The DaPonte String Quartet will bring its acclaimed sound to Bowdoin on Saturday, performing songs by sibling prodigies Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn. Vocal narration by special guest soprano Suzanne Nance will alternate with the group's instrumentals. The all-Mendelssohn presentation will include newly-discovered fugues by the famous 19th-century composers.
Formed in Philadelphia in 1991, the DaPonte String Quartet has been performing, teaching and working in Maine for the last 14 years. Its standard comprehensive repertoire covers classical greats like Joseph Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, as well as renowned 20th-century composers like Bartok Bela and Dmitri Shostakovich.
The quartet has garnered critical acclaim in the United States. It received a standing ovation following its performance of new songs by David Del Tredici at Carnegie Hall in 2005. Other career highlights include performances at the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and at numerous colleges and universities.
The DaPonte String Quartet will play on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Studzinski Recital Hall.