The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra gets ready for live Mozart performance on Apr. 10

Photo: Judy Burns

If the COVID-19 restrictions in place for the next three weeks have you down, The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra has something to cheer you up.

The orchestra will be presenting a virtual all-Mozart program to the stage and to your living room via livestream for its 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 10 concert titled 'EXSULTATE.'

The music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, among the greatest composers who ever lived, is perfectly suited for the small orchestra.

The concert opens with the Overture to La Finta Gardiniera (The Pretend Garden Girl), one of Mozart’s lesser known operas. Written in a matter of weeks at the young age of 18, the plot is somewhat convoluted, but fortunately it’s not necessary to understand the storyline in order to enjoy the music.

The orchestra will also be joined by Salmon Arm-based soprano Kelly Coubrough for Mozart’s thrilling and popular Exsultate Jubilate, which translates into English as ‘Rejoice, Be Glad.’

He wrote this motet at age of 15.

"This work is one of exhilarating beauty," says music director Rosemary Thomson. "It depicts a joyful dawn after the dark of night has reigned everywhere; a perfect piece to celebrate the return of spring and to lift our spirits in this challenging time."

The concert will conclude with Symphony No. 29 in A Major, another youthful composition by the 18-year-old wunderkind.

OSO principal hornist Scott Wilson describes it as “music that brims with a young man’s emerging compositional self-confidence."

After purchasing your ticket to the livestream concert, you will able to access the special wine-and-dine package that Peak Cellars has created for ticket holders of Exsultate.

Preorder a bottle of wine and a “Take-and-Bake” pizza to enjoy with the performance. Peak Cellars will deliver to your door (Vernon to Peachland; extra fee for Penticton) in time for the pizza to be out of the oven by the start of the concert.

For tickets, click here.