Here's what Orchestra Miami has cooked up:
"– On December 31, 2021, Orchestra Miami presents the ultimate New Year’s Eve Celebration- an unforgettable, family-friendly, beachfront concert of Beethoven’s iconic Symphony N. 9 (Ode to Joy), performed by Miami’s premiere professional orchestra, Orchestra Miami, led by Miami native and Artistic Director Elaine Rinaldi with an allstar line-up of soloists. Cuban-American poet Richard Blanco has crafted a bilingual translation of Schiller’s poem, which will be sung by a 60-voice community choir accompanied by the orchestra."
They go on with this description:
"Culminating with a New Year’s Eve fireworks display, this concert will be the top family-friendly New Year’s Eve event in Miami, with anticipated attendance of 10,000 in-person guests, plus many thousands of online viewers. The event takes place on the beach, east of Collins Avenue between 21st and 22nd streets (Collins Park) in Miami Beach. The festivities start at 7 PM with performances by members of the orchestra, and a special screening of the documentary 'Following the Ninth' about Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and what it represents to cultures around the world. Orchestra Miami takes the stage at 10 PM and the performance ends with a spectacular fireworks display sponsored by the City of Miami Beach."
So, you get that we're talking about trendy SoBe, on the actual beach. If you need any more details, there's this:
"Four world-class artists join Orchestra Miami as the soloists in the choral finale of Beethoven’s 9 th Symphony. The soloists are Miami native and internationally acclaimed soprano Elaine Alvarez, one of the world’s great Verdi mezzo-sopranos Marianne Cornetti, Miami native and internationally acclaimed tenor Russell Thomas and Metropolitan opera bass-baritone Kevin Short."
What's supposed to happen between 7:00 and 10:00?
Orchestra Miami’s performance begins with The Star-Spangled Banner, and also includes the “Champagne Trio” from Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, and the “Champagne Galop” by Danish composer Hans Christian Lumbye, followed by Beethoven’s iconic Symphony N. 9 in D Elaine Rinaldi, Founder and Artistic Director PO Box 7598 ~ Miami, FL 33255-7598 info@orchestramiami.org ~ (305) 274-2103 www.OrchestraMiami.org Minor, Op. 125."
You're inclined to worry? You should be. You and 10K people at a concert? Elaine...?
“'Now that the majority of people in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties have been vaccinated, we felt that New Year’s Eve was the perfect occasion for a big celebration' says Orchestra Miami Artistic Director Elaine Rinaldi. 'I was sorry that we couldn’t celebrate Beethoven’s 250th birthday as originally planned in 2020, but moving the celebration to 2021 in our 15th anniversary season gave us an additional reason to celebrate! I am most proud of the fact that with this performance, Orchestra Miami will have performed all nine of Beethoven’s symphonies outdoors in our public spaces for free!'”
It's hard to argue with that woman. And in case the last two words didn't make it clear, they're doing this show for free. Well, you don't pay. CMB and some other funders spotted you even the idea of a ticket price. Although...
You have to find your own parking (23rd St is closest), and bring your own folding chair, and bring your own food and drinks, and not in glass bottles, unless...
"For patrons who wish to have reserved seating, VIP packages are available for purchase. There are two levels available: for $300 per person, patrons will receive a reserved complimentary parking space, reserved premium seating at the concert, bar access throughout the event (alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages), and self-serve buffet and light bites during the concert, sponsored by Tripping Animals Brewery, Total Wine and More and Wy Not Eat Miami."
It seems like a helluva way to spend NYE. How much were you going to spend anyway? For more info, and to snag the VIP accommodations to which you are entitled, you can go to www.orchestramiami.org, or call them at 305-274-2103.
I can't join you, because I'll be up north with my family, but if I were here, I'd mask myself up, and go to this. And it would be worth the $300. Or $600, if I got lucky.
My mistake. I didn't realize at first that there was mention of two VIP ticket levels, but only level was specified. I wrote back to Elaine Rinaldi to ask about this, and she clarified. There is in fact a second level, and it was not described in the initial announcement. It is $150 per person, and it entitles holders to reserved parking, reserved seating, and access to a cash bar. Elaine further noted that parking on SoBe for NYE is expected to be about $100. So, there's still noteworthy advantage to the lower level of VIP access, and even greater advantage to the higher level, since it includes free and unlimited food and drinks.
ReplyDeleteBut if all you want is to be outside, at the beach, listening to great music, and watching fireworks on NYE, and you can find a way to get there without parking, you can do that for free.
Well, bad news, good news, I suppose. The theoretically good news is that I won't be out of town on NYE after all. So, in theory, I could attend this NYE evening. The bad news is that the reason I won't be out of town is that I had symptoms of a cold, my daughter insisted I do one of those COVID tests, and it was positive. So I had to cancel my trip. No daughter, no son-in-law, and no grandchildren for the week I was counting on being with them. And no leaving the house to go to an outdoor NYE event with thousands of people. Or sort of anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteOne person I've known for 50 years called to say she's cooking up Christmas dinner, and I can have some. At first, I said I'd come pick up whatever she's allocating for me. Then, I said I didn't think I should go to her house, because I didn't want to infect her or anyone who lives with her. But then, I said I'd come by, to save her dropping off a portion to me, and I'd call her when I'm close by, so she can leave it on the doorstep. I guess that's more good news: I get to have a nice Christmas meal cooked by a very old Jamaican friend. But I still can't go up north, and I still can't go to the NYE event on SoBe.
But you can go. And I hope you do. Let me know if it was as great as I feel confident it will be.