Blossom Festival offers variety of programs

The Blossom Festival is entering its 37th year.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
For nearly four decades, classical music enthusiasts have made the Cleveland Orchestra's summer Blossom Festival season a tradition filled with amazing concerts and lasting memories.
This year's 10-weekend schedule, from Saturday through Sept. 3, appears to have plenty of the same in store with a cornucopia of selections featuring performances by the Blossom Festival Band, Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Canadian Brass and the Blossom Festival Orchestra.
"There are a few performances that sort of jump out," said Cleveland Orchestra Artistic Administrator Frank Dans. "I know that the 'All-Tchaikovsky' [July 15 with conductor Jahja Ling] and 'Gershwin and Bernstein' [July 22 with conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya] are always very popular with audiences here."
Dans added that there's something about Tchaikovsky that keeps fans enthralled. "He's probably one of the top three most popular composers. Everybody knows his work and can relate to it, which is great."
Family-friendly setting
Entering its 37th year at the scenic outdoor Cuyahoga Falls venue, the Blossom Festival is designed to give its subscribers a festive feel as well as attract new audiences (i.e., families with children), who perhaps can't make it to the orchestra's winter home at Severance Hall.
This year marks the return of "Bugs Bunny on Broadway," which takes place Aug. 12 with George Daugherty conducting. Joining the cwazy wabbit on screen will be Looney Tunes characters Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, as the Cleveland Orchestra provides a live soundtrack to such classic shorts as "The Rabbit of Seville," "Long-Haired Hare" and "What's Opera, Doc?"
"I know that 'Bugs Bunny on Broadway' was extremely popular two years ago and it's been brought back," Dans said. "I also think 'The Wizard of Oz' is going to be a huge hit. We're showing the film and playing along."
This marks the first year the L. Frank Baum classic is touring the nation with various orchestras performing its soundtrack live along to Harold Arlen's popular score and Judy Garland's legendary vocals. "The Wizard of Oz" takes place Sept. 2 and 3.
Families may also want to consider attending the Cleveland Orchestra's 17th annual free Star-Spangled Spectacular next Friday on Public Square in Cleveland. Other special dates include the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra performing "Rockapella" (Aug. 19 with conductor Keith Lockhart) and The Canadian Brass performing baroque, classical and jazz favorites (Aug. 20).
Taste of European tour
For those discriminating classical music lovers, the Cleveland Orchestra is offering a sneak peak into its September European tour by performing Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 on Aug. 25 and Debussy's "La Mer" on Aug. 26. Franz Welser-M & ouml;st is conducting both nights; however, the latter performance also features conductor Andrew Grams.
"That's really sort of serious stuff," said Dans, who explained that European audiences are known for enjoying more esoteric pieces. Naturally, this speaks to the global image of the Cleveland Orchestra.
"The Cleveland Orchestra is one of the great orchestras of the world," Dans said. "Certainly in Europe where they have opinions on things musical, the Cleveland Orchestra is considered one of the great orchestras and that's really terribly pleasing. The proof of that is we get invited to festivals all of the time and we have long-standing relationships now with various festivals of Europe. So that's quite exceptional in this day and age."
This summer is a perfect opportunity to experience the Cleveland Orchestra at its summer home.
"It's just an incomparable setting," Dans said, "and it's just a great site to listen to great music by one of the world's great orchestras."