The Bach Choir of Bethlehem
Kicking off The Bach Choir of Bethlehem’s 118th Bethlehem Bach Festival is the final performance of its Outside the Bachs series, which explores how the influence of Johann Sebastian Bach continues to resonate far beyond the Baroque era.
Grammy Award-winning ensemble Time for Three will perform at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Musikfest Café at ArtsQuest in Bethlehem.
A self-described “classically trained garage band,” Time for Three has earned national and international recognition for redefining what a classical concert can be. Violinists Nick Kendall and Charles Yang and double bassist Ranaan Meyer blend classical precision with the spirit of Americana, bluegrass, jazz, and rock, creating performances that are electrifying.
Time for Three’s innovative programming reimagines Bach’s legacy through a contemporary lens, weaving together classical works with original compositions and unexpected musical influences.
The trio blends the brilliance of Bach with inspirations as varied as Guns N’ Roses and Gustav Mahler, creating a setlist that highlights both contrast and connection across centuries.
The festival continues the new four-day format introduced last year. The expanded celebration marks the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding by honoring the Moravian musical heritage that helped shape The Bach Choir of Bethlehem. With performances of music from the Moravian archives, insights from distinguished scholars, and collaborations with Moravian partners both in the Lehigh Valley and abroad, this year’s festival invites audiences to reflect on where we came from and why it matters.
Christopher Jackson, artistic director and conductor, will lead the choir in “Bach at 4” at 4 p.m. on Friday at Incarnation of Our Lord Church, which is located at 617 Pierce St. in Bethlehem.
The concert will feature guest artists from Synnet, a Baltimore-based ensemble specializing in the performance of 16th- and 17th-century music on period instruments; soloists; and a select group of choir members, highlighting music by Heinrich Schütz, earlier Bach relatives, and the polychoral styles of Dresden and Venice to take audiences on a chronological tour of the music that helped shape Johann Sebastian Bach.
In “Bach at 8” at 8 p.m. on Friday at Packer Memorial Church, which is located on the campus of Lehigh University, the choir will pair Mozart’s monumental Great Mass in C Minor, unfinished yet transcendent, with works that reflect a rich and living choral tradition. Featuring vocal soloists and members of The Bach Choir and the Moravian choir, Unitas, the concert will feature J.F. Peter’s spirited “Freudenpsalm,” a gem of the early American Moravian repertoire written in 1783 to celebrate the end of the Revolutionary War.
The Ifor Jones Memorial Chamber Music Concert at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at Zoellner Arts Center will feature “The Musical Offering.”
In 1747, Bach traveled to visit Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. The king presented to Bach an infamous fugue theme and asked him to compose a three-part setting of the theme on the spot. Bach created a monumental offering to Frederick, setting the theme in creative canons and various musical puzzles, culminating in a massive six-part fugue.
A highlight of the festival is Bach’s Mass in B Minor on Saturday Packer Memorial Church.
In performing a work that transcends time and place, The Bach Choir continues its century-long tradition, offering Bach’s monumental Mass in B Minor.
The choir will present part 1at 2:30 p.m. and part 2 at 4:30 p.m.
“Chamber Music in the Saal” will be at 11 a.m. on Sunday in the Saal of the Moravian Museum.
J.S. Bach wrote for the viola da gamba throughout his career, using the instrument’s unique sound to elevate moments in his cantatas and passions. Viol virtuoso and music researcher Loren Ludwig offers a program of music that imagines how Bach might have heard the viol, including works by Carl Frederich Abel, Marin Marais, and Georg Philipp Telemann.
The finale of the festival will be the free concert “The Testament to Freedom” at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday at Levitt Pavilion at SteelStacks.
Sci-fi parody
Civic Theatre of Allentown will premiere “Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical.” The spoof on the Netflix TV series “Stranger Things” will run Friday through May 17 at Civic’s 19th Street Theatre.
