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“Mrs. Mozart” A Musical Play


The Sanctuary Series, dedicated to presenting extraordinary keyboard performances in the historic hamlet of South Salem, NY, presents a special benefit performance of “Mrs. Mozart,” a one-woman play by Michael Lankester based on conversations Constanze Mozart had with English tourists in the 19th century, interspersed with music of her husband, performed on piano by Mr. Lankester, who also directs the performance. The remarkably evocative play has been extremely well-received wherever performed since it premiered in the United States in 1999 at The Bushnell in Hartford with Estelle Parsons starring as Constanze.

The part of the great composer’s widow will be played by Brenda Curtis. A veteran of the stage, Ms. Curtis’s acting career spanned decades.  A leading lady across US and Canada, she performed in many classics of the theater.  After receiving her classical training at the Academy of Dramatic Art, Ms. Curtis made her professional debut at the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival where she appeared in the first production of Godspell after Broadway, directed by its creator John-Michael Tebelak.  After five formative years as a member of the resident company of the Cleveland Play House and at its summer home of Chautauqua, she moved to New York where she originated the role of Gerty in Edith Warton’s House of Mirth directed by Herbert Berghof. Directed twice by Jose Ferrer, she acted with him in The Dresser, and has performed with Rosemary Harris, Van Johnson, Jean Marsh, Robert Guillaume and Paul Hecht.   A resident of South Salem, where she raised her two boys, her husband is Broadway actor John Bergstrom

Michael Lankester enjoys an eminent, international conducting career that also includes work as composer, arranger and commentator. He has recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra. A former conductor in residence at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra his North American guest appearances include the Cleveland Symphony and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, as well as a highly successful 15-year tenure as Music Director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. A former Music Director of the National Theater of Great Britain, Mr. Lankester worked with many distinguished directors, including Jonathan Miller, John Dexter, Ingmar Bergman and Franco Zeffirelli. He collaborated extensively with Laurence Olivier composing and recording scores for numerous plays and television productions and also served as conductor for the inaugural production of Tom Stoppard’s play Every Good Boy Deserves Favour. Mr. Lankester has worked closely with three of the leading British composers of the twentieth century: Benjamin Britten, William Walton and Michael Tippett.

Tickets for the performance, which will be followed by a Viennese Reception in the church’s community room are $35 for general admission and $50 for preferred seating. Sponsorships are also available. For more information, visit the group’s website at www.theSanctuarySeries.org, call 914-763-5402 or email info@theSanctuarySeries.org.

Event Location and Ticket Information

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South Salem Presbyterian Church
111 Spring Street
South Salem, NY 10590
Handicap Accessible? Yes

Date: Sunday, September 24, 2017
Times: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Ticket pricing:

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$35 - General Seating
$50 - Preferred Seating

Presenter: The Sanctuary Series
Presenter Phone: 9147635402
Presenter Website: www.thesanctuaryseries.org

Sponsor Message

Extraordinary keyboard performances in the historic hamlet of South Salem