The Great Performance Series at Hope
College will present the Canadian "classical" quartet,
Quartetto Gelato, on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m. in Dimnent
Memorial Chapel.
With a repertoire ranging from classical
masterworks and operatic arias to "Danny Boy" and gypsy
fiddling, the group is not a traditional classical quartet.
Named "Debut Artist of the Year" in 1996 by NPR's
Performance Today, Quartetto Gelato has accumulated a
dedicated following with its unique blend of virtuosity,
versatility and irrepressible energy.
The band is composed of Cynthia Steljes, Peter De
Sotto, Joseph Macerollo and George Meanwell, each of whom
has mastered multiple instruments. The oboe, violin,
accordion, cello, English horn, mandolin and electric guitar
are all part of their eclectic repertoire, and De Sotto also
boasts an outstanding operatic tenor voice.
The recordings of Quartetto Gelato, including
"Aria Fresca" (1998), "Rustic Chivalry" (1995), and
"Quartetto Gelato" (1994), can literally be described as
"out of this world," having been taken by Canadian astronaut
Dr. Robert Thirsk during his NASA flight on board the space
shuttle Columbia. The group will soon release "Neapolitan
Café," which is its first CD with its newest member,
Macerollo, on accordion. The disc features a range of
joyous and introspective pieces that transport the listener
through a Mediterranean afternoon of Italian and English
song, rustic instrumentals, virtuosic showpieces and
original compositions.
Tickets will be available at the theatre lobby
ticket office in the DeWitt Center on Monday and Tuesday,
Feb. 5-6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as at the door.
Tickets are $12.50 for adults, $10.50 for senior citizens,
and $5 for Hope students and children under 18. Additional
ticket information may be obtained by calling the office at
(616) 395-7890.
Dimnent Memorial Chapel is located on College
Avenue at 12th Street. The DeWitt Center is located on
Columbia Avenue at 12th Street.