Symphony in the Gardens concert a coming-out party for Botanica’s new stage, grand lawn

Leaders of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Botanica looked at last year’s “Symphony in the Gardens” debut as a win-win for both organizations.

The number of symphony patrons who stepped into the Wichita gardens for the first time equaled the number of Botanica members who were getting their first tastes of the orchestra.

“When we collaborate like this it not only helps the symphony, it helps Botanica as well,” Botanica executive director Marty Miller said. “Botanica’s a beautiful place and there’s nothing better than bringing the right kind of entertainment here to enhance events for the community.”

A year ago, COVID precautions were in place and the gardens were a perfect fit, WSO CEO Don Reinhold said.

“The pandemic kind of prompted it, because at the time we couldn’t perform indoors,” he said. “If you look back a year ago, our option was to do this concert at Botanica last May, and it was such a success — it sold out in four days with a limited audience.”

Both organizations are evenly splitting the costs and the proceeds from the night. Having a collaboration between the symphony and Botanica has been in discussion since Reinhold’s arrival 10 years ago but could not be fully put into place until now.

Next week’s “Symphony in the Gardens” concert will expand on last year’s running start and provide a coming-out party for a new stage and grand lawn at the facility.

The stage, about 35 feet wide and 24 feet deep plus risers, will be able to hold the entire symphony (a smaller bass ensemble performed last year), and the grand lawn could seat up to 3,000 people, with another 500 able to view from terraces, Miller said.

The 30,000 square-foot lawn, he said, is state-of-the-art eco turf.

Audience members will be given chairs to place as they see fit on the lawn to view the concert.

The WSO will perform about a 40-minute concert of nautical and water-based music — including music from “Jaws” and “Titanic” — prompted by the opening of the new exhibit “Washed Ashore” next weekend, directed by conductor Daniel Hege.

“We put together a variety of concert music and film music that will appeal to a very large audience,” Reinhold said, adding that fireworks will be choreographed to the final two selections.

The symphony will literally be a presence throughout the 20-acre gardens the minute patrons walk the gates.

Eight or nine different performances, including small ensembles, string groups, a jazz trio, a harpist and brass players will be stationed throughout Botanica.

Gourmet food stations will be scattered around the facility as well. Blue Moon Caterers will have treats available, including beef medallion sliders, blackened salmon sliders, stir fry with pad Thai noodles, a bruschetta station, street tacos, charcuterie skewers and an array of desserts.

“It’ll be a beautiful display of gourmet foods throughout,” Botanica special events director Kathy Spillman said.

There also will be cocktail stations throughout the grounds, with attendees receiving two free drink tickets.

With memories of last year’s concert — where downpours let up in the middle of the afternoon for the evening performance — those attending are being reminded that the ticket price will not be refunded but converted into a tax-deductible donation split evenly between the WSO and Botanica. The concert cannot be rescheduled, Reinhold said, because performers would have to be paid for the canceled date and the new date.

“Symphony in the Gardens” is the first of two concerts at Botanica this year, with another taking place in September.

Spillman said Botanica has other performances scheduled for the new grand lawn and stage this summer, including a country act to be announced, comedian Steve Trevino and a Cirque du Soleil-type act called Quixotic.

“We’re hitting a bunch of different genres, dipping our toe into a lot of different performances,” she said.

‘SYMPHONY IN THE GARDENS’

When: 7 p.m. Friday, May 13

Where: Botanica, 704 Amidon

Tickets: $125, through botanica.com or wichitasymphony.org