World Premiere in Garden City: "The Spirit of St. Louis at 75"
Celebrating Lindbergh's Achievement with Music
Garden City, NY
May 17, 2002
Paul Moravec, chair of the music department at Adelphi, has composed a dramatic cantata, Spirit, commissioned by Garden City High School, in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's historic 1927 solo non-stop transatlantic flight from Roosevelt Field to Paris. Over 130 students will participate in the performance, including the Garden City High School Concert Choir, the Madrigals, and members of the Wind Ensemble and Orchestra. With famed tenor Gregory Mercer (as Lindberg), they will premiere the work for the public at 8:00 p.m. on May 29, 2002 at the high school's Inez Spears Auditorium.
The title of the cantata derives from the name of Lindbergh's plane, the aviator's spirit of courage, endurance, and adventure, and his spiritual experiences during the flight. In his Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, The Spirit of St. Louis, Lindbergh famously wrote that in the 22nd hour of the 34 hour flight, he asked himself, "Am I now more man or spirit?" For this cantata, the composer chooses to end the piece with Lindbergh still soaring through the air, saying, "to me it is not interesting to conclude with Lindbergh's landing in France . . . 75 years after the event, I leave the legendary aviator aloft in his element, more spirit than man."
Moravec is a prominent figure in American contemporary composition, in new uses of tonality, as well as in the integration of visual imagery into performances. Moravec's work continues to gain eminence. The Yaddo artists' community will present The Rose and the Nightingale as part of their annual benefit in Manhattan, the Yaddo Variations Concert, on April 20, 2002. On April 21, VisionIntoArt premiered Moravec's Riddle Me a Dream as part of their Democrazy concert, which explores the interaction between art and politics. And on April 22, at the Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library, renowned tenor Paul Sperry will premiere Moravec's Vita Brevis, with the composer at the piano.
In the past year, such renowned performers as flautist Marya Martin, the Trio Solisti, and the avant-garde group Eighth Blackbird have presented Moravec's works at venues including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival, and the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York City. His 70-plus published compositions encompass orchestral, chamber, SOLO, lyric, and choral works.
For tickets and information, call 516.294.3030.
Adelphi University, chartered in 1896, was the first institution of higher education for liberal arts and sciences on Long Island. Through its schools and programs -- The College of Arts and Science, the Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, the Honors College, University College/ABLE Program, and the Schools of Business, Education, Nursing, and Social Work -- the co-educational university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as professional and educational programs for adults. Adelphi University currently enrolls over 7,000 students from 37 states and 60 foreign countries. With its main campus in Garden City and centers in Manhattan, Hauppauge, and Poughkeepsie, the University maintains a commitment to liberal studies in tandem with rigorous professional preparation.
Media Contact
For additional information, please contact:
Lori Duggan Gold
Vice President for Communications
p - 516.877.3693
f - 516.877.3266
e - duggangold@adelphi.edu
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