Miami Beach Classical Music Festival's Immersive Space Symphony Concert returns again after its premiere last year. (Photo courtesy of Miami Beach Classical Music Festival)
The Miami Beach Classical Music Festival (MMF) provides a summer's worth of performances and what its founder and artistic director Michael Rossi says is the chance to push the boundaries of live music, theater and technology.
From Thursday, June 27 to Sunday, July 28, MMF hosts more than 200 classical musicians to Miami Beach to showcase their talents in various free public performances and ticketed events, including three full opera productions and three symphonic concerts. Celebrating its 11th anniversary, MMF is introducing immersive symphony and opera experiences along with 360-degree projection-mapping technology in its live performance.
The Annual Independence Day Fireworks and Patriotic Concert at Lummus Park features MMF on July 4. (Photo courtesy of Miami Beach Classical Music Festival)
The summer series opens on Thursday, June 27 at The Betsy Hotel with "Opera Aria Night: The Magic Flute Cast" inside The Betsy's Art Gallery, 1440 Ocean Drive. It's a precursor of sorts to MMF's immersive opera experience "The Magic Flute Opera," at 8 p.m., Saturday, July 6, and 2 p.m., Sunday, July 7, Temple Emanu-El Ballroom, 1701 Washington Ave.
As the performance unfolds, projections will dance around the room, transporting the audience to the opera’s magical world. Follow the journey of a heroic prince and a determined princess as they encounter enchanted creatures, an evil queen and, ultimately, each other – all with the help of a magic flute.
Michael Rossi is the classical music festival founder and artistic director. (Photo courtesy of Miami Beach Classical Music Festival)
This is part of MMF’s popular Family Opera series, and a production created specifically for young children and will be performed with English dialogue.
Founded in 2013, the local nonprofit endeavors to create affordable, world-class musical instruction and groundbreaking performance experiences to young artists and the South Florida community. According to Rossi, while the next generation of classical artists comes to Miami to receive instruction from an assembly of world-class faculty, the community benefits from accessible public concerts featuring top talent.
This year, one of the MMF's most popular symphony's from the 2023 series – a groundbreaking new fusion of live symphony and immersive projections, MMF’s "Immersive Space Symphony" returns with performances at the Faena Forum at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 18 and Friday, July 19 at 7 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., Sunday, July 21 at Faena Forum. This is a ticketed event.
Its musical experiences will feature the return of its popular Fourth of July orchestra and fireworks show at Lummus Park, live renditions of Jake Heggie’s "Dead Man Walking" and Richard Wagner’s "Die Walkure."
Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking (Photo courtesy of Miami Beach Classical Music Festival)
The Annual Independence Day Fireworks & Patriotic Concert is Thursday, July 4 and the MMF Symphony will perform at 8:30 p.m. at Lummus Park, Ocean Drive and 12th St., presented by the Ocean Drive Association and the city of Miami Beach. Rossi will conduct the symphony orchestra and its alumni division singers. The music features Broadway favorites and patriotic music, including Tchaikovsky’s bombastic "1812 Overture," and the Armed Forces Salute, “The Stars and Stripes Forever” Fireworks are at 9 p.m.
Dead Man Walking opera stage director, David Carl Toulson Dave Toulson. (Photo courtesy of Miami Beach Classical Music Festival)
Every season, MMF’s Orchestral Institute draws a remarkable pool of talent from around the globe. At 8 p.m., Monday, July 8 in The Betsy Hotel Art Gallery, an evening of Chamber Music will be performed by student musicians who select their own programs and are coached by MMF’s distinguished faculty and artists-in-residence.
Then, it's the Conductor's Symphony Concert at 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 11 in the Temple Emanu-El Sanctuary, 1701 Washington Ave., where the next generation of symphonic conductors train at MMF’s Conducting Institute. MMF Institute fellows will perform for the first time in Miami Beach as they play pieces by Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven.
Another precursor to MMF's opera presentations, at 8 p.m. at The Betsy Hotel on Friday, July 12, MMF will perform a Jake Heggie Tribute Concert, which honors the composer and will feature select scenes from his acclaimed operas performed by singers from MMF’s Opera Apprentice Program. Then it's the "Dead Man Walking Opera" at 8 p.m., Saturday, July 13 and 2 p.m., Sunday, July 14 at Temple Emanu-El.
"Richard Wagner's Die Walkure (Act 3) (Photo courtesy of Miami Beach Classical Music Festival)
Based on the impactful book and film interpretation of the same name, acclaimed composer Heggie takes on the true story that forever influenced the modern debate on the death penalty in America. When a New Orleans-based Catholic nun agrees to become pen pals with an inmate convicted of murder on death row, her entire worldview on life, death, forgiveness and capital punishment is challenged forever. Heggie is personally working with MMF’s Opera Institute cast to guarantee this production will be a poignant retelling of the modern setting, featuring libretto by Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally. This is a ticketed event.
And with its eye squarely on immersive opera, MMF, presents Richard Wagner's "Die Walkure (Act 3)" at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 20. The performance will be presented in MMF’s unique immersive theater setting, using state-of-the-art 360-degree projection-mapping technology to place the audience within the scenes of the opera inside the Faena Forum, 3300-3398 Collins Ave. This is a ticketed event.
Joanna Parisi will sing the role of Brunnhilde t in Die Walkure. (Photo courtesy of Miami Beach Classical Music Festival)
Miami Beach Classical Music Festival will also continue its summer promenade concerts at Lummus Park, hosted every Sunday in July at 6 p.m. Concerts include:
The cast of "Dead Man Walking presents a special opera aria concert for "Arias at Sunset" on July 7. This event features the performers’ favorite opera selections, offering a diverse and captivating repertoire. On July 14, the powerful voices of the MMF cast of "Die Walküre" in a special opera aria concert.
On July 21, "Bridges to Panama featuring Sound Impact" features MMF and Sound Impact in a unique cultural collaboration with Panamanian artists and MMF musicians.
On July 28, it's the Youth Program Showcase, featuring the incredible talents of local Miami-Dade high school students. After a summer of dedicated training in various genres, including opera, musical theater and jazz, these young performers are ready to shine on stage! Come support and celebrate the next generation of vocal talent in an inspiring evening of music and performances.
If You Go
- What: Miami Beach Classical Music Festival (MMF) 2024
- Where: The Betsy Hotel, 1440 Ocean Drive; Lummus Park, 1130 Ocean Drive; Temple Emanu-El, 1701 Washington Ave., and Faena Forum, 3300-3398 Collins Ave., all in Miami Beach.
- When: Thursday, June 27 through Saturday, July 28
- Tickets: Admission is free for some of the performances. Additional ticket prices vary for the immersive performances and are priced at $35, $45, $50, $65, $75, $85 and $110 for the immersive opera and immersive symphony productions.
- Information: miamimusicfestival.com.
