10 Jul More fabulous Muzika shows coming up on the Hammock Coast Mozart’s famous opera, The Marriage of Figaro, and an instrumental chamber performance remain as the final 2023 Muzika performances on South Carolina’s Hammock Coast®. The Instrumental Chamber Ensemble will perform on Tuesday, July 11, at 7 p.m. at Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church, Georgetown and Dr. Charles Evans of the Long Bay Symphony will conduct The Marriage of Figaro, which will be performed three times this weekend at Howard Auditorium in Georgetown — at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 14, and at 2 p.m. and Saturday, July 15. Varna International, the festival organizer, plans to make Muzika part of the area’s annual calendar. In total, Muzika will feature more than 25 performances during its 2023 summer concerts on the Hammock Coast. Actors and musicians rehearse a scene from Kurt Weill’s Street Scene opera before recent shows. (Photo by Clayton Stairs/Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce) “We are thrilled to be hosting Muzika here on South Carolina’s Hammock Coast,” said Beth Stedman, president and CEO of the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce, “and it’s wonderful to welcome all the talented singers and musicians to our community. This is a rare opportunity to attend world-class performances in our own backyard.” The shows that have already taken place include Maestro Gregory Buchalter of the Metropolitan Opera conducting Kurt Weill’s Street Scene opera at Howard Auditorium; “From Bach to Broadway,” an evening of music featuring David Crawford, a Metropolitan Opera soloist, and pianist Kate Wogoman at Pawleys Island Community Church; and Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano Renée Tatum featured in a recital of Johannes Brahams, Samuel Barber and other select composers at Georgetown’s historic Winyah Auditorium. People who have attended previous 2023 Musuka shows in the area say it’s well worth the ticket price and urge people to attend upcoming shows. Georgetown City Councilwoman Tamika Williams-Obeng said the Street Scene opera at Howard Auditorium was “absolutely phenomenal” and that she was “pleasantly surprised and blown away.” “There is nothing like seeing and hearing an opera live,” she said. “With this caliber of show coming to our area, with top-notch talent, people need to make sure they come out.” Williams-Obeng said hearing the live orchestra play during the show made it even more special. “It was nice to hear the flutes, the bass and the symbols as part of the show,” she said. “It brought the production to life in a way that a recording would not have accomplished.” The Howard Auditorium in Georgetown is one of the venues for Muzika performances. (Photo by Clayton Stairs/Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce) She said anyone interested in live performances should check out the remaining shows. “It’s not too late and it is something you can do,” she said. “I know some people are not familiar with this kind of entertainment, but it can be very enlightening.” Linda Ford Mann of Georgetown, who is a member of Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church, has also attended several of the performances and plans to see The Marriage of Figaro this weekend. “Every performer and musician I’ve heard is amazingly talented and very professional and all of them seemed to totally enjoy and love what they are doing,” she said. “I want to attend as many performances as I can to support them.” She recommends that people who are looking for an amazing show consider attending. “This is like a mini-Spoleto and we are fortunate to have it here,” Mann said. “We need to support these shows to continue bringing that caliber of talent to this area.” John Kester, also a resident of Georgetown and a member of Duncan, hosted several of the performers during their stay. He said it is amazing that a town the size of Georgetown has two facilities, Winyah Auditorium and Howard Auditorium, that can accommodate performances like these. “Most people around here aren’t going to New York City to see a play or opera, so they won’t have an opportunity to see a professional show like this,” he said. “For a city with a population around 9,000, it is pretty unbelievable to have two facilities like that and it is a good thing to utilize them as they should be utilized.” David Swicegood adjusts a wig for Isabella Nicoli, an actor playing Emma Jones in Street Scene. ((Photo by Clayton Stairs/Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce) Kester said he really enjoyed the story of Street Scene and urges people to check out the final Muzika performances. “A lot of people don’t know a lot about this form of entertainment or art,” Kester said, “so it may open their eyes to something they are not familiar with. Give it a try and see if you like it because we don’t get this kind of opportunity very often.” For more information and to purchase tickets to the Muzika performances, click here. About South Carolina’s Hammock Coast Georgetown County’s casual charm and Southern hospitality earned it the nickname Hammock Coast. Adventure and relaxation blend together in perfect harmony, like the flowing and ebbing of waves on the county’s famed beaches. With six communities – Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield, Pawleys Island, Georgetown and Andrews – comprising the pristine coastal area between Myrtle Beach and Charleston, visitors can experience South Carolina’s Hammock Coast like never before. By Clayton Stairs / tourism manager for the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce and South Carolina’s Hammock Coast® 0 Georgetown, Hammock-All
