Romantic dinner performance has Scottish flair

  Thursday, February 6, 2014 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

The Pittsburg State University Choir is offering the community a Valentine with a Scottish flavor with its presentation of "A Scottish Valentine" at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16, in the Crimson and Gold Ballroom of the Overman Student Center. The gourmet dinner performance will include both music and food that evoke images of Scotland, where the choir will tour later this year.

“The dinners are a major component in our ongoing fundraising effort to support our touring,” said Susan Marchant, director.

Marchant said the choir has a long history of themed dinners, beginning initially with madrigal dinners featuring Renaissance costumes. More recently, the choir has introduced a rotation of themes and styles.

“The nice thing about the rotation is that this provides our student participants with a broader musical experience than they would have if we had retained the focus on the madrigal dinner format,” Marchant said.

For the choir’s “Scottish Valentine,” the program will include songs and texts of Robert Burns and others, as well as a mix of other pieces that look at the subject of love in interesting ways, Marchant said. The repertoire will vary from solo songs to large choral pieces sung by 50 or more students.

The menu opens with appetizers of smoked salmon, assorted cheeses and breads and hot heather tea. The main course will feature steak Balmoral, colcannon (a traditional side dish), and vegetables. Dessert will be Scottish shortbread with chocolate and strawberries.

Tickets for the dinner and performance are $29 and are available at 620-235-4476 or e-mail: smarchant@pittstate.edu. Reservations are being accepted through Monday, Feb. 10.