Opera Night

Opera Night update

2011-10-14T07:08:00.001-07:00

What is Opera Night all about? When is the next concert? How can I participate?
e-mail your questions to Isabella at: vivaldi222@aol.com
Your questions will be answered promptly!

Opera Night began in 2004 as an informal "open mic" gathering of opera lovers at a café in Northport, New York, where singers were invited to bring sheet music for arias and duets and show off their talents for the community. Because the audience grew so quickly, in 2006 the performances were moved to St. Paul's United Methodist Church, and the number and professionalism of singers increased dramatically. Singers range from teenagers still in school to senior citizens, and from seasoned pros to talented amateurs, all sharing a love of performing opera arias for enthusiastic local audiences.
Since the beginning, performances have been given in Northport on the first Friday of the month; a second monthly Opera Night performance is now given in Oyster Bay on the third Sunday of the month. Over the years, Opera Night has met requests to perform in other Long Island towns, including Greenlawn, Huntington, Manhasset, Lindenhurst, Commack, Roslyn, Douglaston, and the Walt Whitman and Tanger shopping malls. Isabella Eredita-Johnson, the Music Director, is in charge of each performance, assembling the singers and accompanists, and occasionally performing herself as pianist, with or without other musicians. Singers may choose their own pieces, with the Music Director's approval, with Opera Night providing the accompanist for the singers.
Opera Night Mission Statement: The goal of Opera Night is to foster the production and appreciation of opera and chamber music in the Long Island community by providing an excellent venue for participating musicians. Opera Night brings together Long Island's finest singers, chamber musicians and costume designers in a location with fine acoustics, accompanied by a professional on a Steinway piano. Opera Night performances have consistently drawn audiences of 200 or more, and the Board has endeavored to continue to afford to established and emerging performers a large and appreciative audience. Talented singers and musicians are regularly invited to participate and new artists are welcomed along with returning ones. The long term goal of Opera Night is to establish an opera house and concert hall on Long Island, so that local artists have a home and the community outside New York City has a closer venue in which to experience consistent artistic excellence. The goal of Opera Nights is to keep concerts local and affordable, so that everyone has access to live opera on Long Island.
Until now, almost every Opera Night performance began with a chamber music performance, such as the 25 minute work by Bela Bartok entitled "Contrasts," for violin, clarinet and piano, which was performed by musicians from the Northport Symphony Orchestra at the October concert. However, beginning in January 2012, the chamber music portion of the concerts will become an occasional addition to Opera Night, rather than a regular feature, to accommodate the audiences' preference for singers performing popular arias over the 20th century music preferred by the chamber musicians. November's Opera Night will be introduced by a Huntington Town Councilwoman who is a supporter of the arts in the local community, and December's program will feature holiday music along with the regular program of arias and duets, with singers dressing in festive attire for the occasion. May is usually the month we have an Opera Night in Costume extravaganza, a perennial audience favorite, where most of the singers perform in a costume appropriate to their musical selection. For a complete look at past performances, see the attached email newsletters sent regularly to Opera Night's patrons.

All of Opera Night's activities are devoted to music, with a particular emphasis on operatic music, and funding comes from donations, including suggested donation for tickets to each concert. Opera Night intends to seek grants from local organizations which support the arts, such as the Huntington Art Council, and to engage in fundraising activities such as a gala.
Opera Night L.I., Inc. will continue to do business as "Opera Night," because that is the name that has become known in the community over the past 7 years and it is "Opera Night" which has developed such a large and devoted following of opera fans.

