When Bravo! VaIL Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott arranged to include Sinfónica de Minería, Mexico’s acclaimed chamber orchestra, in the summer music festival’s 2024 lineup, it was something of a coup. Not only is the group headed by lauded conductor and artistic director Carlos Miguel Prieto, but it also marks the first time a Latin American guest orchestra will perform at the festival. 

“This is an orchestra that has been turning heads for the last several years because of its quality, its enthusiasm, its incredibly diverse background, and the way it makes music,” says Prieto. McDermott agrees. “I don’t like to just bring an ensemble; my priority is that it’s an incredible ensemble,” she explains. “From the minute I started working with Minería, about 10 years ago, I sensed such electricity. They just love making music together.” 

As such, Sinfónica de Minería has the distinct honor of kicking off Bravo!’s 37th season with three performances (June 20, 22, and 23). This includes two nights of traditional works: Beethoven’s Symphony no. 3 (Eroica) followed by Ravel, Rodrigo, and Falla; and one evening of works by Latin American composers. The lineup is very intentional, says McDermott. “We’re showing Sinfónica de Minería’s full breadth. This is a world-class orchestra, and I didn’t want to put them into an artistic box,” she explains.

Because of her time spent with the ensemble—in addition to her role at Bravo! Vail, McDermott also serves as the artistic director for chamber music festivals in Curaçao and Key Largo and is herself an accomplished concert pianist who performs around the world—she knows the musicians and Prieto well. In fact, McDermott and the orchestra are in the process of recording all five Beethoven piano concertos together. To celebrate this long-standing relationship, McDermott will join Sinfónica de Minería on stage to perform the third piano concerto in June. 

Sinfónica de Minería aside, Prieto is a huge draw in and of himself. The Mexican-born conductor—who grew up visiting Vail with his family and now owns a home in Beaver Creek—is nothing short of a classical music superstar. In 2019, Prieto was recognized by the publication Musical America as the Conductor of the Year. Among many illustrious posts, he was the music director of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra from 2006 to 2023, where he led the cultural renewal of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. He is also the current music director of the North Carolina Symphony. “Musicians just adore Carlos,” McDermott says. “The energy, intensity, the over-the-top fun he brings, there’s something magical between the players and the conductor.”

And that’s just the first three days of the 2024 season. In all, Bravo! Vail will stage more than 80 concerts over six weeks, and half of them will be free. The premise is to bring world-class music to the valley in a variety of ways and entry points. “Most people know us for the orchestral series,” says Christy Pierce, Bravo! Vail’s communication and grants specialist. “We do a lot more.”

Examples include the Little Listeners series, where celebrated musicians play for kids at the local libraries, and the Music Box, a mobile performance stage that’s towed around the valley bringing live music to all within earshot. Additionally, young pianists hand-selected by McDermott for the festival’s Piano Fellows program will play a variety of free concerts at spots around town. “I remember being a young pianist and I wanted to go to a big festival and meet people and be part of a community,” McDermott says.

Another highlight is the festival’s two-night Immersive Experiences (July 15 and 16), which involve a deep dive into a body of work from one composer. This summer that will be Franz Schubert, and McDermott will specifically examine the last year of the Austrian composer’s life when he wrote his famous Cello Quintet, Fantasie for Violin and Piano, and other notable works. “We will really explore this repertoire,” she explains. “It’s such a unique opportunity. You’ll walk away with so much more understanding of the language and style.”

One event from this season McDermott says nobody should miss? The two fully staged performances of Puccini’s La Bohème (July 10 and 12) led by Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra. This is only the second time Bravo! Vail has offered opera. “I’ve been dreaming about producing an opera,” McDermott says. “It is a magical, over-the-top art form, and we will present it in the most real way possible.”