The South Florida Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Sebrina Maria Alfonso. Photo courtesy of South Florida Symphony Orchestra.
In Friday’s (1/3) ArtBurstMiami.com (Miami, Florida), Miguel Sirgado writes, “Leonard Bernstein’s operetta ‘Candide’ deserves its place of honor in the repertoire of any contemporary classical music company. Since its Broadway debut in 1956 as a musical, the complex yet captivating work has undergone numerous iterations, all while preserving its freshness and relevance…. It is based on ‘Candide, ou L’Optimisme’ (1759), by … Voltaire…. The secret of ‘Candide’s’ success lies in Bernstein’s profound philosophical explorations of music and literature, supported by an extraordinary team of lyrical collaborators … ‘People like Voltaire and my father never go out of style because they advocate (for issues of social justice) through their art,’ says Jamie Bernstein, daughter of Maestro Leonard Bernstein and actress Felicia Montealegre…. The South Florida Symphony Orchestra (SFSO) premieres the masterful satire as part of its ‘Icons & Rebels Masterworks’ season. Performances are Tuesday, Jan. 14 … in Miami Beach, Thursday, Jan. 16 [in] Fort Lauderdale, and Sunday, Jan. 19, [in] Key West. Conducted by SFSO’s music director Sebrina Maria Alfonso, the ‘semi-staged concert’ version … places the orchestra, chorus and characters onstage … without large sets. Stage direction is by Seattle-based director Dan Wallace Miller…. ‘The work is advocating for equality for everyone by mocking those who are narrow-minded and prejudiced,’ Jamie Bernstein says.”