Opera Night performed in Oyster Bay on October 23rd, 2011:
A collage of autumn colors surrounded our performance venue in Oyster Bay on Sunday. The subtle variations of natures colors escorted each singer in , as the entered with music in hand and in heart. And that is what they gave our audience....their hearts! The arias that were brought to us were woven throughout the evening as a fine tapestry might be too be artfully assembled. Yes, our singers are the artisans of the music world, their voice is their craft, and in turn we receive their gifts with exuberance. As Fall brings us a full cornucopia of musical delights, so too with the month of December. Be a part of our Christmas program on December 16th in Oyster Bay and welcome in the season with gaiety and your love of Opera. We will do the rest!
- Maddalena Harris

October 23rd, Sunday 4:00 pm in Oyster Bay

"Psyché"
Emile Paladilhe
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Ah, mes amis"
La fille du régiment (Daughter of the Regiment)
Gaetano Donizetti
Robert Murphy, tenor

"Salve Regina"
Giacomo Puccini
Linda Garrity, soprano

"Ritorna vincitor!"
Aida
Giuseppe Verdi
Maria Ciccaglione, soprano

"Smanie implacabili"
Cosi fan tutte
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Lorraine Helvick, mezzo soprano

"O quante volte"
I Capuleti e I Montecchi
Vincenzo Bellini
Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano

"Ah! per sempre"
I Puritani
Vincenzo Bellini
Stephen Barchi, baritone

"Un bel di"
Madama Butterfly
Giacomo Puccini
Barbara Divis, soprano

"Stride la vampa"
Il Trovatore
Giuseppe Verdi
Frances Fascetti, mezzo soprano

intermission

"Must the winter come so soon"
Vanessa
Samuel Barber
Frances Fascetti, mezzo soprano

"Wiegenlied"
Op.49 No.4
Johannes Brahms
Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano

"O du mein holder Abendstern"
Tannhäuser
Richard Wagner
Stephen Barchi, baritone

"Io son l'umile ancella"
Adriana Lecouvreur
Francesco Cilea
Barbara Divis, soprano

"Printemps qui commence"
Samson et Dalila
Camille Saint Saens
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Donde lieta"
La Boheme
Giacomo Puccini
Linda Garrity, soprano

"Deh' tu bell'anima"
I Capuleti e i Montecchi
Vincenzo Bellini
Lorraine Helvick, mezzo soprano

"Una furtiva lagrima"
L'elisir d'amore
Gaetano Donizetti
Robert Murphy, tenor

" Voi lo sapete, o mamma"
Cavalleria Rusticana
Pietro Mascagni
Maria Ciccaglione, soprano

Richard Cordova, piano

Other News:
Town of Huntington's 10th Anniversary of Women's Networking Day
Rhonda Shephardson (Director of Women's Services) organized a very successful event on October 26th, networking, and displaying information. Opera Night is a musical series and involves many talented Opera singers as well as Opera lovers, attracting hundreds of Opera fans. One day, we hope to have an Opera house. An Opera house involves more networking, and companies/donors who are willing to sponsor. Perhaps that day may come.

In the mean time, we HOPE to see you at our next event on November 4th. If we're lucky, Councilwoman, Susan Berland will be in attendance, and say a few words of support. Feel free to stop by, and come up to us during the refreshment hour.

2011-08-24T07:44:00.001-07:00

Opera Night Mission Statement:

Our goal is to foster the production and appreciation of opera and chamber music in the Long Island Community by providing an excellent venue for participating musicians. Opera Night brings together Long Island's finest singers, chamber musicians, and costume designers. Our concert location provides fine acoustics, with a professional accompanist on a Steinway piano.
Opera Night performances have consistently drawn audiences of two hundred or more. We strive to maintain and grow this popularity so that established and emerging performers have a
large and appreciative audience. This, we believe, will foster the development of their art.
Talented singers and musicians are invited to participate regularly, and we welcome new artists.
Our long term goal is to establish an opera house and concert hall in the Huntington area, so that our local community of artists can have a home—a focal point for their talents and aspirations, and a venue that the listening public can think of as a source of consistent artistic excellence.
Our constant goal is to keep our concerts local and affordable, so that this high end art form will be accessible to the community.
Program: October 7, 2011

