Love is all you need this week, and you will not want to miss this Saturday night’s 50th anniversary tribute to The Beatles coming to America when internationally known Classical Mystery Tour storms Mississippi, landing in Natchez at the City Auditorium to the screams of delight from the audience.

This is huge for Natchez and the Miss-Lou. The tribute performers are about the best for the look and sound of John, Paul, George and Ringo.

Scheduled to appear are Jim Owen, Tony Kishman, David John and Chris Camilleri. See for yourself on YouTube. Dr. Michael A. Miles, director of the school of music at the University of Southern Mississippi, is the conductor for this top-rated event.

The performance begins at 7 p.m. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. Get your tickets now at 601-446-6631 or at the door. This will be the best part of Second Saturday weekend in Natchez and will make for a great Mother’s Day weekend.

The weekend starts the night before, on Friday evening at 7 p.m. at Twin Oaks antebellum home with “Ol’ Man River, the Music of Jerome Kern.”

Natchez loves Kern for his musical productions, but particularly for “Show Boat,” filmed in Natchez. Enjoy Kern’s great soul-grabbing musical scores while feasting on the cuisine of Mississippi’s own culinary star, Chef Regina Charboneau, who will autograph her new book “Mississippi Current.”

The cast for this event is made up of Caitlin Felsman, soprano, Christopher Jordan, baritone, Jami Leonard, soprano, Zack Rabin, bass-baritone, Donna Schaffer, music director and piano, Louis DeVries, bass, and George Piazza, drums. This will be a special evening for all.

Celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday at 3 p.m. at the tribute to international superstar soprano and Mississippi’s own Leontyne Price. Known for her vibrant and soaring voice, Price rose to international acclaim in the 1950s and was one of the first African Americans to become a star at the Metropolitan Opera, the company that would become her artistic home.

The standing ovation that she received on her opening night lasted more than forty-two minutes, the longest ovation ever given at the Met. Relish her celebrity and lifetime of achievement with a breathtaking, inspirational tribute performance recital in the historic and spectacularly beautiful Temple B’Nai Israel in Natchez.

The Festival performers will be soprano Tara Jamshidian, tenor Adam Cromer, and pianist Sally VanderPloeg. Later that evening at 7 p.m., it’s back to the grand lobby of the Eola Hotel for free community performances at the popular Rossini, Puccini & Martinis with optional cash beverages.

And there is more the final two weeks.

In the Eola ballroom, Gilbert & Sullivan-H.M.S. Pinafore, The World of Maria Callas and Puccini’s Tosca.

Remember Jonathan Levin’s performance at Trinity Episcopal Church this afternoon at 3 p.m. and the popular Puccini, Rossini and Martini free community performances with cash beverages and refreshments at 7 p.m. tonight in the Grand Lobby of the Eola.

Call 601-446-6631 for tickets through Natchez Pilgrimage Tours or at most performance venues. Ask about special discounts for students, parents with students in kindergarten through 12th grade, and active military. Details and tickets are available at natchezfestivalofmusic.com or natchezpilgrimage.com.

Come. You will love the music.

 

Jay Dean is the artistic director for the Natchez Festival of Music.