When the Prince George Symphony Orchestra launches its new season each fall, it always brings out one of the biggest crowds of their year for Pops in the Park.
This highly-anticipated first show is always held outside in the great local outdoors, free of charge, so families of all backgrounds and walks of life can bring the kids without fear of their noise and child's play being an interference.
This year, the PGSO is taking note like never before that the place in which they are playing is sacred ground - the former village and burial ground of the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation, forcibly removed from the site about 103 years ago to make way for the railroad and ensuing townsite developments that eventually became Prince George.
In the past few months, city officials renamed the site Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park to better reflect the true history there, and the PGSO is creatively honouring that change.
"We are doing the love songs from West Side Story, and some of the other fun tunes from that famous production," said PGSO conductor Jose Delgado-Guevara.
"It's going to be a celebration of reconciliation. The theme of West Side Story is that, when two people seemingly can't be together, they are separated by these deeply held cultural differences, they still know they are in love and they find a way to come together against the odds."
There is more to that thematic exploration. Delgado-Guevara also found an excerpt from Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio, that also talked of these ideas so alive today in that park.
"In it, this man is arrested unjustly and his wife goes to great lengths to rescue him, so again it is a positive message about working hard for who you love, and love triumphs," he said.
Another selection the PGSO has ready is based on the Greek myth of Orpheus, a legendary poet and musician who can charm the creatures of nature with his talents, but his art has no effect on the jailers keeping his beloved wife in the underworld so Orpheus must negotiate and make alliances to free her.
"Not everything goes smoothly for these two characters, but it's about what to do when two people want to be together again, by working out those differences through respectful dialogue, and coming to a positive arrangement in the end," Delgado-Guevara said.
Carrying these musical messages are the players of the city's biggest band. The PGSO has a core of professional musicians augmented by an indispensable supporting cast of skilled community players.
Some of the songs of West Side Story require singing at an equally skilled level. The PGSO will be joined by popular local musical theatre actors Amanda Spurlock in the role of Maria and Andy Beesley in the role of Tony.
Delgado-Guevara also promised some surprises and special features, since such a cross section of the community would be all gathered together at such a favourite community event. The music gets underway Sunday at 2 p.m.
Audience members are encouraged to bring their own blankets or lawn chairs, pack a picnic basket, dress for the weather (forecast to be sunny with light clouds), and prepare to feel the waves of warm musical wind.
Pops in the Park is only the first.
There are eight more main PGSO concert events between now and spring, plus other special events as well.
The next date for the music lover's calendar is Oct. 10 at Vanier Hall with a focus on the music of Sibelius, Grieg, Bartok, and Faur.
