A program of power and passion is planned for “Something Old,” the Panama City Symphony’s second concert of its regular season on January 16.
Topping the program is German composer Felix Mendelssohn’s powerful and moving Symphony No. 5, “Reformation.” Based on Martin Luther’s hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” the symphony was composed for the 300th anniversary of the events surrounding the Reformation.
A testament to the composer’s faith, it moves from intimacy to majesty, from pain to hope, from sorrow to joy, and concludes in an overwhelming voice of reassurance. “Many times over, this magnificent symphony has moved me to tears,” remarked conductor David Ott.
Also planned for the evening, the Panama City Symphony debut of the powerful and passionate voice of Peter Lake. American-born, European-bred and internationally performing lyric-tenor, Lake brings his smooth, clarion-bright timbre to the Symphony stage to perform Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma” (Turandot) and “E lucevan le stelle” (Tosca).
Raised in a musical family, and eventually earning his PhD in Voice, Mr. Lake is at home singing both opera masterpieces and Broadway hits. “We’re planning some Broadway, too,” stated Lake in an interview about his Symphony appearance, “but you’ll have to be there to find out what it is.”
Italian composer Ottorio Respighi’s lush “Ancient Airs and Dances” rounds out the program for this performance sponsored by G.A.C. Contractors. The concert will be approximately 75 minutes long and there will be no intermission.
The Symphony continues to adhere to CDC, state, local and Bay District Schools guidelines and determinant factors including crowd capacity and sanitization. This includes basic requirements for social distancing and mask wearing outlined in Phase 3 of Florida’s re-opening plan.
Formerly the Panama City POPS, the Panama City Symphony is in the midst of its 25th year, dubbed “The Sterling Season.” The Presenting Sponsor for the season is the St. Joe Community Foundation.
Fully professional since 2016, the Symphony has evolved from a small group of musicians performing together as the Orchestra of St. Andrew Bay, to the full orchestra which became the Panama City POPS, to the newly-monikered Panama City Symphony Orchestra effective July 1, 2020.
The Symphony opened its season in October and plans to continue through the winter and spring, pandemic conditions permitting. Additional concert dates for the regular season are February 27 and April 24. All regular season concerts are performed at the Gretchen Nelson Fine Arts Center, 501 Mosley Drive, Lynn Haven, and will start at 7:30 pm. Single reserved seat tickets are $25.00 and are available at www.panamacitysymphony.com