Park fest to highlight women in classical music

BY THE VILLAGE SUN | People haven’t even stopped joyously salsa dancing yet from the rollicking Los Hacheros concert last Tuesday, but the second show in the Washington Square Music Festival’s summer series is already upon us.

On Tues., June 11, at 8 p.m. the annual free musical extravaganza highlights “Women in Classical Music,” when Ahmed Alom conducts the Festival Chamber Orchestra in a program featuring composer Julia Wolfe’s “Four Marys” version for string orchestra (1991).

Also on the bill will be Ludwig van Beethoven’s “12 Contredanses” for small orchestra (1801); Igor Stravinsky’s “Dumbarton Oaks” (1938), for which Nadia Boulanger conducted the premiere: Grazyna Bacewicz’s “Concerto for String Orchestra” (1948); and Richard Wagner’s “Siegfried Idyll” (1869), a tribute to his wife, Cosima, in honor of her birthday.

Wolfe won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2015.

Stravinsky planned to conduct the premiere for “Dumbarton Oaks” but when he was hospitalized with tuberculosis, he requested Nadia Boulanger take his place. At that time it was very rare for women to conduct.

Wagner wrote “Siegfried Idyll” as an anniversary gift to his wife. He set up an ensemble of 13 musicians to play in their living room. When Cosima woke up and descended the stairs, the performance began. Wagner originally intended it to remain a private piece. However, due to financial pressures, he sold the score to publisher B. Schott in 1878, expanding it to 35 players to make it more marketable. The piece has many references from his opera “Siegfried.”

Limited seating is available on the park’s main stage and lawn chairs are encouraged. The rain space is at Grace Church, at 802 Broadway, at 10th Street.

The festival is under the auspices of the Washington Square Association.

For more information, visit ws-mf.org.