Meet Victorian London’s dynamic duo: Charles Babbage, unrealized inventor of the computer and his accomplice, Ada Lovelace, a peculiar proto-programmer. Lovelace translated a description of Babbage’s plans for an enormous mechanical calculating machine in 1842, with annotations three times longer than the original work. Her footnotes contained the first appearance of general computing theory a century before an actual computer was built. Sadly, Lovelace died a decade after publishing her paper and Babbage never built his machines. The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage presents an alternate reality in which Lovelace and Babbage build the difference engine, program runaway economic models, battle a scourge of spelling errors and, of course, fight crime!
Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage is a new comic opera by composer Elena Ruehr and librettist Royce Vavrek based on Sydney Padua’s graphic novel. The opera utilizes sounds from the only working difference engine in the world, recorded in Seattle. The clicks and clacks of the machine are morphed into a percussion section and mapped onto a midi marimba so that the sounds are played as part of the opera. Unlike traditional opera companies, Guerilla Opera artists perform without a conductor or formal music director. This is unusual and distinguishes them in the field of opera. This practice requires extraordinary awareness and communication skills that can only be honed through consistent practice by a group of artists working together over time.
The wonderful Bergonzi Trio returns bringing their brilliant music-making with them in an exciting program including works by Tailleferre and Haydn, and the stunning Ravel Piano Trio. This concert will definitely prove to be an adventure! For the younger members of our audience (or those who are young at heart), there will also be free interactive children’s concerts.
Lindsay Garritson of the Bergonzi Trio will perform a solo piano concert entitled Reimagined featuring works by Handel/Liszt, Beethoven, Cecil Chaminade, Maurice Ravel, Reena Esmail, Tania León, Astora Piazzolla, and Marc-Andre Hamelin. Each piece is a reimagining of something, whether it’s an opera of Handel, Beethoven’s variations on his original theme, an etude of Chaminade inspired by autumn, Ravel’s inspiration from the waltz, Esmail’s inspiration from Indian classical music, Tania Leon’s incorporation/inspiration of the Habanera dance (native to her homeland of Cuba), Piazzolla with the Argentine Tango, or Hamelin’s inspiration from Paganini’s 24th Caprice. Lindsay will also teach several masterclasses for local students during her PMMF residency. We will share the details for these masterclasses in the coming months.
Soprano Christine Seitz and composer/guitarist Paul Seitz will draw on their wide ranging repertoire of music from centuries past to the present moment. The program will include art songs by Paul Seitz with pianist Susan Byykkonen, the world premieres of two new works by Paul, the song cycle Some Things That Fly for voice and guitar, and a new chamber work for violin, guitar, and cello. The premieres, as well as additional sets of American songs about stage, screen, and social protest, will feature the archtop guitar in this concert setting. Paul and Christine are excited to share their music this season with the Pine Mountain Music Festival community!
In 2020 Isle Royale National Park had planned a large celebration of the 80th anniversary of the park by commissioning Artists-In Residence Libby Meyer and Katherine Bergman to compose string quartets to be premiered that year. Unfortunately, the global pandemic had other plans. This year PMMF is excited to join forces with Isle Royale National Park to premiere these quartets alongside Elena Ruehr’s stunning Keweenaw Quartet on Isle Royale, performed by the Superior String Alliance Chamber Players. If you are looking for an adventure, come to Isle Royale for an evening of beautiful, place-inspired music! If that might be a little too adventurous, you can also hear this wonderful music at other “mainland” locations during the festival.
Back by popular demand, these free 30 - 45 minute chamber music concerts will happen around the Keweenaw Peninsula for one day during the Festival. The On the Town concerts will feature performances by PMMF musicians from different groups mixed together! Catch a short performance in a unique place like the canal shorefront, a coffee shop, an antique store, or in a photography gallery. More details to come!
Since 2012, the UPstarts! program has provided young emerging singers and instrumentalists from the Upper Peninsula the opportunity to perform in a professional music festival. Chosen by audition, the young artists tour all three areas of the festival (Houghton, Marquette, and Iron counties), meeting audiences of all sizes in different performance settings. These concerts (accompanied by Susie Byykkonen, UPstarts! Director) provide the artists with important experiences on the concert stage and give audiences a chance to enjoy the impressive level of talent that comes from our local communities. Our 2023 UPstarts! will be announced in February!
In keeping with the steampunk theme of our opera this season, we are planning a steampunk themed event at the Quincy Mine Hoist House that will include music, food and great conversation! Wear your favorite steampunk themed outfit and join the fun! For inquiring minds: steampunk is a design style inspired by Victorian era industrialism; think steam-powered machinery, Victorian era clothing, and anachronistic accessories for science fiction flair. Google ‘steampunk’ if you want to know more about the genre, look, and vibe! This thrilling event will take place during the festival. Check the PMMF website for more details in the coming months!