Santa Barbara Symphony and Granada Theatre Present Season Opener CABARET WITH KABARETTI

The Santa Barbara Symphony and Granada Theatre partnered to kick off the Symphony's newly-designed 2020-2021 performance season on Saturday, October 17. Overcoming tremendous odds amidst a Covid environment, the organizations partnered to produce "Cabaret with Kabaretti", a show designed by Symphony Music & Artistic Director, Nir Kabaretti for the home viewing experience.

Led by a dynamic event committee, the community responded enthusiastically to the opening performance, contributing a total of $120,000 in gifts ranging from $25 to $25,000. These funds ensured the costs of the event were covered, while helping to raise important additional funds critical to each organization during these unprecedented times of COVID-19. After the broadcast, momentum continued as philanthropists Sarah & Roger Chrisman, inspired by the impact of the collaboration, surprised each organization with equal gifts of $100,000. The Symphony is honoring the Chrisman's as 2020-21 Season Sponsors; the first individuals to hold that title.

"This was a momentous occasion as members of our orchestra were able to be together again on stage, and everyone rose above and beyond expectations," exclaimed Kabaretti. "Knowing that we wouldn't have an audience in the hall, the storytelling aspect of the performance became very important and cabaret was a perfect format to share stories through music. We chose to celebrate the Great American Songbook genre with legendary songs that have stood the test of time and continue to lift up hearts and spirits."

Nearly 1,000 households tuned in to watch the Symphony's opening night concert and the rebroadcast on Sunday afternoon. With 25% of all on-line orders coming from outside Santa Barbara and as far away as Tokyo, the Symphony's 2020-21 season solidifies its cultural ambassador role, exporting the arts in Santa Barbara globally. Additionally, ticket holders have been taking advantage of the recording being available on-demand to watch again. The Cabaret livestream recording is still available for purchase until November 17, 2020.

"We knew from the very beginning that we had to find a path forward, so we looked inward, we learned from arts colleagues around the country, we talked with our musicians and our audiences, while keeping up to date on safety protocols," shares Kathryn R. Martin, Interim CEO of the Santa Barbara Symphony. "With the artistic vision of Music & Artistic Director Nir Kabaretti, together with the leadership of the Granada Theatre, our board and staff created a plan to deliver on our mission in new ways. This extraordinary opening performance was one that will be remembered forever, demonstrating the resiliency of the Santa Barbara Symphony and the power music has to bring audiences together across the globe."

"This was a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with the Santa Barbara Symphony to present our first on-stage performance since March," shared Palmer Jackson, Executive Chairman of the Granada Theatre. "Our mission is to provide a professional venue for our Resident Companies, and the Santa Barbara Symphony, our locally based professional symphony, is one of these important partners. This partnership required both organizations to stretch themselves as we've never done anything quite like this. The past seven months have been the most challenging period in the history of the Granada, so it was extremely fulfilling to be able to 're-emerge' with this innovative first-of-its-kind performance. This effort illustrates the synergy that exists between our organization and the Symphony -- we both need each other."

As one of the few performing arts organizations in the country creating an innovative path forward, the Symphony will present seven programs this season, beginning with the new streaming format and with plans to add socially distanced in-person options for audiences when that becomes possible. Curated by Music and Artistic Director, Nir Kabaretti, the 2020-21 season shines a spotlight onto the Santa Barbara Symphony musicians and local artistic treasures, and includes masterpieces by Gershwin, Beethoven, Chopin, Bach, Mozart, Copland, and composers' pieces the Symphony has never presented before, like African American composer George Walker, Joseph Boulogne Chevalier de Saint-Georges, and genres ranging from Baroque to orchestral arrangements of Bluegrass. Tickets are on sale now for the virtual season, in addition to subscriptions offering savings and new benefits all season long, available online here. The season continues on Saturday, November 21 with a celebration of Beethoven; filmed live at Music Academy of the West.

As the kick-off to the Symphony's seven-concert season, "Cabaret with Kabaretti" was filmed live on stage at the Granada Theatre just days before the streaming event, with 22 members of the Santa Barbara Symphony, led by the Symphony's Music and Artistic Director, Nir Kabaretti. The musicians were strategically spaced on stage, maintaining social distancing requirements, with plexiglass shields installed, and took breaks every 30 minutes to allow the theater's air filters to continuously recirculate fresh air. The show was hosted by celebrated actress and singer Leslie Zemeckis and featured Broadway star Lisa Vroman. Kabaretti was inspired to produce "Cabaret with Kabaretti" to provide a way for music lovers to feel connected again during a pandemic.

The show was designed to be a complete experience - a night on the town from the comfort of your living room, and included backstage interviews with the musicians, and a pre-show treating viewers to a cocktail preparation demo with Duo Catering, the evening's culinary partner who offered three-course dinners to-go and delivery. The show was 90 minutes in length, and one that will be forever remembered as historic. Performance highlights included Vroman singing with the orchestra to all-time musical favorites like the "Trolley Song" from "Meet Me In St. Louis", "I Could Have Danced All Night" from "My Fair Lady", "Some Other Time" from "On the Town", "Think of Me" from "Phantom of the Opera", and the orchestra shined bright in masterpieces like Ibert's Divertissement and Gershwin's "Lullaby."

Cabaret with Kabaretti was co-chaired by Janet Garufis, Chair, Board of Directors, Santa Barbara Symphony, and Palmer Jackson, Jr., Executive Chairmen, The Granada Theatre. Committee members included Ed Birch, Dan Burnham, Mary Dorra, Brooks Firestone, Bob Montgomery, and AnneTowbes.

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