Artis—Naples Showers Southwest Florida with Excitement in April

The season of sublime Storytelling continues in April as Artis—Naples showers Southwest Florida arts lovers with an exquisite array of stunning musical performances, exhibitions and lectures.

Installation view of Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Obra Sonora. Photo by Darron Silva.

In The Baker Museum, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Obra Sonora continues to captivate audiences with interactive installations merging technology, science and sound. In the Making offers insight into artistic processes through sketches, studies and maquettes, while Entangled in the Mangroves highlights climate change’s impact on the Everglades. And on April 18, the ongoing Florida Contemporary exhibition features a panel discussion with artists Amer Kobaslija, Cynthia Mason and Marielle Plaisir on Florida’s dynamic visual arts scene.

April’s musical offerings include two Masterworks programs. On April 3-4, Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley conducts Strauss’ lively Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks and Suite from Der Rosenkavalier alongside Mozart’s Paris Symphony, and esteemed pianist Gabriela Montero joins the Naples Philharmonic for Prokofiev’s effervescent
Third Piano Concerto.

Andreas Ottensamer.
Photo by Dan Carabas

Later in the month, Austrian conductor Andreas Ottensamer leads a program on April 24 and 26, featuring Beethoven’s groundbreaking Fourth Piano Concerto with pianist Inon Barnatan and Schubert’s majestic Symphony in C Major. Following their orchestral performances, Ottensamer and Barnatan join musicians of the Naples Philharmonic for the final Wang Chamber Music concert of the season on April 27. Ottensamer, who recently shifted focus from his role as principal clarinetist of the Berliner Philharmoniker to his blossoming conducting career, performs Beethoven’s Clarinet Trio, Op. 11 with Barnatan and Naples Philharmonic Principal Cello Egor Antonenko on a program that also includes works by Stravinsky, Mendelssohn and Rachmaninoff.

The Naples Philharmonic Pops sees the orchestra shifting gears from classical to classic rock as Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly leads Revolution: The Music of the Beatles, a multimedia experience featuring six vocalists and rare Beatles footage, April 14-19. More 1960s and ’70s nostalgia fills the month with Village People on April 6 and The Simon & Garfunkel Story on April 7. Two All That Jazz performances bring top-tier jazz talent to
Daniels Pavilion: On April 2, New York vocalist Lucy Yeghiazaryan channels the smooth, effortless style of Ella Fitzgerald, and on April 23, tenor saxophonist Houston Person joins the Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra for an evening of soul jazz.

Jack Rasmussen and Eva Gary in Pretty Woman. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

Finally, romance takes center stage April 9-13 as Broadway’s Pretty Woman: The Musical brings the beloved 1990 film to life. Starring Eva Gary as Vivian Ward and Jack Rasmussen as Edward Lewis, the Audience Choice Award-winning production features a score by rock icon Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, ensuring an unforgettable theatrical
experience.

April at Artis—Naples promises a thrilling mix of storytelling, music and artistry, offering something for every cultural enthusiast.

Tickets and additional details can be found at
ArtisNaples.org