Set in the 1980s, the series centers on the residents of the fictional small town of Hawkins, Indiana, where Eleven, a girl with psychokinetic abilities, inadvertently creates a wormhole known as the Upside Down, at a nearby secretive government research facility connecting Earth to a hostile realm called the Abyss.
“Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical” is a high-energy send-up of the ‘80s-inspired sci-fi phenomenon. Featuring music and a book by Jonathan Hogue. The show’s original off-Broadway run was directed by Nick Flatto, a Bethlehem native and a 2006 Liberty High School grad. Flatto, who studied theater and dance at Muhlenberg College, where he performed in many shows, including “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “Bat Boy,” and “Ruddigore,” will attend the show’s opening night.
“Stranger Sings!” invites audiences into Hawkins, where kids on bikes, telekinetic powers, and secret government labs collide in an outrageous adventure. Packed with catchy songs, over-the-top characters, and tons of ‘80s references, this zany musical comedy promises non-stop entertainment.
Eleven (Angie Dries) and her friends battle the Demogorgon (Max McCurdy), navigate middle school crushes, and uncover the mysteries of the Upside Down, all with tongue firmly in cheek. From Steve’s (Anthony Rizzuto) glorious hair to Barb’s (Mackenzie Lewis) triumphant return, “Stranger Sings!” lovingly pokes fun at every twist, turn, and waffle along the way. With big musical numbers, clever humor, and plenty of heart, this crowd-pleasing parody proves that friendship can conquer just about anything.
The cast features Mason MacGowan, AJ Rodriguez, Jayden McFaddin, Mariel Letourneau, Joey Troiano, Doug Ace, Brooke Harrsch, Chelsea Soto, Nate Rosario, Shelby Shaffer, and David Lippincott.
“Stranger Sings!” is directed by Williams Sanders, Civic’s artistic director.
Tickets cost $35 for adults and $30 for students, seniors, and military.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and May 14 and15; at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on May 16; and at 3 p.m. on May 17.
Civic is offering pay-what-you can tickets on May 9.
Updated ‘Alice’
Star of the Day will premiere “Wonderland,” a modern spin on the classic story of Alice. Featuring a pop score by “Jekyll & Hyde” composer Frank Wildhorn, the show will run Friday through May 17 at Between the Lines Studio Theatre, which is located at 725 N. 15th St. in Allentown.
“Wonderland,” with a book by Jack Murphy and Gregory Boyd and lyrics by Murphy, is inspired by the novels “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking-Glass” by Lewis Carroll.
The story is set in the high-stakes, fast-paced world of modern-day Manhattan and focuses on game designer Alice Cornwinkle (Jessie Dau Hughes) and her 10-year-old daughter Chloe (Adleigh Burdine).
“This modern, high-energy adaptation brings the beloved Wonderland characters to life with a contemporary score that will delight all ages,” said Daniel Petrovich, director.
Just moments away from a promotion, Alice has been estranged from her husband and alienated from her daughter, when a broken service elevator transports her into a colorful, dazzling, and “back-stabbing” Wonderland.
In Wonderland, she encounters strange yet familiar characters, including a Cheshire Cat with a Latin flair (Benjamin Ruth), a delightfully dotty Queen of Hearts (Dara Connelly), and a malicious malicious, fashion-forward Mad Hatter (Raven Whitefawn). Through her journey, Alice finds a new sense of balance and strength within herself as she reconnects with her inner child and learns to believe in herself again.
“We are beyond excited to bring this reimagined, contemporary journey to Allentown audiences,” said Kirsten Almeida, choreographer and founder of Star of the Day. “This show is a joyful, thrilling adventure about rediscovering your inner child and learning to believe in yourself again. It is truly a celebration of self-discovery, filled with a massive, pop-rock score that will absolutely blow the roof off the theater.”
