Philharmonic’s Holiday Concert Makes Spirits Glow
By ROBERT MINER Special to The Times Leader
Monday, December 13, 1999 Page: 5A
WILKES-BARRE – The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, under the
direction of Hugh Keelan, has been performing its Christmas concerts all
weekend in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. If you haven’t attended any of these
performances yet, you have one last chance to be put into the Christmas
spirit.
The philharmonic will be doing it again at 2 p.m. today at the Scranton
Cultural Center.
The performance on Friday night at the Kirby Center went over big with the
audience of just more than 1,400. There was something on the program for just
about everyone.
The talented dancers from Ballet Theatre of Scranton, under the artistic
direction of Joanne Arduino, provided numerous treats. Natalie Colosimo
dazzled the audience with her full-point dancing to “Dance of the Sugar Plum
Fairy,” and Julie Ardito, Ashley Mayer and Rachael Peters gave a clinic on
ensemble dancing on “Dance of the Reed-Pipes” from Tchaikovsky’s “The
Nutcracker.” And the corps de ballet, dressed in striking toy soldiers gear,
amazed the audience with its precession dancing to Leon Jessel’s “Parade of
the Wooden Soldiers.”
Astounding too was the job turned in by the Kantorei Choir of the Choral
Society of Northeast Pennsylvania (a chorus of children ages 10-14). The
group, under the direction of Sue Kelly, awed the audience with a sweet
rendering of John Rutter’s “Shepherd’s Pipe Carol” and a touching offering
of “Somewhere in My Memory” from John Williams’ score for the film “Home
Alone.”
The audience too got its chance to sing when Keelan led a sing-along of
popular Christmas songs, including, “Good King Wenceslas,” “Deck the
Halls” and “Silent Night.”
Santa’s surprise appearance went over big with everyone, especially the
kids.
The orchestra also provided some great moments: a sprightly rendering of
“Waltz of the Flowers” from “The Nutcracker,” a snappy rendition of Leroy
Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” and a dainty offering of Michel de Lalande’s happy
“Christmas Symphony.”
The orchestra’s performance of the overture, serenade and waltz from Erich
Wolfgang Korngold’s “The Snowman” – highlighted by concertmaster Erica
Kiesewetter’s heartwarming violin solo – was stunning.
Kiesewetter proved key as well on William Walton’s arrangement of J.S.
Bach’s “Sheep may safely graze” (from Cantata No. 208, BWV 208), a pastoral
piece that proved the highlight of the evening.
Her absolutely gorgeous solo – with the entire string section playing along
extra softly – set the mood for the rest of the piece, which is one of the
most comforting moments in all of music.
REVIEW concert
