In Sunday’s (8/2) Plain Dealer (Cleveland), Zachary Lewis writes, “Whether he’s in the rafters, behind the stage or right behind you, it doesn’t matter. You never see Roger Mastroianni, the Cleveland Orchestra’s principal photographer. But if Mastroianni himself goes undetected, his work most certainly does not. Between orchestra posters, fliers and program books, his output is everywhere around town. … In 1988, when Mastroianni, now 47, completed his first job for Gary Hanson, orchestra public relations chief and future executive director, his perspective on Cleveland’s cultural gem was limited by the technology of the day and a dim, aging venue. Today, with his vast arsenal of high-tech gear and a renovated Severance Hall, he can capture the orchestra from any angle and distribute pictures in a flash. … His basic approach hasn’t changed. The job still entails running around and strategizing on the fly, much like his first professional gigs as a sports stringer for United Press International. Knowledge of music also remains handy. Years around an orchestra have earned the Lyndhurst father of three a veritable degree in music appreciation, boosting his chances of being in the right place at the right time.”
Posted August 4, 2009
