SPAC President Talks Cynthia Erivo, Jon Batiste, Movie Nights, and More

ARATOGA SPRINGS — It’s a busy time of year, to say the least, for the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). The Philadelphia Orchestra’s three-week residency is in full swing, a blockbuster star recently canceled her performance, and a seven-time Grammy winner was booked at the last minute. But it’s all in a day’s work for SPAC President Chris Shiley and company.

Movie Nights

SPAC is hosting two movie nights this month: “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” on Aug. 16 and “Back to the Future” on Aug. 23. Both films will be screened while the Philadelphia Orchestra provides a live accompanying score. As these types of events have risen in popularity, movie studios have begun licensing their titles to third-party companies that, in turn, put together music packets that are handed over to venues like SPAC.

“It really all comes together as one of the most magical experiences when you take these iconic movies that everyone grew up watching and are familiar with, and you have these incredible symphonic scores,” Shiley said. “The melding of the two experiences, it’s really an amazing evening.”

In past years, Potterheads have flocked (or flown, if their broom skills are up to par) to SPAC to enjoy, probably for the umpteenth time, another installment of the beloved film series. For “Back to the Future,” which includes a score composed by Alan Silvestri, SPAC will have a bonafide DeLorean on site. (Just don’t hop in and floor it to 88 miles per hour.)

Cynthia Erivo and Jon Batiste

Erivo, who shot to stardom last year as the co-star of the hit movie musical “Wicked,” canceled her Aug. 22 performance due to scheduling conflicts. This meant that the SPAC team needed to find a suitable replacement, and quickly at that.

“You never want to be dealing with a cancellation and we’re certainly sorry to not have Cynthia with us this summer but when you get that news, you’re working as quickly as you can to find a solution and to try to find something that matches the program that you had,” Shiley said. “When I looked at various artists and various projects, and I when thought that Jon Batiste was going to be potentially available on that night, we didn’t know if we could make it work.”

Luckily, it did work. Batiste had been on the SPAC stage before as part of the 2018 Jazz Festival, and it just so happened that he had a new album, “Big Money,” slated for release on the same day as the Erivo show. Thus, SPAC was able to nab Batiste for a one-night-only event with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

“This is a show he’s not done anywhere else,” Shiley said. “It’s going to be a really amazing night. It’s going to celebrate not only his artistry and his new album, but really celebrate an incredible collaboration between two great artists, Jon Batiste and the Philadelphia Orchestra.”

PlayIN for Strings

Returning this year to SPAC’s programming is a PlayIN event, which allows amateur musicians to step onto the main stage and play along with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Violin, viola, cello, and bass players of all ages are invited to participate. 

“It’s really exhilarating for the participants and a great way to have a connection between our local community and those musicians,” Shiley said.

This year’s PlayIN program includes:  

• Grieg – Prelude (Allegro vivace), from From Holberg’s Time, Suite in the Old Style for Strings, Op. 40 

• Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048:

I. [no tempo indicated] 

• Mozart – Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Serenade in G major, K. 525:

I. Allegro 

• Tchaikovsky – Serenade in C major, Op. 48, for Strings:

III. Élégie: Larghetto elegiaco – Poco più animato – Tempo I 

• Holst – St. Paul’s Suite, for Strings:

IV. Finale (The Dargason)