Four Arlington Teens to Perform Verdi with Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras

Editor's note: The following information comes from a Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras press release. 

Four Arlington teens will be among the rows of the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras when the group presents Verdi’s most acclaimed, humorous and brilliant operas later this month.

The young Arlingtonians in the group are violists Emma Busiek, 17, and Olivia Vik-Sheehy, alongside violinists Greta Myatieva, 14, and Yoko Nakatini, 15.

They will perform "Falstaff," adapted by Arrigo Boito from Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and scenes from "Henry IV." This lyric comedy tells the story of the clever falstaff and his intricate plot to swoon two wealthy wives.

Verdi’s captivating music is performed by Boston Youth Symphony musicians center stage, professional singers in the coveted main roles and a chorus, all coming together in this one-time exciting performance.

Verdi’s "Falstaff" was first performed in 1893 in Milan and was the composer’s last opera. It is also one out of three operas he wrote based on Shakespearean characters, Macbeth and Othello being the other two. "Falstaff’s" brilliant orchestration and libretto have made it a classic and one of Verdi’s most unique operas.

This is the fifth consecutive year that the BYSO presents a full, semi-staged opera performance and is the only U.S. youth orchestra to do so. After last year’s sold out performance of Macbeth, BYSO will present a Verdi opera for the second time. This semi-staged production will be sung in Italian with English supertitles.

This performance of "Falstaff" will be conducted by BYSO Music Director Federico Cortese with Marc Astafan prodiving stage direction and will feature the Handel and Haydn Society Chorus. This opera is in collaboration with the Consulate General of Italy in Boston. 

This one-time only performance takes place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22, at Sanders Theatre at Harvard University. Tickets start at $25 and discounted student and senior tickets are available.

For more info, call Sanders Theatre Box Office at (617) 496-2222. Free parking is available at the Broadway Garage on Felton Street.

 More information about the BYSO and its 53rd season schedule is available at www.BYSOweb.org.