Festival Musica Marin, which combines classical performances with fine dining, returns later this month for three days in Belvedere. Founder and violist Ruth Kahn says there will be some familiar returning faces, but also some new young ones as well. Baritone Marco Vassalli returns from Germany, and there are works by composer-in-residence Clint Borzoni, including a world premiere. There are young artists who will have masterclasses in the run-up to the festival, and be included in pre-festival events.
There’s more information at the Festival Musica Marin website.
The three concerts are each very different: on Friday the 18th, at a private home in Belvedere, they’ll present ‘An Evening in Italy’. “20 or 30 of the San Francisco Boys Chorus, Marco Vassali from Germany… with the Boys Chorus singing Italian arias, Marco singing Italian arias, and then premiering Clint Borzoni’s Festival Duo,” Kahn says. That duo will be played by Kahn and Hans Liviabella (they’ll also play a work by the violinist’s composer grandfather, Lino Liviabella.) There’s Italian cuisine on the menu, and truffle hunters from Italy explaining their art, and the region of Alba where they (and many of the best truffles) come from. Saturday, soprano Felicia Moore will sing at their second concert, this time at St. Stephens church. Young tenor Cadence Strange, from the festivals Young Artist Program will also sing arias. The food will consist of a fusion menu, of Vietnamese, Thai, and Filipino tastes, with noted chefs Tu David Phu, Intu Kornnawong, and Danica Aviles. The final concert includes American musical repertoire and food, with spirituals sung by Alex Taite, and music by Borzoni and Bernstein, as well as Schubert songs and a Schumann piano quintet. Following each concert, Mads Tolling and friends will play jazz. KDFC’s own Dianne Nicolini will serve as emcee for the Friday night performance on the 18th, and Rik Malone will do the honors on the afternoon of Sunday the 20th.
