Providing the greater Central Massachusetts region with quality performances since 1858, this October, Music Worcester is gearing up for its 160th anniversary and upcoming season. A typical, annual season for the nonprofit organization starts in the fall and runs through April or May. Each season brings a variety of performances, including orchestral, some chamber music, bits of jazz, a sprinkle of world music and, of course, the talented Worcester Chorus, adding up to about 20 performances in each season.

“Apart from that, we really take each year as it comes,” said Adrien Finlay, executive director of Music Worcester. “We book a significant number of international ensembles and artists, and so we are sometimes completely at the mercy of who’s touring for that year in question. So it’s a bit of a blessing and a curse.”
Music Worcester has gathered a number of events across various locations and more are in the works. This season opens with Brandon Marsalis, an acclaimed musician, and includes performances by the Worcester Chorus, a New Orleans-inspired evening, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, the Russian National Ballet’s performance of Swan Lake and a Maria Callas hologram in concert with a live orchestra.

“We had Wynton Marsalis last year [at Mechanics Hall], and I got to meet him at deadhorse hill next door afterwards – that was a highlight of my employment I would say,” said Ethan Bates, patron services manager and marketing coordinator. “To have his brother follow up immediately [this] season, that’s going to be very, very exciting… I think it’s our most powerful season yet – that I’ve been around for – and I think that it’ll not only exceed in its moment, but give us momentum to all of the future seasons we’re already starting to plan.”

Wanting to become more known to the community at large and build its audience, Music Worcester experiments with different artists and types of entertainment rather than focusing on emulating the past.

With technology that’s here to stay, as an experiment to see how overall audience reaction and enjoyment will be, one of the more futuristic and interesting events lined up features a holographic version of famous opera singer Maria Callas. The twist? A live orchestra, Symphony NH, will accompany the beautifully re-mastered tracks sung by Callas. The audience will be transported back in time to lose itself in the captivating voice and soul of the beloved La Divina. You might not even be able to tell what’s real and what’s fantasy. Just relax and leave the holographic work to the professionals from Base Hologram!

“We are really curious to see how our audiences [will], in general, respond. And if there’s interest in it and there’s good feedback afterwards, we would consider other opportunities as they come along, and if it’s something that’s a novelty – there’s not really interest long-term – then we’ll take that in to consideration, too,” said Finlay.

However, with plenty of performances to choose from in the upcoming season, each will stand out in its own unique way.

“One of the things I look forward to the most after each concert: Being in the lobby watching people exit gives us such a good sense of how well we did, what the vibe is, did people really enjoy it, are people talking, are people hurrying out of the theater,” said Finlay with a laugh. “You know, whatever the case may be, it gives us a very good sense of how the evening was, and therefore, how well Music Worcester is doing.”

For more information about Music Worcester and the upcoming season, visit musicworcester.org and stay up to date on social media by following @music_worcester on Instagram, @musicworcester on Twitter and @ musicworcester.org on Facebook.

Savanah Hippert