Tickets are still available for the one-night only concert with fireworks.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — For 23 seasons, the rocket’s red glare has been a part of the Grand Rapids Pops‘ summer season at Cannonsburg Ski Area.
Classical Fireworks has been an audience favorite at the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops since the series debuted in 1995. Grand Rapids Symphony Music Director Marcelo Lehninger is about to experience it for the first time.
Lehninger, who was named Grand Rapids Symphony’s Music Director last summer, will make his Picnic Pops debut, leading the Grand Rapids Pops in music by Aaron Copland and George Gershwin.
The Brazilian-born conductor will lead the Grand Rapids Symphony in the Thursday, Aug. 3 concert at Cannonsburg Ski Area, 6800 Cannonsburg Rd NE.
The one-night only special event begins at 8 p.m. with Morton Gould’s American Salute, a set of variations on the theme, When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again. It ends with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture followed by a spectacular, grand finale fireworks display.
In July, Lehninger, his wife, Laura Krech, and their daughters, became new residents of Grand Rapids. In 2017-18, Lehninger will conduct 11 concerts with the Grand Rapids Symphony. His guest appearances will include performances with the Slovenian Philharmonic in Ljubljana and in Vienna in February 2018.
For the Picnic Pops, Lehninger will lead the Grand Rapids Symphony in audience favorites including Copland’s „Hoedown“ from his ballet Rodeo as well as the finale from Dvorak’s „From the New World“ Symphony No. 9.
Along with the tangos by Argentinean composer Astor Piazzolla, Lehninger, who is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish in addition to English, will lead the orchestra in Copland’s concert suite El Salon Mexico and Gershwin’s Cuban Overture.
The summer season concludes two days later with Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan on Saturday, August 5.
Gates at Cannonsburg Ski Area open at 5: 45 p.m. each night for picnicking and pre-concert entertainment, including free, kid-friendly activities such as face painting, crafts, and a musical instrument petting zoo.
Concertgoers can pack their own picnic baskets and coolers or purchase food from the grill at the Cannonsburg concession stand. Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the grounds, and parking is free.
Single tickets in advance for lawn seats for Classical Fireworks are $19 for adults, $16 for college students and seniors, or $5 for ages 2-18. Single tickets for general admission chair seating are $30. Single tickets for an individual, reserved table seats are $51 or $408 for an entire table for eight.
MySymphony360 members can attend for $15. Active duty, reserve and National Guard members of the U. S. Military may buy up to two tickets for $15 each. All children under age 2 are admitted for free.
All single tickets for all concerts are $5 more on the day of the show. Tickets can be purchased through the GRS box office or online at GRSymphony.org .
