The Phoenix Symphony presents, “Carmen, Falla, and Granados” is a Spanish inspired program featuring Grammy award winner and opera singer Isabel Leonard, who is making her Phoenix Symphony debut. The Phoenix Symphony Virginia G. Piper Music Director Tito Muñoz talks about the program.
IN "SOUNDS OF CULTURA SOC", THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY IS PRESENTING, "CARMEN, FALLA, AND GRANADOS" A SPANISH INSPIRED PROGRAM FEATURING GRAMMY AWARD WINNER AND OPERA SINGER ISABEL LEONARD, WHO IS MAKING HER PHOENIX SYMPHONY DEBUT. HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS IS TITO MUÑOZ, THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY VIRGINIA G. PIPER MUSIC DIRECTOR. TITO, WELCOME TO "HORIZONTE."
TITO MUÑOZ: THANK YOU.
JOSE CARDENAS: YOU HAVE BEEN HERE TWO YEARS NOW AND BY ALL ACCOUNTS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
TITO MUÑOZ: SO FAR, SO GOOD.
JOSE CARDENAS: THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM HAS A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH THE PERFORMER BEING A FRIEND OF YOURS.
TITO MUÑOZ: ISABEL IS AN OPERA SUPER STAR NOW, SHE'S SO IN-DEMAND, BUT HER AND I WENT TO THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL; AND WE PERFORMED IN A PRODUCTION OF WEST SIDE STORY TOGETHER. WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH AND KEEPING TRACK OF EACH OTHER SO WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY CAME FOR HER TO COME TO PHOENIX, IT WAS LUCK SHE WAS FREE AND WAS MORE THAN WILLING TO COME OUT AND WORK WITH US.
JOSE CARDENAS: WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM THAT IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED?
TITO MUÑOZ: ONE, I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING WITH HER. IT IS UNUSUAL FOR AN OPERA SOLO SINGER TO DO A FULL PROGRAM. WE WILL FEATURE HER FOR MOST OF THE PROGRAM. SHE RECENTLY JUST CAME OUT A NEW CD THAT IS FEATURING A LOT OF THE MUSIC WE WILL BE PERFORMING WITH HER THIS TIME. IT WAS A LOT OF HER INSPIRATION
JOSE CARDENAS: AND WE NOTED SHE WAS A GRAMMY AWARD WINNING SINGER. ARE SOME OF THE PIECES SHE WON THE GRAMMY FOR IN THE WORK?
TITO MUÑOZ: ALL OF THE STUFF WE ARE DOING WITH HER IS WHAT SHE WON ON.
JOSE CARDENAS: WHEN IS THE SHOW?
TITO MUÑOZ: WE HAVE THREE PERFORMANCES, FRIDAY NIGHT, SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
JOSE CARDENAS: AS I UNDERSTAND, THIS IS PART OF THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY'S EFFORTS FOR OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITIES AND THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR. TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT.
TITO MUÑOZ: SURE. I THINK ME COMING ON THE ORCHESTRA WAS A BIG DEAL IN THAT RESPECT. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LACK OF LATINO REPRESENTATION IN CLASSICAL MUSIC IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE I THINK IT SHOULDN'T CONSIDERING THE POPULATION AND SO IT IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE DEFINITELY GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THESE WORKS I MEAN WHETHER THEY ARE LATIN AMERICAN, SOUTH AMERICAN, OR SPANISH. ALL OF THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY GREAT WAY TO BRING PEOPLE IN AND GIVE RELEVANCE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE HERE IN ARIZONA.
JOSE CARDENAS: SHE HAS SOUTH AMERICAN ROUTES?
TITO MUÑOZ: SHE IS HALF ARGENTINIAN ON HER MOTHER'S SIDE. SHE SPEAKS SPANISH AND ACTUALLY GOES DOWN THERE OFTEN. AND IS A FRENCH SPEAKER AS WELL. SHE IS A LATINA
JOSE CARDENAS: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DETAILS OF THE PROGRAM. SHE IS SINGING FROM THE OPERA CARMIN.
TITO MUÑOZ: YES, WHICH IS A FRENCH OPERA BUT SET IN SPAIN WITH SPANISH THEMES AND THE MUSIC ITSELF IS VERY SPANISH INFLUENCED. ALL VERY WELL KNOWN THINGS FROM THAT VERY FAMOUS OPERA. SHE IS ALSO SINGING TWO SONG CYCLES BY SPANISH COMPOSERS AND BOTH ARE DEALING WITH LOVE IN DIFFERENT WAYS. IT IS A REALLY, REALLY WONDERFUL THING. SHE WILL ALSO BE SINGING A LITTLE OTHER OPERA FROM BARBARA CIVIL WHO IS VERY FAMOUS AND A COUPLE OTHER THINGS IN STORE WITH THE ORCHESTRA THAT ARE SPANISH AND LATIN INSPIRED.
JOSE CARDENAS: THE ONE YOU MENTIONED IS THAT A LOVE SONG?
TITO MUÑOZ: THE SONG CYCLE IS ABOUT LOVE. THEY ARE ALL DEALING WITH LOVE.
JOSE CARDENAS: SEVEN POPLAR SONGS IS THE LITERAL TRANSITION. WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THE FUTURE? DO YOU EXPECT TO DO MORE OF THIS KIND OF PROGRAMMING?
TITO MUÑOZ: FOR SURE, THE CULTURE IS SO RICH IN SPAIN AND SOUTH AMERICA. THERE IS SO MUCH INCREDIBLE CULTURE AND MUSIC. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO SHOWCASE IT AND SHOW THE WORLD WHAT IT IS. I WORK A LOT IN SOUTH AMERICA AND IT IS A PART OF THAT CULTURE AS WELL IN THE CLASSICAL MUSIC THEY SHOWCASE THEIR OWN COMPOSERS AND I DON'T THINK WHY WE SHOULDN'T DO THAT.
JOSE CARDENAS: WHAT DO YOU SEE FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON?
TITO MUÑOZ: WE HAVE A GREAT SEASON COMING UP. WE DO A LOT WITH THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY CHORUS, WHICH IS A FULL 150 MEMBER CHORUS THAT IS ALL VOLUNTEER. WE ARE DOING A PROGRAM WITH THEM. A LOT OF POPS PROGRAMMING, FAMILY PROGRAMMING, EDUCATION PROGRAMMING. A LOT OF OUTREACH IN THE COMMUNITY. CONCERTS ALL OVER THE VALLEY. A LOT OF GREAT STUFF.
JOSE CARDENAS: IT SOUNDS LIKE AN EXCITING SEASON. THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM YOU WILL BE HAVING SOON AND A WONDERFUL SINGER. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND TALKING ABOUT IT AND WE WILL HAVE YOU BACK ON TO DISCUSS MORE
TITO MUÑOZ: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
JOSE CARDENAS: THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS EVENING. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. FROM ALL OF US HERE AT HORIZONTE AND YOUR ARIZONA PBS STATION. I'M JOSE CARDENAS, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. CLOSED CAPTION PRODUCTIONS WWW.CCPRODUCTIONS.COM 844 335 0911 "HORIZONTE" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF ARIZONA PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION. THANK YOU.
