Singer Jackie Evancho, who created a sensation this summeron America’s Got Talent.
By Skip Sheffield
The Festival of the Arts Boca is going lean and green for its fifth season March 4-12 at Mizner Park in Boca Raton.
That’s “green,” as in “young.”
One of the headliners in the concert finale March 12, operatic soprano Jackie Evancho, is just 10 years old.
“We tried to calm the pace a little this year,” Charles Siemon, chairman and co-founder of the festival, said Tuesday at the Schmidt Family Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park. “It’s a younger festival, and younger artists are less expensive.”
Younger does not necessarily mean not as good. Classical music is filled with child prodigies, from Mozart to violinist Joshua Bell, who headlined the Boca festival two years ago. Evancho was discovered on America’s Got Talent last summer and has since recorded her debut album, O Holy Night, a selection of Christmas music, on Syco/Columbia Records.
As with the Palm Beach International Film Festival, there was an element of doubt if Festival Boca could continue in 2011. In the case of Festival Boca, it was Richard and Barbara Schmidt and the Schmidt Family Foundation to the rescue.
“We provided the seed money to continue this year,” acknowledged Dick Schmidt. “It is good that the city has stepped in to manage the amphitheater. It’s a shame politics came into play with a cultural event like this. As far as I know this is the only performing arts festival in America that is privately funded.”
As in previous years, the festival begins 7 p.m. Friday, March 4, with the Future Stars Competition of young performers, presented by the Rotary Club of Boca Raton.
The literary component begins at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 5, with a talk by Kate Walbert, author of A Short History of Women, in the Cultural Arts Center. The Canadian Brass headlines at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Amphitheater.
Literature continues at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 6, with Kevin Bleyer, Emmy award-winning writer for The Jon Stewart Show and author of Earth: The Book. The musical component continues at 7:30 p.m. Sunday with the American debut of Montenegrin classical guitarist Milos Karadaglic.
As the literary program is a “work in progress,” the Monday, March 7, author has yet to be announced. At 7:30 p.m. Monday evening, Ballet Hispanico debuts.
The Latin vibe continues 7:30 p.m. Wednesday with Piano Latino, featuring veteran Eddie Palmieri, Dominican Grammy Award-winner Michael Camilo and Cuban-born Alfredo Rodriguez, discovered by Quincy Jones at the 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival.
Improvisational pianist Gabriela Montero of Venezuela promises to take requests at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10. Another literary event is set for Friday, March 11, but the author has yet to be announced.
The Russian National Orchestra is not touring this year, so the Boca Raton Symphonia is providing live music for the family musical movie classic The Wizard of Oz at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Distinguished writer-in-residence Doris Kearns Goodwin returns at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 12, and the festival finale, A Night at the Opera, stars Evancho and the Young Stars of the Metropolitan Opera, accompanied by the Boca Symphonia.
Individual tickets are $35-$125 and packages are available. Call 561-368-8445 or 866-571-ARTS, or visit www.festivaloftheartsboca.org.