13 Shows to Hear This April on WVIA Radio

Saturday, April 5, 1pm
This opera tells the life story of Spanish playwright and poet Federico Garcia Lorca, as told by his longtime collaborator and muse, actress Margarita Xirgu. Featuring Angel Blue as Margarita Xirgu and Daniela Mack as Federico García Lorca

Saturday, April 12, 1pm
Simon McBurney’s uproarious full-length German-language production of Mozart’s beloved fable—with its ingenious theatrical concoction of projections, puppetry, and special effects—returns to the Met stage following its celebrated 2023 premiere. Tenor Ben Bliss and soprano Golda Schultz are the noble lovers Tamino and Pamina, and baritone Thomas Oliemans repeats his animated portrayal of the outlandish bird catcher Papageno. Soprano Kathryn Lewek reprises her hair-raising turn as the Queen of the Night, Stephen Milling is the priest Sarastro, and Evan Rogister conducts.

Saturday, April 19, 1pm
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Beverly Sills’s Met debut with a performance from April 19, 1975.

This is an opera in three acts and commemorates the siege and destruction of the town, Missolonghi is 1826 by Turkish troops during the Greek War of Independence.

Saturday, April 26, 1pm
A comedy in four acts composed in 1786, it tells the story of how the servants Figaro and Susanna succeed in getting married, thwarting the efforts of their womanizing employer Count Almaviva to seduce Susanna and teaching him a lesson in fidelity. It is considered one of the best operas ever written.

Sundays at 2pm
Concierto is the first classical music program to specifically target Latino listeners. Host Frank Dominguez presents classical music in English and in Spanish. Music by Spanish and Latin American composers such as Enrique Granados and Astor Piazzolla is alternated with classical favorites performed by Hispanic artists such as conductor Gustavo Dudamel, pianist Gabriela Montero, guitarist Manuel Barrueco, and singer Placido Domingo. Through its bilingual presentation, Concierto provides an entry point for Latinos interested in learning more about classical music. It also appeals to Hispanics already familiar with classical music by celebrating the diversity of their culture and its contributions to classical music.

Sunday, April 13, 2pm
Palma is a charming composition commissioned by WVIA to commemorate the 50th anniversaries of both the NEPA Philharmonic and WVIA that reimagines the magical folktale of a young Italian violinist, for whom the piece is named. The music by composer Dr. Paul Salerni and text by Dana Gioia is narrated by WVIA's legendary Erika Funke and brought to life by the NEPA Philharmonic musicians and their Music Director, Mélisse Brunet. Assisted by the Abington Heights chorus and orchestra, Palma celebrates the power of music and the beauty of friendship, loyalty, and love. Like any great journey, it captures the delight and discovery of audiences of all ages.

Weekdays at 1pm
April Is National Poetry Month - and we celebrate with Poetry Out Loud, each weekday in the month of April. Poetry Out Loud is a regional competition organized by a partnership between the NEIU19, Pa Council On The Arts, Arts In Education, And WVIA for students in Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wyoming Counties.

GOOD FRIDAY

Friday, April 18, 10am

Friday, April 18, 11am
The Easter season, and the music it inspires, combine tragedy and triumph, sorrow and celebration—joining with the coming of spring as a symbol of hope, renewal, and new life. Join host Stephen Peithman for orchestral and vocal works by Bach, Handel, Wagner and Rimsky-Korsakov.

Friday, April 18, Noon
Join us for an Easter celebration this week on Harmonia! We’ll hear how composers from the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods created new music from ancient Gregorian chants. We’ll explore vocal and instrumental settings of the Easter tunes “Victimae paschali laudes” and “Christus resurgens.”

Friday, April 18th, 1pm
This week we're listening to a medieval musical drama for the Easter season: the Play of the Pilgrims to Emmaus. Ensemble Organum performs this 12th-century work from a Sicilian manuscript that was created during the reign of Roger II.

Friday, April 18th, 8pm
Here's a great hour to run during the Easter season -- or during the New Orleans Jazz Fest. The Zion Harmonizers are rooted in the quartet singing tradition and a capella harmonies from the turn of the last century. For more than 40 years, they've enjoyed an unparalleled platform at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, anchoring and curating the Gospel Tent. In the church of New Orleans jazz, they’ve had the keys to the church of church. Thank goodness. It’s wonderful.

Friday, April 18th, 9pm
Beatles and Solo Beatle songs celebrating Easter and Spring

EASTER SUNDAY

Sunday, April 29th, Noon
On this episode, we’re listening to the music of David Holsinger and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Both composers draw inspiration from the Easter story in the Christian tradition. We’ll hear a shortened version of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Russian Easter Overture, and then hear David Holsinger’s monumental work, Easter Symphony. It’s a work in three movements, for wind band, chorus and solo vocalists, perfect for the Easter holiday season. If you love your music big and full of drama and lush orchestration, you’re going to love these pieces. And we get to hear them both, right here, at the gathering place for people who love band music, Wind & Rhythm. Thank you for joining us.