Kick off your celebration of the semiquincentennial of the United States with OperaSLO and its Grand Orchestra at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 28 at the Clark Center.
“America Turns 250: Patriotic Pops and Veterans Tribute” is a vibrant symphonic celebration of the music, culture, and shared spirit of the nation.
Spanning Broadway, Hollywood, Americana, and beloved patriotic traditions, the concert features baritone Ralph Cato and soprano Thalia Moore and brings together some of the most recognizable and uplifting music ever written.
Cellist Megan Chartier also presents the Central Coast premiere of Victor Herbert’s Cello Concert No. 2.
The program includes favorites from Leonard Bernstein, Henry Mancini, Walter Murphy, Leroy Anderson, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and George Gershwin alongside iconic tributes such as the “Armed Forces Salute” (including the newest theme honoring the United States Space Force), Herbert’s “March of the 22nd Regiment,” and the sweeping overture from “The High and the Mighty” by Dimitri Tiomkin.
John Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever” captures the pageantry of the celebration, while at the heart of the program stands the rarely performed arrangement of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Igor Stravinsky.
A pre-concert reception beginning at 2 p.m. with maestro Brian Asher Alhadeff and soloists is available for an additional cost when purchasing tickets.