Apollo’s Fire Brings ‘Ben Franklin in Paris’ to Northeast Ohio This October

This October, immerse yourself in the dreamy baroque stylings of Grammy-award winning orchestra Apollo’s Fire. Under the direction of artistic director Jeannette Sorell, the orchestra will make stops in three Northeast Ohio cities Oct. 15 through 18 for a performance of “Ben Franklin in Paris.” The orchestral program, featuring 40 musicians, explores the music that Ben Franklin may have heard in France during his nine years there, including Mozart’s “Paris” Symphony and works by French composers Rameau, Grétry, and Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de St Georges. 

“One of the most fun things about my job is getting to research some fascinating and undiscovered things about history,” Sorrell said in a Sept. 15 press release. “So, I learned that in the summer of 1778, Mozart, Grétry, Joseph Bologne and Ben Franklin were all in Paris at the same time.”

In its 35th season, Apollo’s Fire is a period-instrument orchestra dedicated to sharing the baroque style of music with modern listeners. Sorell founded the group in1992 and still serves as its conductor.

Apollo’s Fire will perform “Ben Franklin in Paris” at four different performances in Akron, Bay Village and Cleveland. There will also be a weekend of free family concerts titled ”Mr. Franklin goes to Paris” as well as a free period dance workshop in which participants can learn the social dances of the era with historical dance expert Julie Andrijeski.

“Mr. Franklin Goes to Paris” Family Concert:

• Oct. 10, 11 a.m., CMA Community Arts Center at Pivot, Tremont
• Oct. 10, 3:30 p.m., Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland
• Oct. 11, 3 p.m., Akron Children’s Museum, Akron

Period Dance Workshop:

• Oct. 11, 2 p.m., Tucker Hall, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Cleveland Heights

“Ben Franklin in Paris Concerts:”

• Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church, Akron
• Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m., St. Raphael Catholic Church, Bay Village
• Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m., Cleveland Institute of Music (Kulas Hall)
• Oct. 18, 4 p.m., Cleveland Museum of Art (Gartner Auditorium)

For more information, visit  apollosfire.org.

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