ORGAN PLUS!
Steve Schlesing, Organist
Pierre Fracalanza, Keyboard & Vocals
Sunday, September 18, 2011 - 3:00 p.m.
The ever-popular Steve Schlesing returns for his sixth appearance at the Opera House. Steve has toured the U.S., performing concerts and accompanying silent films. For many years, he played at pipe organ equipped pizza restaurants from coast to coast, until settling in the Detroit area. Among Steve's unique credits was that of Organist for the Detroit Tigers for several seasons. Steve is currently Organist for the Lutheran Church of the Master in Troy, and remains in great demand throughout the area. Appearing with Steve is the multi-talented Pierre Fracalanza, who has been the Music Director/Organist at St. James Parish in Novi since 1995. He actually began playing piano and organ at the age of three, was playing in Catholic churches by the time he was ten, and his first music director position was at the tender age of sixteen. Pierre's musical training included studies at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Currently, he oversees the adult choir, handbell choir, folk choir and the liturgy at all weekend masses at St. James. Pierre is a gifted musician with both keyboard and vocal talents, and has many notable accomplishments as an area entertainer. He has a repertoire of thousands of songs, and is equally at home on the organ as he is on the piano.
SILENT MOVIE: "NOSFERATU" (1922)
Scott Smith, Organist
Sunday, October 30, 2011 - 3:00 p.m.
Nosferatu is a German Expressionist horror film, directed by the legendary F. W. Murnau. The film, shot in 1921 and released in 1922, was an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's "Dracula," with names and other details changed because the studio could not obtain the rights to the novel. Stoker's widow was not amused and in 1925 sued for copyright infringement. Murnau lost the lawsuit and all prints of the film were ordered to be destroyed, but bootleg prints survived and it was released in the U.S. in 1929. The vampire, played by German stage actor Max Schreck as Count Orlok, resembled a rat which was known to carry the plague. The origins of the word are from Stoker's novel, where it is used by the Romanian townsfolk to refer to Count Dracula and presumably, other undead. Since being rediscovered in the 1970s, the film has developed a strong cult status, and Riverside Pops presents it on Halloween Eve for maximum effect! Organist Scott Smith is a native and lifelong resident of Lansing, where he studied both theatre and classical organ during his formative years. Beginning as a teenager, he performed regularly on the Barton organ at the Michigan Theatre in downtown Lansing as its last House Organist, from 1972 to 1980. When the organ's new home was secured at the Grand Ledge Opera House, Scott became House Organist, beginning in 1995. He was responsible for the organ's redesign and oversaw the installation and tonal finishing. Scott was one of the original incorporators of Lansing Theatre Organ, and has served as the organization's President since it's inception. In addition to concertizing and accompanying silent films, he also lectures about various aspects of pipe organ history and his writings can be found on the pages of numerous professional pipe organ journals. He is also the owner of Scott Smith Pipe Organs, LLC, a full-service pipe organ business that services and restores both theatre and church/classical pipe organs.
FROM LONDON TO BROADWAY!
Stephen Warner, Organist
Rose Randall Warner, Vocals
Sunday, February 26, 2012 - 3:00 p.m.
Husband and wife team Stephen Warner and Rose Randall Warner will present a program featuring great songs from both sides of the pond, including the music of Ivor Novello, Noel Coward, Leslie Bricusse, Stephen Sondheim and the contemporary song writing team of Goldrich and Heisler. Stephen Warner is on the staff of organists for the Michigan Theatre, Ann Arbor where he regularly performs intermissions and accompanies silent films. Steve began studying piano at age seven in a home where he was surrounded by automated musical instruments and a giant record collection. That, and the promise of a theatre organ soon to arrive to a local musical instruments museum was enough to hook him for life! Steve is Organist for Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church in Detroit, where he plays weekly upon one of the nation's most historic E. M. Skinner organs. He is also involved in the mechanical and restoration side of things as an employee of Holden Pipe Organs of Ferndale. Steve lives in Southfield with wife Rose Randall Warner, who has spent the last 29 years working in the performing arts both on and offstage. Highlights include touring with a vocal jazz quartet, recording with a classical octet, working as a church musician, performing in summer stock theatre as well as doing commercial jingle work. Favorite roles/shows include Mamma Rose in “Gypsy”, “Side by Side by Sondheim”, “My Fair Lady” and “West Side Story”. Currently, she is teaching voice in an ever-expanding home studio in Southfield. In addition, Rose is vocal director for the Farmington Youth Theatre/Sky’s the Limit Productions. She enjoys performing with her husband Stephen, laughing with her 12-year-old daughter, Mallory and cuddling with Amy, the family cat.
FOR THE FIRST TIME
Jonathan Ortloff, Organist
Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 3:00 p.m.
The winner of the American Theatre Organ Society’s 2008 Young Theatre Organist Competition, Jonathan Ortloff holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Rochester in organ performance and interdisciplinary engineering. While at Eastman, he was a student of David Higgs and studied improvisation under William Porter. Jonathan, who is largely self-taught at the theatre organ, made his debut in 2007 and has since performed for numerous theatre organ groups throughout the United States, including feature performances at ATOS national conventions. He has two recordings to his credit, both of which feature drummer Allan Ward. Jonathan is currently employed by Spencer Organ Company of Waltham, Massachusetts. In recent years, he has worked for some of the most renowned organ builders and restorers in the United States, and also maintains a small freelance organ maintenance business. Besides performing, building, and restoring, Jonathan writes on a variety of organ-related topics and his articles have appeared in many professional pipe organ journals. A graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy, Jonathan makes his home in Boston, spending his free time skiing, hiking or paddling the mountains and streams of New England. Welcome, Jonathan...for the first time!
(All events take place at the Grand Ledge Opera House, 121 S. Bridge St. (M-100), Grand Ledge, MI. All programs/artists subject to change.)
Tickets are available at the following locations:
By mail:
Lansing Theatre Organ, Inc.
P. O. Box 26154
Lansing, MI 48909
517-394-9881
(season tickets available only by mail)
Grand Ledge Opera House Office (rear of building)
121 S. Bridge St., @ River St.
Grand Ledge, MI 48837
517-627-1443
Arts Tickets Box Office
Arts Council of Greater Lansing
1208 Turner St. (Old Town)
Lansing, MI 48906
517-372-0945 (Credit card purchases, walk-ins)
http://www.lansingarts.org/ (Online ticket purchases)
Individual tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. A season ticket (one ticket for each of the four annual public performances) can be ordered through the LTO box office for $35. In addition, any combination of four tickets qualifies for our "Mix 'N Match" program, and is considered the same as a season ticket, for $35.
Ticket orders received one week or less from the day of performance will be held at the LTO box office and available as a will call.
RELATED EVENTS:
MARSHALL HISTORIC HOME TOUR
Scott Smith, Organist
Saturday, September 10 & Sunday, September 11, 2011
12:00 Noon - 5:00 p.m.
Mole Hole of Marshall, 150 W. Michigan Avenue, Marshall
HOLIDAY TRADITIONS (formerly Holiday Home Tour)
Saturday, December 3 & Sunday, December 4, 2011
Various organists / various times
Grand Ledge Opera House, 121 S. Bridge St. (M-100) @ River St., Grand Ledge
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING SEASON 2011
Scott Smith, Organist
Saturdays throughout the Christmas season - 12:00 Noon - 5:00 p.m.
(call ahead to confirm)
Mole Hole of Marshall, 150 W. Michigan Avenue, Marshall (269-781-5923)