Marquee for the Majestic Theater’s 100th Anniversary. (Photo Courtesy Gettysburg College Flickr)
By Ainsley Green, Staff Writer
On Friday, Nov. 14, the Majestic Theater in downtown Gettysburg hosted a gala reception and concert as the pinnacle event in its centennial season, honoring 100 years of magical performances and movies. Since its opening in 1925, the Majestic Theater has been a place of entertainment and community for Gettysburg, known as “The Grandest Small Town Theatre in America.” It has strong connections to Gettysburg College, making it possible for students to have a wonderful space to perform and watch performances.
The event was black-tie, with many student and community guests arriving in their nicest attire. At 6 p.m., after a welcome from the Majestic Theater’s new executive director, Brett Messenger, a collaborative concert by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and Canadian fiddler Natalie MacMaster and her daughter, Mary Frances, commenced. This concert was one of many that were helping to celebrate the centennial season by bringing inspiring musicians to the Majestic stage.
Natalie MacMaster and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra performing on stage together. (Photo Courtesy Gettysburg College Flickr)
The first set of the concert featured just the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, a dynamic string ensemble with no conductor, which is unusual for an orchestral group. These skilled performers had the power of collaboration and excellent musicianship with them as they brought a variety of pieces to life with excitement. These pieces included “American Sinfonietta (after String Quartet No. 12, Op. 96)” by Antonin Dvorak, “Gettysburg,” by Mark Summer, “Air and Simple Gifts,” by John Williams, and “Strum,” by Jessie Montgomery.
For the second half of the concert, Natalie MacMaster and Mary Frances joined the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra for an energetic performance of Cape Breton fiddle music that had the audience clapping along. The program included traditional tunes, as well as songs by MacMaster herself, featured on various albums that she has released throughout her career. The pieces were “3 Jigs,” “Strathspey and Three Reels,” “The Chase,” “If You Were Ever Mine,” “Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique,” and “The Carnival Medley.” The mother and daughter duo took turns on their respective instruments, fiddle and piano, before surprising the audience by revealing that they could both play each other’s instrument as well as Irish step dance.
For more information about upcoming events for the Majestic Theater’s 100 year anniversary, check out their website at https://www.gettysburgmajestic.org/
