Christine Gevert has conducted, preformed, and recorded extensively in Europe and South America with ensembles and orchestras. She is founder and artistic director of Crescendo in Lakeville, CT.

Sunday afternoon welcomes Blair String Quartet with guest artist Melvin Chen, piano, performing Haydn: String Quartet in G Major, Opus 77# 1; Mendelssohn: String Quartet in D Major, Opus 44 #1; and Bloch: Piano Quintet # 1.

Widely acclaimed in performances across the country, the Blair String Quartet has enhanced its national reputation through appearances at the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center, New York's 92nd Street Y and Merkin Concert Hall. Highly skilled interpreters of the standard repertoire, the Blair Quartet has also championed music by contemporary American composers; they have been praised for combining "technical expertise and emotional fire." The Blair String Quartet is currently in residence at the Blair School of Music of Vanderbilt University.

An accomplished and lauded soloist and chamber musician, Melvin Chen has received acclaim for performances throughout the United States and abroad. He has performed at major venues in the United States including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Kennedy Center, and Boston's Jordan Hall, among others. Mr. Chen was recently appointed as associate professor of piano and deputy dean at the Yale School of Music, and is also the artistic director of the chamber music program at the Hotchkiss Summer Portals.

Music Mountain is located in Falls Village, Connecticut on Music Mountain Road, where a short scenic drive will bring you to Gordon Hall atop Music Mountain. Free parking and picnic facilities are available. Food, wine & beer are also available for purchase.

Upcoming quartets scheduled to perform include Shanghai String Quartet with Haochen Zhang, piano (August 30 & 31); Dover String Quartet with Roberto Diaz, viola (September 7); Cassatt String Quartet with Ursula Oppens, piano (September 14).

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series will continue with Michael Berkeley presents "No Tune Like A Show Tune" (September 6) and Tater Patch (September 13).

Chamber Music Concerts are $35 at the door/$30 in advance. Twilight Series Concerts are $30 at the door/$27 in advance. Tickets for the End of Season Benefit Concert on August 31 are $75. Children ages 5-18 are admitted FREE for ALL CONCERTS when accompanied by a ticket holder (Music Mountain gratefully acknowledges children admission support by the Hellen Plummer Foundation for a gift in memory of James Merrill, Connecticut's first Poet Laureate). Saturday Twilight Concerts are at 6:30pm. Chamber Music concerts are at 3pm on Sundays. Group rates and pre season ticket vouchers are available. Discounts apply through participating organizations. For a complete summer schedule, special ticket prices, and to download a ticket order form visit www.musicmountain.org or call 860-824-7126.