"Automne"
Gabriel Faure
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Senza mamma"
Suor Angelica
Giacomo Puccini
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Vilja"
Merry Widow
Franz Lehar
Lia Stengren, soprano

"Steal me, sweet thief"
The Old Maid and the Thief
Gian Carlo Menotti
Danielle Davis, soprano

"Come paride vezzoso"
L'elisir d'amore
Gaetano Donizetti
Stephen Barchi, baritone

"Must the winter come so soon"
Vanessa
Samuel Barber
Frances Fascetti, mezzo soprano

"Ah, non credea mirarti... Ah! non guinge"
La Sonnambula
Vincenzo Bellini
Jessica Stolte Bender

intermission

"Al dolce guidami"
Anna Bolena
Gaetano Donizetti
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Der kleine Sandmann bin ich, st!" (Sandman's Lullaby)
"Hänsel und Gretel"
Engelberlt Humperdinck
Danielle Davis, soprano

"Psyche"
Emile Paladilhe
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Deh, vieni, non tardar"
Le nozze di Figaro
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Lia Stengren, soprano

"Come scoglio"
Cosi fan tutte
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Jessica Stolte Bender, soprano

"Onegin's aria"
Eugene Onegin
Peter Tchaikovsky
Stephen Barchi, baritone

"Acerba voluta"
Adrianna LeCouvreur
Francesco Cilea
Frances Fascetti, mezzo soprano

"Why do they shut me out of heaven?"
12 Poems of Emily Dickenson
Aaron Copland
Danielle Davis, soprano

"Vissi d'arte"
Tosca
Giuseppe Verdi
Lauren Haber, soprano

Kelly Horsted, piano accompanist

Pre-concert program:

Contrasts, by Bela Bartok.
I. Verbunkos (recruiting Dance)
II. Piheno (Relaxation)
III. Sebes (Fast Dance)
Catherine Brown, clarinet; Laura Mole, violin; Jonathan Bley, piano

Program: August 21st in Oyster Bay

"Que fais-tu blanche tourterelle"
Romeo et Juliette
Charles Gounod
Mary Liz O'Neill, mezzo soprano

"La fleur que tu m'avais"
Carmen
Georges Bizet
Maurizio Casa, tenor

"Si, mi chiamano Mimi"
La Boheme
Giacomo Puccini
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Quia respexit"
Magnificat
Johann Sebastian Bach
Jackie Murphy, soprano

"Mandoline"
Gabriel Faure
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Resta immobile"
Gugliemo Tell
Gioachino Rossini
Stephen Barchi, baritone

"Toothpaste Time"
Cabaret Songs Vol. 3
William Bolcom
Lorraine Helvick, mezzo soprano

"D'amor sull'ali rosee"
Il trovatore
Guiseppe Verdi
Cheryl Warfield, soprano

intermission

Liza/Pauline Duet
Pique Dame (Queen of Spades)
Peter Tchaikowsky
Cheryl Warfield and Lorraine Helvick

Pauline's aria
Pique dame (The Queen of Spades)
Lorraine Helvick, mezzo soprano

"Mein sehnen, mein wehnen"
Die Tote Stadt
Erich Korngold
Stephen Barchi, baritone

"Tu, tu, piccolo iddio"
Madama Butterfly
Giacomo Puccini
Barbara Divis, soprano

"Voyons que j'essaie"
Carmen
Georges Bizet
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Heiden-Röslein"
Franz Schubert
Jackie Murphy, soprano

"Forse la soglia attinse...ma se m'e forza perderti"
Un ballo in maschera
Guiseppe Verdi
Maurizio Casa, tenor

"The world feels dusty"
Aaron Copland
Mary Liz O'Neill, mezzo soprano

"Depuis le jour"
Louise
Gustave Charpentier
Lauren Haber, soprano

Opera Night in Oyster Bay 7/31/11

2011-08-01T07:59:00.000-07:00

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

July 1, 2011

2011-07-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

July 1, 2011 (Friday at St. Paul's. Northport)

