Quad City Symphony Orchestra: “Elf in Concert" at the Adler Theatre -- November 21.
Saturday, November 21, 2 & 7:30 p.m.
Adler Theatre, 136 East Third Street, Davenport IA
A beloved holiday treat that has been entertaining audiences of all ages for more than 20 years, the Will Ferrell comedy Elf will enjoy two performances at Davenport's Adler Theatre on November 21, this CineConcerts presentation boasting John Debney's score performed by the talents of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra under the baton of conductor Hisham Bravo Groover.
Directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum, Elf stars Ferrell as Buddy, a human who was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to adulthood among Santa’s elves. Unable to shake the feeling that he doesn’t fit in, the adult Buddy travels to New York, in full elf uniform, in search of his real father, this laugh- and sentiment-filled delight also featuring James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Asner and Bob Newhart in supporting roles. Elf was released in the United States on November 7, 2003 by New Line Cinema. It became a major critical and commercial success, grossing $232.9 million worldwide against a $33 million budget. Ferrell's performance as Buddy, in particular, was praised by critics, with Roger Ebert calling the film "one of those rare Christmas comedies that has a heart, a brain, and a wicked sense of humor, and it charms the socks right off the mantelpiece." The comedy eventually inspired the 2010 Broadway musical Elf: The Musical and NBC's 2014 stop-motion animated special Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas, has been hailed by many as a modern classic, and is often listed as one of the best Christmas movies of all time.
Conducting composer John Debney's score for Elf's QCSO presentations is Hisham Bravo Groover, Assistant Conductor of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Quad City Symphony Youth Ensembles. He also serves as Director of Orchestral Studies and Violin instructor at Augustana College. Before moving to the Quad Cities, Groover lived in Minnesota, where he served as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonic Conductor of the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS), Music Director and Conductor of the Buffalo Community Orchestra, and Assistant Conductor of the University of Minnesota Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre. Additional experiences include roles as Associate Conductor of the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra (CO), Assistant Conductor of the Arapahoe Philharmonic (CO), Assistant Conductor of the Lamont Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre (CO), and Conductor of the University of Iowa Chamber Orchestra (IA).
Groover displays impressive versatility in his concerts, equally at ease with pops and educational programs as he is with masterworks. He has also conducted and assisted in numerous opera productions, including Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and Strauss Jr.’s Die Fledermaus. As a violinist, he studied with several pedagogues, including Michel Boris Zaitzeff, Ching-Yi Lin, and Mark Rush, while as a conductor, he has had the privilege to study with Leonid Grin, Kevin Noe, William LaRue Jones, and his principal mentor, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra's Maestro Mark Russell Smith.
Featuring live accompaniment by the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, Elf will be performed on November 21 at 2 and 7:30 p.m., admission is $24-78, and tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000 and visiting DavenportLive.com/the-adler-theatre. For more information, contact the Quad City Symphony Orchestra at (563)322-7276 and visiting QCSO.org.