The cast includes Nathaniel Lawall, Jared LaMar, Joseph Mowad, Safran Astra, Sean McFarland, Courtney Bodnar, Lydia Frei, Rebecca Herrera, Logan Razar, Julisa Trinidad, and Hannah Zarate.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and May 15 and 16 and at 3 p.m. on Sunday and May 17.
‘Dance Quilt’
The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts in Bethlehem will present “Dance Quilt.”
“Dance Quilt” is a dynamic concert featuring original works by faculty and guest artists, including two Charter Arts dance alumni, and will showcase all 99 of the school’s dance majors. The performance will open with an innovative cross-curricular collaboration, bringing Julius Caesar to life through modern dance, inspired by the structure of the play’s five acts.
The program weaves together a rich variety of genres, including ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, commercial, and jazz dance, highlighting the versatility and artistry of our students. The work presented in this concert is a direct reflection of the dance department’s comprehensive curriculum, demonstrating both technical range and creative depth.
The concert culminates in an exciting commercial dance work by special guest professional choreographer Tiffanie Carson.
Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Friday and at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Tickets cost $8-$14.
Chorale at Symphony Hall
Dominic Diorio
The Lehigh Valley Chorale will present its 10th anniversary concert “The Road Home” at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday at Miller Symphony Hall in Allentown.
More than 150 singers from the Lehigh Valley Chorale and more than 40 instrumentalists from the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, will perform choral-orchestral pieces by George Frideric Handel, Johannes Brahms, Stephen Sondheim, and Christopher Tin. Selected additional composers include Stephen Paulus, Stacey Gibbs, and Charles Albert Tindley.
For the first time in history, the Lehigh Valley Chorale has commissioned a brand-new composition entitled “The Forest Always Sings” by acclaimed composer Dominick DiOrio. The lyrics, also written by DiOrio, are inspired by a quote that the chorale’s founding artistic director, Ed Milisits, would often recite: “The forest would be a quiet place if the only birds who sang were the best.”
Dual cast musical
Yocum Institute for Arts Education in Spring Township, Berks County, will present the magic of “The Secret Garden,” an enchanting musical.
The show uniquely features two casts: a community cast, bringing together talented adult actors from the local area and a young performers cast comprised of Yocum students, past and present. This dual-cast approach offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience the production through two different lenses, showcasing the depth, versatility, and vibrant talent across the program.
Based on the beloved novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, “The Secret Garden” is reimagined in a sweeping musical style by composer Lucy Simon and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Marsha Norman. The story follows 11-year-old Mary Lennox, who, after being orphaned in India, is sent to live in a mysterious Yorkshire estate with her reclusive uncle, Archibald, and his ailing son, Colin. As Mary discovers a hidden garden, she embarks on a journey of healing, hope, and transformation that brings new life to those around her.
Filled with powerful storytelling and memorable music, “The Secret Garden” is a moving tale of forgiveness, renewal, and the enduring power of imagination. The production is recommended for all audiences.
Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Friday and May 15, at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday and May 16, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday and May 17.
Tickets cost $25.
Anniversary ballet
Berks Ballet Theatre will present “Swan Lake” at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Reading Area Community College’s Miller Center for the Arts, which is located at 4 N. Second St. in Reading’s Entertainment Square, as part of its 50th anniversary season.
For the first time in the company’s history, Berks Ballet Theatre will present Act II and Act III of this iconic ballet—taking audiences deeper into the story’s most powerful and celebrated moments.
“Swan Lake” tells the timeless tale of love, transformation, and sacrifice, set to Tchaikovsky’s sweeping and unforgettable score. From the haunting beauty of the swan maidens in the lakeside “white act” to the grandeur and intrigue of the royal court, this production captures both the intimacy and spectacle that have made “Swan Lake” a cornerstone of classical ballet.
This landmark performance honors five decades of artistry while showcasing the continued growth and evolution of Berks Ballet Theatre. Featuring the strength and unity of our corps de ballet alongside compelling principal performances, this production highlights both our organization’s legacy and the next generation of artists.