"Caro mio ben"
Giuseppe Giordani
Cheryl Savitt Spielmann, soprano

"Adio fiorito asil"
Madama Butterfly
Maurizio Casa, tenor

"Ave Maria"
Bach/Gounod
Frances Fascetti, mezzo soprano

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

"Magische tone"
Konig von Saba
Karl Goldmark
Robert Murphy, tenor

"Die Nacht"
op. 10 #3
Richard Strauss
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Una furtiva lagrima"
L'elisir d'amore
Gaetano Donizetti
Vicent Ricciardi

"Se come voi"
Le Villi
Giacomo Puccini
Jung-hwa Park, soprano

"Sempre libera"
La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi
Barbara Divis, soprano

intermission

"Without a Song"
Vincent Youmans
Bruce Solomon, tenor

"Adieu, notre petit table"
Manon
Jules Massanet
Samantha Williams, soprano

"Take, o take those lips away"
op. 37 #2
Amy Beach
Robert Murphy, tenor

"Pursue" (Mandarin song)
Liu Xue An
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Amor ti vieta"
Fedora
Umberto Giordano
Alex Sheerin, tenor

"Si, mi chiamano Mimi"
La Boheme
Giacomo Puccini
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Be my love"
Nicholas Brodzsky
Vincent Ricciardi, tenor

"Io son l'umile ancella"
Adriana LeCouvreur
Francesco Cilea
Cheryl Savitt Spielmann, soprano

"Love duet"
Madama Butterfly
Giacomo Puccini
Barbara Divis, soprano and Maurizio Casa, tenor

"God bless America"
Irving Berlin
Barbara Divis, soprano and audience

Our Opera patrons were joyful as they streamed in to fill the seats of a rather balmy evening that commemorated a seventh anniversary for Opera Night. No one complained about the warm weather, but rather they scurried in to get the much coveted good seats (to which there are many). Indeed the weather played second fiddle (I couldn't resist) to the lovely interpretive "gems of the piano repertoire" that Isabella regaled us during our chamber half hour. What was to follow was a presentation by gifted artisans of the music world who help us define the magic and mystery of opera. We know now that music lifts us up from the mundane machinations of life. Being more than mere entertainment, opera tranports us from our seats to a world of beauty. We allow ourselves this indulgence because we understand that artists suffer for their art, as musicians suffer for their music, and we become a part of the experience. It is at this nexus (of audience and singer) that communality surfaces and becomes graspable. This is why the first Friday of each month is surely a wonderful amalgam of singer, patron, music, drama, and above all joy.

Opera Night celebrates 7th year anniversary

2011-06-22T09:10:00.001-07:00

History

Our first gathering was on Friday, July 1st, 2004 at the Cafe Portofino in Northport. It was essentially an “open-mic” scenario and singers were invited to join us and bring sheet music for arias and vocal duets.

As the series grew and began attracting more singers and a larger audience, we knew we were on to a good thing! The Cafe Portofino provided a charming "bistro" ambiance for good music, despite the fact that space was limited and the coffee grinding machines could be noisy. Sadly, the first piano was so honkytonk, and in such terrible disrepair that accompanying singers properly was difficult. One of them described playing the piano "like a vocalist singing with a sore throat."

After two years, as our audience grew dramatically, we moved across the street to the St. Paul's United Methodist Church. There, we were able to accommodate more people and we had a Steinway upright piano to accompany the singers. Now chamber music could become an option!

Moving to St. Paul's brought challenges as well as great benefits. Several singers had enjoyed giving comedic performances, and loved the idea of continuing in the "Opera Buffa" style. Others enjoyed singing multiple songs, often of great length. However, it soon became clear that "professional" singing and musicianship had to be our focus. As more singers joined the series, it was essential to give each a chance to perform, even if it meant limiting the number of arias each could sing. Over the years, we have worked hard to keep the quality of our performances consistently high while attempting to be as accommodating as possible. Although our main performance venue is Northport, as our popularity has grown by word of mouth, we have also met requests to perform in Greenlawn, Oyster Bay, Huntington, Manhasset, Lindenhurst, Commack, Roslyn and at the Walt Whitman and Tanger malls.

