Valentine’s: Gershwin & Song
Valentine’s: Gershwin & Song
FEATURING KELLEEN STRUTZ, CASSIE GLAESER, ZACHARY GLAESER
7:30pm Saturday, Feb 14, 2026
Capitol Civic Centre
Pianist Kelleen Strutz returns to play Gershwin’s heartfelt and innovative piano concerto and LHS alums Cassie Glaeser and Zachary Glaeser stir our Valentine’s Day passion with arias from Carmen and Turandot.
George Gershwin’s playful concerto requires that pianist Kelleen Strutz return home to the Lakeshore. Gershwin’s ingenuity is only rivaled by his ability to write a good tune, and plenty of that is displayed in the capable hands of virtuoso Strutz. Love, despair, flirtation, and defiance are themes of great opera and stir our passions on this especially romantic evening. The arias sung will be read as a collection from the greatest of all time—Carmen and Turandot—and sung by Lincoln High graduates-turned-stars, siblings soprano Cassie Glaeser and tenor Zachary Glaeser.
Tickets to all 4 concerts
Mark Barkley Miller
The Aschenbrenner Foundation of Lakeshore Community Foundation
Tom & Virginia Bare Charitable Fund
Season Leader
Roy & Darlene Geigel Foundation
Season Benefactor
Dave Wage & Sandra Murzyn
Season Benefactor
Friends of Anne McCracken, In Memory
Season Sponsor
Susan & Alex Murtaugh
Season Sponsor
Season Sponsor
Season Sponsor
Season Media Underwriter
Season Media Underwriter
Hospitality Sponsor
Concert Champion
Paul “Biff” & Sheila Hansen Family
Concert Champion
Christine Kornely, Independent cabi Stylist
Concert Champion
Jim & Barbee Lester
Concert Champion
Seventy-Fifth Season
Manitowoc Symphony Orchestra
Dylan T. Chmura-Moore, Music Director
Valentine’s: Gershwin & Song
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Capitol Civic Centre, Manitowoc
Dylan T. Chmura-Moore, Conductor
featuring Kelleen Strutz, piano
featuring Cassie Glaeser, soprano; Zachary Glaeser, tenor
Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Tannhäuser: Dich teure Halle (5′)
Georges Bizet (1838-1875) Carmen: La fleur que tu m’avais (4′)
Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945) L’amico Fritz: Suzel, buon di (5′)
Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Tristan und Isolde: Liebestod—Mild und leise (8′)
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) Turandot: Nessun Dorma (5′)
David Foster (b.1949) arr. Mark Hayes Quest For Camelot: The Prayer (4′)
INTERMISSION
George Gershwin (1898-1937) Concerto in F (35′)
I. Allegro
II. Adagio—Andante con moto
III. Allegro agitato
The Manitowoc Symphony Orchestra led by Dylan Chmura-Moore
VIOLIN I
Carrie Kulas, Concertmaster
Jim VanLanen Jr.
Lori Bonin
Jaci Collins
Luis Fernandez
Kylie Bowman
Tiffany Chang
Shoua Xiong
Heidi Barker
VIOLIN II
Joan Geraldson, Virginia Bare Memorial Principal Second
Violin Chair
Rebecca Briesemeister
Dan Ognavic
Joyce Malloy
Taylor Rudlaff
Megan O’Connor
David Oldenburg
Lauren Oldenburg
VIOLA
Jane Bradshaw Finch, principal
Ann Stephan
Sarah Oftedahl
T.J. Hulll
Andy Bruzewicz
Amy Beekhuizen
Christopher Chang
Steve Schani
CELLO
Charles Stephan, Karen Steingraber Principal Cello Chair
Nic Cywinski
Michael Dewhirst
Wendy Scattergood
Nancy Kaphaem
Anne Keran
DOUBLE BASS
Brian Kulas, principal
Shelby Baize
Ann Beeckman
Jessica Otte
FLUTE
Kristen Fenske, Michelle Garnett Klaiber Principal Flute Chair
Cathy Burback
PICCOLO
Angela Erdmann
OBOE
Suzanne Geoffrey, Les J. Graebel Memorial & Emily and Mike Howe Family Principal Oboe Chair
Heather Guadagnino
ENGLISH HORN
Jennifer Bryan
CLARINET
Laura McLaughlin, Mark Klaiber Principal Clarinet Chair
Orlando Pimentel
BASS CLARINET
Corynn Nordstrom
BASSOON
Andrew Jackson, David Satchell Memorial Principal Bassoon Chair
Carl Rath
HORN
Michelle McQuade Dewhirst, principal
Wanda Braden
Andrew Parks
Annette Eis
TRUMPET
John Daniel, John & Laurale Stern Principal Trumpet Chair
Jessica Jensen
Bill Hampton
TROMBONE
Jonathan Winkle, principal
Matthew Bragstad
BASS TROMBONE
Mark Hoelscher
TUBA
Marty Erickson
TIMPANI
John Aaholm, principal
PERCUSSION
Victoria Daniel, Ellen Jane Lohmeyer Memorial
Principal Percussion Chair
Marisol Kuborn
Joe Vetter
HARP
Mary Keppeler
Nick Towns
Marcus Wakefield
About Kelleen Strutz
Kelleen Strutz is an accomplished pianist and vocalist. Musically versatile, she masterfully integrates jazz, classical and pop standards – reminiscent of her early influencers Carol King, Carly Simon, Nancy Wilson and Barbara Streisand, to create a sultry, timeless sound.
