The quaint and quiet grounds of the Bloedel Reserve are about to be infused with an annual series of summer concerts. This year, more than ever before, filling up the month of July.
Series organizer and Bloedel program director Kate Gromley said she has scheduled more performances than any in previous years, and tried to provide a mix in genres “for all musical tastes and ages,” she said.
“Inclusiveness, high-quality and fun are important,” Gromley said. “In the past, we used to stick to classical music, but I felt it was important to open it up … for a wider audience.”
The first weekend of the series is an example of that quest for diversity as the Northwest Puppet Theatre will share the stage with the Seattle Men’s Chorus ensemble — Captain Smartypants — July 14, followed by a piano quartet which will present a concert of Mozart’s works at 4:30 p.m. July 15.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children under 12 to the puppet show — at 1 p.m. July 14 — while the rest of the summer series will be $31 including light refreshments and a aesthetically pleasing setting.
“Bloedel is a really beautiful place, being set out there with such a lovely garden and being able to wander around before and after,” said NW Puppet Theater puppeteer Dmitri Carter.
With traditional puppet theater designed to perform outdoors at festivals and things of that natures, the spot in the Bloedel gardens is a near perfect fit for the craft.
“Even though the puppets aren’t real-life actors, there’s actually more of a connection between the audience and the performer than in almost any other form of entertainment,” Carter said. “It’s something people are really lacking in this modern age of impersonal technology.”
He and the Northwest Puppet Theatre will be presenting an intimate medieval marionette play filled with fairies, sorcerers, ghosts and knights in shining armor entitled “The Enchanted Castle” to kick off Bloedel’s summer series at 1 p.m. July 14.
Then, at 7 p.m. that evening, Captain Smartypants will be presenting its latest show, a spoof on all things super called “Powerpants.” Each of the nine men in the ensemble will portray a super hero with unusual powers, such as The Mermanator, who combines the vocal chords of Ethel Merman with the brute strength of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“Classical and new age music certainly fit with our philosophy and purpose of providing refreshment and tranquility,” Gromley said. “(But) we are also having more events for children and families.”
While the opening weekend of Bloedel’s summer concert series will be geared toward children and families, the second weekend will feature new age icon and pianist David Lanz, joined by flutist Gary Stroutsos at 7 p.m. July 20, followed by vibraphonist Susan Pascal and her Quartet at the same time July 21.
July 22 will feature a children’s Latin music workshop followed by an all ages concert with northwest Latin music ensemble — Bochinché.
To see a list of the remaining summer concert series performers visit the Reserve’s Web site at www.bloedelreserve.org and select the “About Us” button and navigate to the “Events” listing.
Or call (206) 842-7631 or e-mail — email@bloedelreserve.org.
