Sunset Sonata event draws area patrons
Lake Katherine show a combination of nature and chamber music
Four area women took part in some livestreaming on Wednesday night.
But it had nothing to do with Netflix, Facebook, Zoom or any of that stuff.
Rather, it was that other type of stream that enhanced the evening for Palos Heights’ Denise Hyker, Jill Stetson and Sharon Vojtek and Orland Park’s Debra Baron as they sat to the left of the stage during the Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic Gardens’ third Sunset Sonata event.
In front of them was a classical music performance supplied by a duo named the Ostrega-Uhl Project. Behind them was the nature preserve’s signature stream, and the sound of running water mingled with the music made for an aural treat at the Palos Heights facility.
“We have the best seats in town here,” Hyker said. It’s a lovely, lovely event.”
“It gives you a better feeling when it’s all combined,” Baron said. “We get insights into music and nature all at the same time. We have nature’s music and we have Mozart’s music.”
In a year in which events are canceled left and right because of the pandemic, officials from Lake Katherine are on a hot streak in August. They were able to host an overnight family campout on Aug. 14, and a fishing derby is still planned for Aug. 29.
That streak, however, comes to an end in September the beloved Monarch Butterfly Festival will be canceled for 2020. For the past 26 years, 3,000 to 4,000 people have attended the event annually and Lake Katherine director Gareth Blakesley said the event, which was scheduled for Sept. 19, is too big to be able to be run safely.
“It’s not going to happen the same way we would like it to,” Blakesley said. “We’re in the process of finalizing a smaller event. We will have a fundraiser with smaller numbers and the other part of it will be some educational programs about butterflies and monarchs that week. But we can’t possibly do an event like we have done in the past.”
The Sunset Sonata was able to take place even though the attendance had to top out at 40. It usually draws close to 100. Seats were strategically placed for social distancing.
The entertainers were happy to play in a public event for the first time since a gig in Mokena in February. Brian Ostrega, a Beverly resident, said he felt lucky to be able to perform at an outdoor venue.
“It’s a blessing,” the violinist said. “I’ve been coming here since I was 10 or 11 and now I am able to play here.”
Stephen Uhl, who hails from the west suburbs, played the piano and made his first trip to the lake and said he was “stunned” how beautiful it was.
The duo entertained the crowd with classical pieces with nature teams including Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” Brian Crain’s “Butterfly Waltz” and they threw in Mozart’s “Eine