BY
Question #1: When was the last time you went to a concert and heard “Nessun Dorma” on trombone?
Question #2: What about “The Flight of the Bumblebee” on harmonica?
Question #2: “Ave Maria” on the saw? (Yes, the saw.)
Noteworthy Novelties will fill St. John’s University’s Great Lawn with beautiful music on Sunday, July 21, at 4 pm.
The Richmond County Orchestra – which is based on Staten Island and conducted by Maestro Alan Aurelia – headlines this free concert, which also features world-class harmonica virtuoso Jia-Yi He, an America’s Got Talent alumnus; Julie “The Flying Trombonist” Passaro Krygsman; and Natalia “Saw Lady” Paruz.
SJU Vice President Joseph Sciame, who recently announced his resignation after 61 years with the academic institute, will be the narrator.
Here’s the program.
Polonaise from Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky
Allegro from Eine kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart
Love Music from Music for Shakespeare by Edward Green
Nessun Dorma from Puccini’s Turandot by The Flying Trombonist
Excerpts from Bizet’s Carmen: Prelude; Aragonese; and Les Toreadors.
Intermission
Allegro from Rossini’s William Tell Overture
Ave Maria by Bach/Gounod featuring the Saw Lady
Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore by Verdi
Flight of the Bumblebee from Rimsky-Korsakov’s Tale of Tsar Saltan with Jia -Yi He on harmonica
Can Can from Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld
Waltz from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake
Parking is free at the Jamaica university’s main campus. Motorists are asked to enter via Gate One at 80-00 Utopia Pkwy. (They’re also encouraged to bring chairs and blankets.)
The fun will move indoors to The Little Theatre in case of inclement weather.
Editor’s note: The Queens Symphony Orchestra will present the Great Lawn Summer Concert at the same spot on Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 7 pm.
Top image: St. John’s University; bottom image: Saw Lady