Contact CU Independent News Staff Writer Jake Mauff at jacob.mauff@colorado.edu
The Boulder Philharmonic brings “Cirque de la Symphonie” to Macky Auditorium on Saturday, April 2. There will be two shows, with the matinee starting at 2 p.m. and the evening concert starting at 7:30 p.m.
“Cirque de la Symphonie” is a combination of circus acts, including acrobats and strong men, set to classical music. Unlike some shows, there isn’t an emphasis on just the music or the stage performances; they perfectly complement each other. The Music Director of the Boulder Philharmonic, Michael Butterman, hopes that this will be a gateway for people who are normally hesitant to go to classical music concerts.
The music has to be an appropriate mood and length to complement the stage act going on around the orchestra. Butterman says there is some leeway in the music selection, and describes the array of music options as a menu; a good menu needs a lot of diversity and balance. The show will have songs with similar moods and lengths, but the actual songs will differ in style, including classical pieces and Russian pieces.
This is the third time that the Boulder Philharmonic has held a Cirque show. With performer availability always changing, each show is different. Even if someone was a part of the crowd from 2010 or 2013, there will be a different arrangement in the upcoming show.
Mackey is the backdrop for this show because it is home of the Boulder Philharmonic. It also seems to be the perfect venue in terms of its layout — there’s ample space to accommodate the orchestra and the performers, the acoustics are ideal for this type of show and rigging is available for all of the extra equipment that will be on hand.
The show in April will be part of the 2015-16 season, and this season’s theme is “Reflections: The Spirit of Boulder.” With the performance of Cirque, there is a small break in this theme. No additional Boulder culture will be added, except for the people in the orchestra who are from the city.
At 6:30 p.m. before the evening showing, the Boulder Philharmonic will reveal its 2016-17 schedule. Tickets to Saturday’s show can be found here.
