New Philharmonic in Glen Ellyn announces 40th anniversary season

It's a season of anniversaries for The New Philharmonic, the resident orchestra at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. The recently announced 2016-17 season marks not only the 40th anniversary of the New Philharmonic, but also the 30th anniversary of its prime campus home at the McAninch Arts Center.

All concerts and performances are conducted by New Philharmonic artistic director Kirk Muspratt. The season features:

• A 40th Season Opening Celebration titled "Passionate Virtuosity" on Sept. 24 and 25 featuring guest Egyptian pianist Wael Farouk in a performance of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 1. Also on the bill are Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 and his "Overture of 1812."

• "An Evening of Gershwin" on Oct. 22 and 23 featuring soprano Kimberly Jones, baritone Bill McMurray and the Northwest Indiana Symphony Chorus performing selections from "Porgy and Bess." Pianist Marta Aznavoorian is also the featured soloist in "Rhapsody in Blue." "An American in Paris" rounds out the concert.

• Von Heidecke Chicago Festival Ballet's "The Nutcracker" will once again feature the New Philharmonic performing Tchaikovsky's fairy tale score for four Glen Ellyn performances on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 17 and 18.

• "New Year's Eve - 40 Years of the New Philharmonic" is performed three times on Dec. 31. Metropolitan Opera National Council award-winner Jessie Donner performs tenor arias in addition to the usual mix of Viennese favorites.

• Gilbert & Sullivan's 1885 comic operetta "The Mikado" slyly mocks British society in a semi-staged production by director Michael La Tour on Jan. 28 and 29.

• "ENCORE!!" features the return of Chicago Symphony Orchestra assistant principal violinist David Taylor in music of Lalo and Saint-Saens on April 8 and 9.

Tickets for the New Philharmonic's 2016-17 season are available now by subscription, with single tickets going on sale in August. For more information, call (630) 942-4000 or visit atthemac.org.