For Immediate Release: April 1, 2005
Media Contact: Lisa Higgins, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, 610.282-9455 x4

The stars of music and theatre have aligned to give Lehigh Valley residents a spectacular 'dream' April 16 & 17 when the Allentown Symphony Orchestra performs orchestral and choral works inspired by the Bard. Featuring renowned vocalists and Shakespearean actors, the concert offers a rare combination of music inspired by the Bard interspersed with the words that inspired the music.

Performances are 8pm Saturday, April 16, and 3pm Sunday, April 17 at the Allentown Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth Street, in Allentown. Ticket prices range from $18 to $35. Student ticket prices in the balcony are $10. The concert is sponsored by Alvin H. Butz., Inc., KNBT Keystone Nazareth Bank & Trust, and the Rider Pool Foundation.

Fascinated by the fairy world Shakespeare created in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Felix Mendelssohn composed the overture when he was merely 17. This is the music that lead Diane Wittry, ASO's artistic leader and conductor, to arrange the entire program. "This music portrays major moments from the play, including the fairiesenchantment and the humorous braying of the donkey," says Ms.Wittry.

The concert features a special appearance by Tony Award nominee Paul Hecht, one of the foremost Shakespearean actors in the U.S. performing Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream. With major credits on Broadway and off, Mr. Hecht has also performed on television and film with actors ranging from Bette Davis and Jeremy Irons to Chris Rock and Howard Stern.

Oberon's famous mischief-maker Puck will be performed by Spencer Aste, a veteran of The Acting Company, perhaps most recognized as the voice of Scratch in the Oscar winning animated film, Toy Story. Lauren Lovett will play Titania, and will return to the Lehigh Valley this summer, performing as Portia in the PSF production of The Merchant of Venice.

Also appearing in A Midsummer Night's Dream are Courtenay Budd, soprano, as the first fairy, and Stefanie Woodling, mezzo-soprano, as the second fairy. First Prize winner of the 2001 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, Ms. Budd has performed in many leading venues around the country, including the renowned Spoleto Festival. Ms. Woodling has numerous credits with the New York City Opera, Opera Pacific and the Sante Fe Opera.

"This concert is truly an exceptional artistic event, and we are very proud to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Allentown Symphony on this," says Patrick Mulcahy, PSF's producing artistic director.

Composed for a production of The Tempest in 1925, Jean Sibelius originally wrote 34 short pieces for chorus, soloist and orchestra as incidental music. Later, he went back and condensed them into two suites for orchestra. "The first suite is large and dramatically scored for the full orchestra,"says Ms. Wittry. "The second uses smaller instrumentation, and is intimate like a water color painting. I couldn't do just one or the other because I wanted to show both of Sibelius' voices, so I combined them into a presentation that features the best from each suite."

Mr. Hecht will play the role of Prospero while Mr. Aste performs as Caliban and Ms. Lovett, Miranda.

Otto Nicolai's opera The Merry Wives of Windsor, first staged in 1849, is also part of the ASO program. "While the entire opera isn't done very much anymore, the Overture is still very popular," says Ms. Wittry. "I'm sure our audience will recognize the melodies."

"Theatre, by its nature, incorporates so many art forms: sculpture, literature, painting, fashion design, and of course music. So, we are very pleased to team up with the ASO on this project, as we are happy to encourage everyone to live Under the Bard's Spell, and indeed, owe our very purpose to his genius," says PSF's Mulcahy. "Our collaboration with this first-rate Symphony also gives PSF one more great opportunity to share Shakespeare's words, wit, and wisdom with the community and deepen our connections with other arts organizations in the Valley."

For ticket information, contact the Allentown Symphony at 610-432-6715; online at http://allentownsymphony.tix.com. For information about PSF: www.pashakespeare.org.

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