Opera House at Boothbay Harbor

The Kruger Brothers and Carlos Nunez in two weeks

Fri, 05/15/2015 - 12:45pm

Story Location:
86 Townsend Avenue
Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538
United States

The Midcoast music scene kicks off the summer with two extraordinary concerts at the Opera House in Boothbay Harbor later this month. On May 29, it’s the acclaimed bluegrass trio the Kruger Brothers, followed on May 30 by the internationally renowned Celtic bagpiper and flutist from Galicia, Spain, Carlos Nunez.

The Kruger Brothers, originally from Europe, were first introduced to American audiences in 1997. In an ever expanding body of work, Jens and Uwe Kruger with Joel Landsberg bring together banjo, guitar, bass and vocals and provide a unique voice in the world of folk, Americana and classical music.

In his earliest U.S. performances, Jens Kruger at age 19 was performing alongside Bill Monroe at the Grand Old Opry. In the years since he has expanded his work, composing nontraditional bluegrass symphonic works including “Music for Spring,” which made its debut in 2007 performed by the Bangor Symphony. More recently Jens received Steve Martin’s Prize for Excellence in Banjo in Bluegrass, awarded by judges Bela Fleck and Pete Wernick. Steve Martin calls Jens “one of the great technicians” of bluegrass as well as “a very emotional player.”

This concert at the Opera House is made possible, in part, thanks to sponsorship support from The Rocktide Inn and local resident Margaret Perritt.

The historic Opera House will barely have had time to cool down from the Kruger Brothers’ hot pickin’ when one of the biggest artists in the World/Celtic music scene arrives in town.

Carlos Nunez has been described as having the quality of a classical music virtuoso and the charisma of a rock star. He has expanded the borders of Celtic music to Flamenco, Fado, Cuban, Mexican, Brazilian and classical.

Until recently he has concentrated his touring in Europe, Japan and Latin America, where he attracts audiences numbering in the thousands. Nunez is a relative newcomer to the U.S. touring scene and will arrive in Maine having just completed several dates with the Boston Pops. In demand around the globe, his upcoming concert at the Opera House marks his only other Eastern U.S. performance.

His most recent collaborations have been with the Celtic standard bearers The Chieftains, Ry Cooder, Jackson Browne and Altan, among others.

“Having either one of these musicians in our lineup for the season would be worth celebrating,” said Opera House Director Cathy Sherrill. “But having both the Kruger Brothers and Carlos Nunez come to the stage on the same weekend in May is nothing short of amazing. It sets a very high bar for the rest of the summer.”

Tickets for each performance are $25/advance or $30/day of the show. The Opera House box office at 86 Townsend Avenue is open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Stop by or call the box office: 207-633-5159. Tickets also available online at www.boothbayoperahouse.com.

Doors on both nights open at 7 p.m., with concerts beginning at 7:30 p.m. The historic upstairs bar opens at 6:30 p.m. for ticket holders.