Bridgeport|Local Event
Greater Bridgeport Symphony Presents Holiday Quintessence December 20 at The Klein Memorial Auditori
Greater Bridgeport Symphony (GBS) continues its 80th season exploring New Horizons. GBS is filling its sleigh with musical gifts for all ages, in a concert Holiday Quintessence conducted by Eduardo Leandro at The Klein Memorial Auditorium in Bridgeport, CT Saturday December 20 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are on sale now HERE.
GBS will fill the hall with joyous sounds of wintry Christmases past (Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Bizet, Handel) combined holiday classics (It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Silent Night, Sleigh Ride, O Holy Night and other carols). Winter Miracle will combine the songs of Hanukkah with Vivaldi’s Winter, and there will be lots of opportunities to sing along. Bridgeport’s favorite chanteuse, Maureen Hamill will be joined by special guests including Mary Richard, Kerry Lambert and David Harris to provide vocals and lead the crowd in singing carols.
All of GBS’ 2025-26 concerts are themed by the five Classical elements: Air, Fire, Earth, Water, and the fifth element – Quintessence – which, like magic, takes in all the qualities not found anywhere else. “The holiday season is the quintessential time of the year,” says GBS President Mark Halstead. “It’s when the magic happens – people feel happy, get closer to their families and warm up to life. That’s the spirit in which we put together this concert, spreading some magic among our friends.”
The concert begins with Carol of the Bells, followed by Vivaldi’s iconic Winter from the Four Seasons (reprised later in Winter Miracle, both with violin soloist Emanouil Manolov). Then, a special gift for the young: Benjamin Britten’s Young People’s Guide to the Orchestra, a musical tour of the orchestra narrated by WSHU radio host Randye Kaye.
After intermission, there will be a special performance highlighting GBS’ commitment to education in the community. The Fairfield Ludlowe High School Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by their teacher, GBS violinist Suzanne Bryan, will play Celtic Carol. “This collaboration is so special to us,” says GBS Executive Director Phyllis Cortese. “Eduardo worked with these students in class at Ludlowe this fall, and even more: Ludlowe is the alma mater of both Doris and Herb Harrington. Doris’ class of 1946 would be celebrating their 80th anniversary this year, just like GBS.” Mr. and Mrs. Harrington, who both passed away last winter, were longtime benefactors of GBS; Mrs. Harrington served as GBS President, and later as its very active and influential Chairman of the Board for the last 13 years of her life. GBS has dedicated this entire season in their honor.
“Most people don’t realize how much Christmas music comes directly from Classical music,” says Halstead. “This concert has pieces by Tchaikovsky, Bizet, and Handel; they’re all Christmastime favorites everyone already knows as Waltz of the Flowers, March of the Kings, and Joy to the World. We’ll also have sentimental gems like I’ll Be Home for Christmas and White Christmas. It’s a full night of music!” The concert concludes with a singalong led by youth singers from the Fairfield Theater Company Performing Arts Troupe.
Single tickets range from $21 to $72 and can be purchased at www.GBS.org/tickets or by calling GBS at (203)576-0263. Kids under 19 are always free, with accompanying adults getting 15% off their tickets; only available for purchase by calling (203)576-0263. GBS also invites everyone attending the show to contribute non-perishable food items to the Bridgeport Rescue Mission. A truck will be outside The Klein before the show to accept donations.
This is the third concert of five in GBS’ 80th Season series, New Horizons. Each concert this season is themed after one of the Classical elements. In addition to Holiday Quintessence (December 20 at The Klein), GBS will present Horizons of the Earth (March 14 at Mertens Theater in the Bernhardt Center at the University of Bridgeport), and Horizons of Water (April 11 at The Klein). All three can be purchased at a 15% discount as a three-concert Silver Subscription ranging in price from $54 to $184 depending on seating location.