Source/Filter Music: The Maestro

Presented by Source/Filter in collaboration with Terrible Adult Chamber Orchestra (TACO), this witty and inventive performance reimagines Domenico Cimarosa’s comic intermezzo Il maestro di cappella (The Maestro)—a sharp satire of ego, rehearsal chaos, and the absurdities of the music world.

In this production, baritone Caleb Glickman stars as the overconfident conductor who lectures and berates his orchestra while simultaneously attempting to lead it. With a hybrid English–Italian libretto, Glickman’s character becomes hilariously tangled in language, rhythm, and pride. The role demands both vocal virtuosity and comic timing, as he sings, conducts, and unravels in real time.

The performance features a 17–20-piece orchestra drawn from TACO’s community of Los Angeles musicians, along with 2–3 additional singers. The first half of the evening includes a program of vocal and instrumental works by Italian-American composers, curated to complement Cimarosa’s humor and lyricism.

Performed without microphones and minimal staging, The Maestro thrives on intimacy and spontaneity—musicians in concert black, the “maestro” in flamboyant costume, and the sound of a real orchestra responding to every whim.

A playful blend of classical precision and theatrical absurdity, this event captures Source/Filter’s mission: to celebrate live music as both art and experiment, where the line between performance and play beautifully blurs.