Orchestra to end the semester with pieces by Offenbach, Faure and Bizet

The Cornell College Orchestra will bring Gallic flair to the final concert of their season on Friday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m. The concert is in King Chapel on Cornell’s campus, and admission is free and open to the public.

The orchestra will perform Jacques Offenbach’s La Belle Helene Overture, Gabriel Fauré’s Berceuse from The Dolly Suite, and Georges Bizet’s Carmen, Suite No. 1.

Offenbach’s La Belle Helene Overture represents the various moods of this romp and sets the stage for what is considered by many as one of the great music comedies in the repertoire. The magic of Offenbach is his beautiful melodies, and La Belle Helene Overture is no exception to this rule.

Fauré’s Dolly Suite was inspired by and dedicated to Mademoiselle Hélène Bardac, whose anglicized name was Dolly. She was the daughter of Fauré’s good friend, the singer Emma Bardac, who later became Debussy’s second wife. Fauré presented the opening cradle song to Dolly on her first birthday in 1893.

The evening closes with the fire and passion of Carmen, Suite No. 1 by Georges Bizet. This suite consists of 5 sections extracted by the composer from the melodies and dramatic passages of one of the world’s most loved operas, Carmen.