The award-winning, internationally-known musical comedy team Duo Baldo will perform live in concert at Bluefield College, Monday, March 26, as part of the Blue Mountain Performing Arts Series.
The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. inside BC’s Harman Chapel. Co-sponsored by Blue Mountain, Bluefield College, the Bluefield High School Foundation and WVVA-TV, the show is open and free to BMPA season ticket holders and members of the Bluefield College family. Individual tickets for non-BC and non-Blue Mountain members are $15 for adults and $10 for students.
Renowned violinist Brad Repp and pianist/actor Aldo Gentileschi are the madness and brilliance behind the musical comedy that is Duo Baldo. Their critically acclaimed concerts combine virtuosic performances, theatrical humor, and pop culture.
Duo Baldo made their debut with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli in 2004. Just two years later, they won first prize at the National Short Theater Competition in Florence and later at the 2009 Musicomicontest. The duo has performed at a variety of prestigious venues and events, including the opening of the 2010 Salzburg Festival, Tokyo’s Musashino Cultural Foundation, Shanghai Concert Hall, Beijing Concert Hall, the Chamber Music Society of Trieste, and the Festival Classica Sant Fruitós De Bages in Barcelona.
“There was a time, not long ago, when humor in music was a part of every presenter’s season,” said Evans Mirageas, artistic director of the Cincinnati Opera and vice president of artistic planning for the Atlanta Symphony. “What made them beloved was a canny combination of great musical skill and terrific comedic timing. We still have a handful of concert comedians who delight, entertain and enlighten all at the same time. At the top of my personal list is Duo Baldo. Their antics skewer the sacred cows of the classics, but with a deep affection for what made us all fall in love with music in the first place.”
In 2011, Duo Baldo performed a gala concert on Giacomo Puccini’s recently-restored Steinway piano with soprano Maria Luigia Borsi at the Teatro del Giglio in Lucca, Italy, and in 2016 the duo was highly praised for its television appearance on Italy’s popular talent show, “Tu Sí Que Vales.” This year, the two are making their first tour of the United States, featuring performances in 37 cities, including the night in Bluefield on March 26.
Repp is an American violinst who studied his craft in Lucca, Italy. Performing on a 1736 Testore violin, he has appeared as a soloist with José Carreras in two Asian tours. Gentileschi is a pianist and actor who performs on whatever piano he can find.
The Blue Mountain Performing Arts Series is designed to foster and encourage public appreciation of music, the teaching of music, and the history of music. Through the support of donors and paying members and in an effort to support its mission, Blue Mountain brings a wide variety of quality musical programs to the community through its yearlong Concert Series.
Annual membership with Blue Mountain, which includes admission to all BMPA shows at a significant cost savings, is $40 for adults, $35 for senior citizens, and $15 for students. Family packages, including two adults and all children living within the home, are $85. Individual tickets to Blue Mountain events are $15 to $20 for adults and $10 for students. All concerts are general admission with no reserved seats. Box office and doors open one hour before show time.
In addition to Blue Mountain concerts, BMPA membership also provides admission to events that are part of Bluefield College’s Performing Arts Series and concerts scheduled by the Beckley Concert Association. To purchase annual memberships or individual tickets, or for more information about the March26 concert, visit bluemountainperformingarts.com, call 304-324-3234, or e-mail [email protected].