Music Box Theatre to Screen Verdi Concert as Part of MusicEmotion Series, 6/23

The Music Box shows off the full power of its newly remodeled, state-of-the-art second screening room ("The Mini-Music Box") with MusicEmotion: Syphony in Cinema, a series of captured live musical matinees broadcast from Milan's renowned La Scala opera house for an Old World musical experience in high definition. First up: an open-air Verdiconcert, including his first hit opera Nabucco, staged at Austria's St. Margarethen Opera Festival. MusicEmotion's Verdi program Verdi premieres this Sunday, June 23, 11:30 a.m. at Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Avenue. Tickets are $10 in advance at www.musicboxtheatre.com/collections/musicemotion or in person at the Music Box Theatre box office, subject to availability.

The open-air production of the Verdi masterpiece Nabucco staged at St. Margarethen takes place amidst the intoxicating scenery of a rustically romantic Roman quarry, which provides a unique backdrop for this opera. The Opera Festival St. Margarethen in Austria counts as one of Europe's most important open-air festivals, and nearly 220,000 opera lovers from all over the world visit it annually. Nabuccotells the story of Nebuchadnezzar, ancient King of Babylon, who went mad after proclaiming himself God. Riccardo Chailly conducts the Verdi program, which includes: Nabucco, Overture; Giovanna d'Arco, Overture; Jérusalem, Introduction, Airs de ballet; Les Vêpres siciliennes, Overture; and Les Vêpres siciliennes, Les Saisons, Dances. Igor Morosow, Bruno Ribeiro, Simon Yang, Gabriella Morigi and Elisabeth Kulman star.

This musical event can be seen and heard in the newly remodeled and intimate Music Box Screening Room. The film footage in HD, captured by the video director Pietro Tagliaferri, will be broadcast live from La Scala opera house only to cinemas with 2K resolution in order to guarantee state-of-the-art sound and video resolution. La FilarMonica Della Scala al Cinema premiered in Italy in January and is offered to 1,400 cinemas in 40 countries around the world. The filmmakers go behind the scenes, interviewing the artists, and introducing each concert from places associated with the lives of the composers.

The next MusicEmotion production at Music Box Theatre on Sunday, August 11, 11:30 am., will be an eclectic mix of symphonies conducted by Bobby McFerrin. McFerrin's career - marked by collaborations with the jazz and pop greats, 10 Grammy Awards and sales of more than 20 million records - took an unexpected turn after the worldwide success of the song "Don't Worry, Be Happy." Bobby studied conducting (including with Leonard Bernstein) and worked with the world's greatest orchestras, including the Wiener Philharmoniker. The dialogue with jazz and other forms of musical at La Scala has been sporadic, but always of the highest quality: for example, the concerts by Keith Jarrett, Bobby McFerrin and Stefano Bollani in 2012. At La Scala, Bobby conducted the orchestra, but also sang the part of the second violoncello in a concert of Vivaldi's music and also improvised, inviting the orchestra and the audience to join him in a decidedly unusual musical experience. McFerrin's August 11 performance will include: Leonard Bernstein, Candide, Overture; Gabriel Fauré, Pavane op.50; Antonio Vivaldi, Concerto per due violoncelli, archi e continuo RV 531; Bobby McFerrin, Solo Improvisations; and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Symphony no.4 op.90 Italiana.

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