The Maestro from Source/Filter Music

Presented by Source/Filter Music, this witty and inventive performance reimagines Domenico Cimarosa’s comic intermezzo Il maestro di cappella ("The Maestro") — a sharp satire of ego, rehearsal chaos, and the absurdities of the music world.

In this production, baritone Caleb Yanez Glickman stars as the overconfident conductor who lectures and berates his orchestra while simultaneously attempting to lead it. With a new hybrid English–Italian libretto by Source/Filter Artistic Director Britta Sterling, Glickman’s character becomes hilariously tangled in language, rhythm, and pride. The role demands both vocal virtuosity and comic timing, as he sings, conducts, and unravels in real time. The performance features a 17-piece orchestra.

Performed without microphones and minimal staging, The Maestro thrives on intimacy and spontaneity—musicians in concert black, the “maestro” in flamboyant costume, and the sound of a real orchestra responding to every whim. Cimarosa, who was Italy’s most popular opera composer towards the end of his career, wrote The Maestro between 1786 and 1793.

The first half of the evening includes a program of works for stage and screen by Italian and Italian-American composers, curated to complement Cimarosa’s humor and lyricism. Highlights include music by Gioachino Rossini, Dominic Argento, Gian Carlo Menotti, Michael Giacchino, Jeanine Tesori, and more, featuring soloists Rachel Yeo (soprano), Rae Shrum (mezzo-soprano), and Eric Castro (baritone) alongside pianist Milena Gligić.

A playful blend of classical precision and theatrical absurdity, this event captures Source/Filter’s mission: to celebrate live music as both art and experiment, where the line between performance and play beautifully blurs.

Tickets: $12-35