Opera Night in Oyster Bay 7/31/11

Our recent concert:
When we entered the Christ Church of Oyster Bay on Sunday from the balmy outdoors, the A.C. almost takes our breath away. The heady scent of the candles and aged wood permeate, and the tangible silence is broken by the clicks of the light switches turning on. We know that the two hour head start needed for preparations move all too quickly, so our movements are calculated to accomplish the tasks at hand. Juxtapose all these goings on with the mind set of our singers. Are they chatting quietly on a train heading east, or possibly driving in a car vocalizing and mentally readying themselves for the rigors of a the evening? Have they gone over their aria for the umpteenth time, and feel secure in their performance? When they arrive we are happy. How about the audience? Have the managed a quick dinner or plan to dine afterwards? Do they travel near or far for the love of opera? No matter, because they have followed us to the right place, and when they arrive we are happy. The two hours of opera highlights seem to go quickly and yet we seem to capture the moments and take them with us. Our common goal to celebrate great music has been met, and now we seek to recreate and reinvent more of these moments in time.

"Voce di donna, o d'angelo"
La Gioconda
Amilcare Ponchielli
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Che gelida manina"
La Boheme
Giacomo Puccini
Maurizio Casa, tenor

"Si, mi chimano Mimi"
La Boheme
Giacomo Puccini
Barbara Divis, soprano

"O don fatale"
Don Carlo
Giuseppe Verdi
Marie Michalopoulos, mezzo soprano

"Tacea la notte placida"
Il trovatore
Giuseppe Verdi
Cheryl Warfield, soprano

"Con amores la mi madre"
"del cabello mas sutil"
"chiquitita la novia"
Fernando Obradors
Alex Sheerin, tenor

"Be kind and courteous"
Midsummer night's dream
Benjamin Britten
Kate Cooke, soprano

"Vissi d'arte"
Tosca
Giacomo Puccini
Lauren Haber, soprano

intermission

"Adieu, notre petite table"
Manon
Jules Massanet
Kate Cooke, soprano

"Comme autre fois"
Les pecheur de perles
George Bizet
Jessica Stote Bender, soprano

"Chi bel sogno" (Doretta's aria)
La Rondine
Giacomo Puccini
Barbara Divis, soprano

"Fleur jetee" Op. 39 #2
Gabriel Faure
Alex Sheerin, tenor

"I wandered lonely as a cloud"
Eric Thiman
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Di miei bollenti spiriti"
La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi
Maurizio Casa, tenor

"D'amor sull'ali rosee"
Giuseppe Verdi
Il Trovatore
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Habanera"
Carmen
Georges Bizet
Marie Michalopolous, soprano

"Quando m'en vo"
La Boheme
Giacomo Puccini
Cheryl Warfield, soprano