del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Google
Facebook
What's this?
Although the Greater Bridgeport Symphony, now in its 62nd season, is enjoying a renaissance along with its host city, it wasn't long ago that the orchestra's future looked bleak, says the GBS' Jena Maric.
In many respects, as Bridgeport goes, so goes the orchestra, says Maric, who is celebrating her 20th anniversary as the orchestra's executive director.
During the 1980s, the GBS was "the only game in town" — one of a handful of area cultural organizations to consistently present a full season of events. Season subscriptions at the 1,478-seat Klein reached a high of about 1,250 in 1982. But in
Compounding the problem was Bridgeport's reputation as a city burdened by political corruption and a high crime rate. And even the GBS' core of older supporters began to dwindle as long-time subscribers died or retired to warmer regions of the country. The impact on the GBS was devastating, Maric says, as suburban music-lovers decided to take their business elsewhere; scores of empty seats became a common sight on concert nights. Season subscriptions began what would be a 21-year slide, to a low of 759 in
Nowadays, however, as Bridgeport continues its revitalization efforts, the GBS is again enjoying a high of its own, with concerts at The Klein routinely selling out. And the number of subscribers continues to climb, now standing at about 950, Maric adds. "The orchestra has become reinvigorated," says Robert S. Tellalian, of Stratford, chairman of the GBS' board of trustees.
"And one reason is that we're blessed with a world-renowned conductor, Gustav Meier, who has built up this orchestra" over many years "one musician at a time."
Meier, who commutes to Bridgeport from his Ann Arbor, Mich., home, became the orchestra's fourth music director and conductor in 1972.
Renowned in music circles as one of the world's most sought-after teachers of conducting, Meier frequently says he has no immediate plans to retire because Bridgeport "is one of my special places that I cannot do without."
The orchestra, Meier says, "has never sounded better," which is a key factor in the public's renewed appreciation of the GBS.
"The orchestra is again the hottest ticket around," Maric says, "and we couldn't be more excited. It's as if all the stars have aligned. "Many things have come together at the right time. The orchestra sounds wonderful and there is a greater appreciation throughout the state for Gustav Meier . . . I think the public finally realizes what a gem he is.
"Programming also is very important and Gustav is a master at putting together great concerts," she adds.
Maric also believes that the opening of Bridgeport's Arena and Ballpark at Harbor Yard a few years ago was instrumental in "improving the city's image. People now feel it's safe to come to Bridgeport.
"The Klein itself was renovated just a few years ago; it's a beautiful hall, which makes the concert experience so much more pleasurable."
And the parking problems that once plagued The Klein have been addressed with the opening of a free municipal lot across the street from the city-owned auditorium, she adds.
"Finally, the dreams we have all had for Bridgeport for so many years are coalescing."
GBSThen and Now
The first concert of the GBS, then called the Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, was presented on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1947, at 8:30 p.m. at The Klein. Among the offerings were Franck's Symphony in D minor and Sibelius' "Finlandia." On the podium was the Canadian-born Daniel Saidenberg, of Redding, a renowned cellist who would go on to become owner of one of Manhattan's most famous art galleries and Pablo Picasso's sole American representative. In the orchestra, performing on English horn and oboe, was a young bearded man named Mitchell Miller, who later would become a national celebrity for his televised "Mitch Miller" sing-alongs. Saidenberg was followed by Romanian conductor Jonel Perlea (1955-65), who recorded extensively on the RCA and Vox labels and achieved fame conducting the Bucharest Opera, Milan's La Scala and New York's Metropolitan Opera. A few years into his Bridgeport gig, Perlea suffered a stroke and was able to conduct using his left hand only; in 1965 the orchestra announced that it would not renew his contract and instead would use guest conductors, including Meier, for the next two seasons.
Meier was offered the post in 1967, but the offer was quickly rescinded when Hollywood-based pianist, conductor and MGM film star Jos Iturbi indicated he would be willing to take the GBS helm. (Apparently Iturbi liked the idea of being able to visit his daughter's daughter and grandchildren, who lived in Fairfield County, during his Bridgeport engagements.)
"I didn't mind," says Meier, laughing. "It was OK to lose out to Iturbi; he was a good conductor and very famous at the time."
With Iturbi's departure in 1972, Meier, then Yale University's youngest full professor in School of Music history, was again offered the job.
From its very beginning, the orchestra has drawn star performers because of its distinguished conductors and its proximity to New York: Benny Goodman, Isaac Stern, Midori, Marian Anderson, Beverly Sills, Van Cliburn, Itzhak Perlman and Duke Ellington have all shared a stage with the GBS.
The orchestra is made up of 65 "core" musicians — its size expands and contracts depending of the demands of a particular program — from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, who work under contract to the GBS. When a larger orchestra is needed, musicians are hired on a per concert basis from a "substitutes" list.
Its five-concert subscription season runs October through April; all concerts are offered on Saturdays at 8 p.m. at The Klein (formerly known as the Klein Memorial Auditorium), 910 Fairfield Ave. in Bridgeport. Tickets may be purchased for individual concerts, or by a five-concert discounted "subscription." The GBS raises about one-third of its annual $600,000 budget from ticket sales — which is the norm for nonprofit performing arts organizations, Maric says. The remaining amount must be raised annually through public and private sources, including corporate, foundation and private donations. President of the 46-member volunteer board of trustees is Marianne Laska of Milford. Tellalian, a Bridgeport lawyer who has been on the GBS board for 38 seasons, has served as chairman since 1991 (following a 15-year tenure as president).
Maric reports that one-fourth of all GBS patrons hail from Fairfield, followed by Bridgeport with 16 percent, Stratford with 15 percent and Trumbull with 14 percent. About 18 percent of patrons reside in Shelton, Easton, Westport, Monroe and Milford combined. The remaining 12 percent are drawn primarily from other towns in lower Fairfield County and New Haven County.
The GBS offices are at 446 University Ave., Bridgeport CT 06604. Call 576-0263 or visit www.bridgeport-symphony.org.
