Duluth was a city on the move in the late 1800s. The fastest-growing city in the country was expected to surpass Chicago, while the Port of Duluth for a time surpassed New York City as the busiest port in the country. In 1905, Duluth was said to be home to the most millionaires per capita in the United States.
But a community needs more than just timber, mining and grain, so in 1900, a group of influential women saw an opportunity to “advance the interest in and promote the culture of musical art in Duluth” by creating the Duluth Matinee Musicale concert series, presenting the greatest classical performers of the 20th century, including Percy Grainger, Fritz Kreisler and Pablo Casals.
This month, Matinee Musicale launches its 125th-anniversary season, so we chatted with executive director Mark Niedermier and artistic coordinator Kim Squillace about the legacy of the series and what’s ahead.
Photos: Matinee Musicale through the years
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