Born into a very musical family, Ms. Strutz grew up in Wisconsin and began taking piano lessons at the age of 9, focusing mostly on classical music.
As Ms. Strutz grew older, she began interweaving jazz into her music, performing and singing in jazz clubs in college at Butler University where she would graduate with a master’s degree in piano performance.
About Cassie Glaeser
Hailed with a voice that is “rich, forceful, and skillfully controlled,” and acting that is “truly compelling,” Cassandra Glaeser is an up-and-coming dramatic soprano to watch. Audiences are taken by her “powerful, mature sound,” which “soars” with “steady effectiveness.” Ms. Glaeser recently debuted with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem.
Ms. Glaeser was one of four soprano finalists in the 2016 Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center Finals at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She has apprenticed with Sarasota Opera and Des Moines Metro Opera, and trained with the Seagle Music Colony and the Sieur du Luth Opera Training Program.
She received her Doctor of Music degree in Voice with a minor in Music Education from Indiana University, her Master of Music degree in Opera Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance from Lawrence University.
About Zachary Glaeser
Zachary Eric Glaeser was born and raised in Manitowoc, WI and is a 2012 graduate from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh with a degree in Vocal Performance.
He has been seen locally performing with The Masquers (Shrek in Shrek, Al Beineke in Addams Family, Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, and Leo Bloom in the Producers), at UW-Manitowoc (The Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods) and PQPC (JB Biggley in H2$IBWORT).
He is involved with the Sheboygan County Chamber Choir, and also has been a part of a musical revue show in Plymouth, WI called “Mill Street Live!” for 3 summers. He hopes you all enjoy this performance, and would like to thank his friends, family and wonderful girlfriend, Sam for the continued love and support of his musical ventures.
Win one of 6 Valentine’s Day Raffle Baskets
Look for the baskets on display in the lobby! Tickets are $20 for 25 tickets (cash or check only) and will be sold before the concert and during intermission.
The thoughtfully curated baskets include:
- “Love at First Bite”
- “Now Showing—Love”
- “Booked for Love”
- “Uncork the Love”
- “Be Mine, Be Well”
- “Puppy Love”
Tickets are sold by the Capitol Civic Centre Box Office, 913 S. 8th Street, Manitowoc WI, 920.683.2184. Click for online ticketing.
- Individual ticket prices are Tier 1-$43, Tier 2-$40, and Tier 3-$36 plus sales tax.
- Ages 35 and under may purchase Tier 2 or Tier 3 tickets for $18.96 plus sales tax.
- Children ages 11 & under are free.
Attend this concert as part of a season subscription. Please see our Season Ticket page for prices and to purchase, or visit the Capitol Civic Centre’s website.
This performance is not rated.
Join us following the concert for the Afterglow Party!
featuring complimentary snacks, special drinks at their cash bar, and liquor raffles.
Got Spotify?
Check out Dylan’s “What’s on Deck” playlist, updated with each concert to give you a taste of what we’ll play. A free Spotify account is needed.
This ad was sponsored by WOMT/Seehafer Broadcasting.