St. Mary’s in Park City will be the venue for five Utah Symphony concerts this summer

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PARK CITY — This summer St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church will be the venue for five Utah Symphony concerts as part of the Deer Valley Music Festival’s Chamber series.

“The vision of the Deer Valley® Music Festival is to be renowned for consistently delivering a high quality and musically diverse experience in casual settings of unparalleled natural beauty,” the Utah Symphony website says.

Billed as the “crown jewel” of the festival, the church will be the venue for concerts on five consecutive Wednesdays, July 9 – Aug. 6. The parish does not host the concerts, but it allows the symphony to use its space and showcase the church’s unique atmosphere.

“We want people to experience the concert specifically at St. Mary’s because it’s such a wonderful space,” said Anthony Jewett, the parish’s director of evangelization. “You have the views of the mountains from the large windows, it’s very prayerful, it’s quiet, and it’s also a great way to show the rest of the state what we’re doing specifically at St Mary’s.”

Along with offering classical music in a sacred setting, the concerts allow parishioners to highlight their activities through posters, tables and materials that are set up in the gathering space. The parish also provides free literature, holy medals and rosaries for concert audiences who would like to pick them up.

“I think just passing through that space is a great opportunity for people visiting St Mary’s, of which there are many, to see what we’re doing at the parish and to see what Catholic life is actually lived out,” Jewett said.

The concert schedule follows.

July 9 – The Soldier’s Tale

Stravinsky’s “L’Historie du Soldat,” written in 1918, explores the cost of making deals with the devil. It will be narrated by Kevin Nakatani. A companion piece, Salonen’s “Catch and Release,” was written nearly a century later. This three-movement chamber work shares tonal and thematic resonance with Stravinsky’s piece and was composed for the same combination of instruments – clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, percussion, violin and double bass. 

July 16 – Mozart vs. Salieri

The concert will feature Mozart’s “Figaro Overture” and his Symphony No. 38 “Prague,” along with Salieri’s “Prima la musica poi le parole.”

July 23 – Ballet Music: Ravel & Stravinsky

Under the direction of conductor Conner Gray Covington, Ravel’s “Mother Goose” will highlight Sleeping Beauty awakening, a tender moment between Beauty and the Beast, and a fairy garden shimmering with magic. Then, Stravinsky’s “The Fairy’s Kiss,” which draws inspiration from Tchaikovsky, will be performed by violinist Kathryn Eberle. 

July 30 – Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1

Under the baton of François López-Ferrer, Utah Opera soprano Madison Leonard will sing some of Mozart’s most enchanting arias. The program also features Arvo Pärt’s “Wenn Bach Bienen gezüchtet hätte” (“If Bach Had Been a Beekeeper”); this piece is a buzzing play on the letters B-A-C-H – an homage to the composer’s name. 

Aug. 6 – Mozart & Haydn

Taichi Fukumura will take the podium for the final St. Mary’s performance of the summer with a program that highlight three cities: Stravinsky’s “Dumbarton Oaks” was named for the estate in Washington, D.C.; it will be followed by Mozart’s “Paris” symphony; and Haydn’s “Oxford” symphony will wrap up the evening.

General admission tickets ranging from $27.50 to $52 for the individual concerts may be purchased at https://my.usuo.org/. All concerts will start at 8 p.m.