RSO To Perform Romantic Concert

RIDGEFIELD — The next concert of Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra’s 2005-06 season will be on Saturday, February 4, at 8 pm, at Ridgefield High School.

The program, titled “Couples In Love,” includes many romantic selections that one might find in a Pops concert: Gershwin’s “Lullaby,” Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy (vocal version), Bernstein’s “Symphonic Dances” from West Side Story, Mancini’s “Moon River,” and Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess, A Symphonic Picture.”

The guest soloists are soprano Laura Heimes and tenor Toby Boutte. Both have toured the United States as performers, have active recording careers, and have sung in one of the most famous Baroque groups, The New York Collegium.

Ms Heimes’ repertoire ranges from the Renaissance to contemporary music, and she has sung selections from Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Mr Boutte has performed in famous festivals from Aspen, Colo., to Salzburg, Austria.

The Bernstein piece presents many of the stage show dances such as the mambo, cha-cha, meeting scene, and rumble, and also alludes to some of the famous songs such as “Maria,” “Cool,” and “Somewhere.” Mancini’s song appeared in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and became an instant hit. The Gershwin finale weaves together several of the famous songs, including “Summertime,” “I Got Plenty Of Nothin,” “Bess You Is My  Woman Now,” “It Ain’t Necessarily So” and “Oh, Lawd, I’m On My Way.”

Tickets range from $25 to $50 for adults, and $15 to $30 for students.

More information about tickets and subscriptions is available from the RSO office, 203-438-3889 or www.RidgefieldSymphony.org.