Ballet, doo-wop and symphonic fireworks mark end of summer on The Freeman Stage at Bayside
The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, with the help of Opera at Morgan and the Morgan State University Choir, will help celebrate the conclusion of another successful season at The Freeman Stage at Bayside at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 31. The performance, which is free and open to the public, will feature music from opera to Broadway, and will conclude with a fireworks show to help celebrate the 2013 Freeman Stage season.
“We are grateful to continue our partnerships with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, Opera at Morgan, and the Morgan State University Choir,” says Patti Grimes, executive director of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation. “This was the sixth season for The Freeman Stage at Bayside, and the fourth year that we are celebrating the end of our season with the help of these talented musicians and singers. This family-friendly performance is always an audience favorite, and we can't think of a better way to provide a high-quality arts experience for our patrons while thanking them for their support over the summer.”
The MSO is enjoying its 16th season and its eighth year under the musical direction of Maestro Julien Benichou. The 50-plus member orchestra continues to grow in numbers and in the quality of its performances and repertoire. “The arts are such an important part of the cultural life of our communities,” says Benichou. “I see the MSO flourishing in the near future, giving us the opportunity to bring the Mid-Atlantic Region beautiful musical experiences.”
On Thursday, Aug. 29, the First State Ballet Theatre, Delaware's professional ballet company, will once again dance across the Freeman Stage under the stars. On Friday, Aug. 30, the Doo Wop Project, which stars leading cast members from the Tony Award-winning Broadway smash "Jersey Boys" will take the audience on a trip down memory lane with an homage to classic doo-wop and the music that was inspired by that sound.
The First State Ballet performance is free for all, and the Doo Wop Project performance is $16 per person. Future events presented by the Freeman Stage include the Annual Arts & Jazz Festival on Sept. 14 and a performance of Washington National Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program on Dec. 6.
The Freeman Stage is a program of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, which partners to present memorable performances and provide inspired arts education for all. This program is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Freeman Stage at Bayside also receives grant support for its programs from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour, PNC Grow Up Great, the Carl M. Freeman Foundation, the Sussex County Council, and the state of Delaware. For more information about The Freeman Stage at Bayside and upcoming performances, call 302-436-3015 or visit www.freemanstage.org.