We have a variety of performers ranging in age from teenagers to seniors. Some are "seasoned professionals," others have active careers in other fields but simply want to share their vocal gift with an audience. We also have voice students who are actively seeking a full time performance career. All of our singers love opera and in return, our audiences love them.

We look forward to a busy summer of performances, as we start a new season of Opera Night concerts. We have an active board, and look forward to more events and opportunities for our singers.

2011-06-07T11:17:00.000-07:00

June 3, 2011 St. Paul's Opera Night
"Caro mio ben"
Giuseppe Giordano
Cheryl Savitt Spielmann, soprano

"Seguidilla"
Carmen
Georges Bizet
Melissa Block, mezzo soprano

"Recondita armonia"
Tosca
Giacomo Puccini
Maurizio Casa, tenor

"Al dolce guidami"
Anna Bolena
Gaetano Donizetti
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Apres un reve"
Gabriel Faure
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Io son l'umille ancella"
Adriana Lecouvreur
Francesco Cilea
Barbara Divis, soprano

"Nessun dorma"
Turandot
Giacomo Puccini
Young Ha Kim, tenor

intermission

"Sola, perduta, abbandonata"
Manon Lescaut
Giacomo Puccini
Maria Ciccaglione, soprano

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

"My man's gone now"
Porgy and Bess
George Gershwin
Barbara Divis, soprano

"Trees on the Mountain"
Susannah
Carlisle Floyd
Gina Haver, soprano

"Son pochi fiori"
"L"Amico Fritz"
Pietro Mascagni
Cheryl Savitt Spielmann, soprano

Tosca Duet
Tosca
Giacomo Puccini
Maria Ciccaglione and Maurizio Casa

7:30: Pre-Concert

Villa-Lobos: Choros No. 2, for flute and clarinet

Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 6, for flute and

bassoon: Aria (Choros)

Ibert: Cinq Pièces en trio, for oboe, clarinet and bassoon

Allegro vivo, Andantino, Allegro assai,

Allegro quasi marziale

Villa-Lobos: Trio for oboe, clarinet and bassoon

Animé--Molto allegro

Cindy Lauda, bassoon

Sue Ann Stein, oboe

Sally Shorrock, flute

Jerry Vabulas, clarinet

A roster of fine singers rose to the occasion, as Opera Night approaches its seventh glorious anniversary in Northport. Patrons were riveted to their seats as new repertoire was presented, and the "tour de force" opera gems were revisited. Melissa Block's selection "Seguidilla" from Carmen was both a sublime and sultry offering. We were transported to the cotton fields where Barbara Divis soulfully and believably pined that her man was gone (from Porgy and Bess). An Americana work of art, such as that can not be trusted to just any soprano. Our Barbara did much more than justice to an aria that deserves the singers best! The best is what we heard.

American treasures continued when Gina Haver sang "Trees on the Mountains." The plaintiff wails of an abandoned woman, stirred the pot of our emotions. Does Lauren Haber ever not astound us with the far reaches of her powerful instrument? The aria, "Al dolce guidiami," was a new one for Opera Night and if the audience feels as I do, the next time Lauren sings it, the more we will embrace it.

There were many moist eyes as Lauren's mother was introduced and proudly stood up to the applause of our appreciative audience.

Young Ha Kim commanded center stage. Isabella decided not to introduce his next aria because the first few chords said it all. The audience was enveloped in a rapture that Puccini must have intended us to be absorbed in while listening to "Nessun dorma." Young Ha, you are the best!

Leave it to Jeanny Schwartz, to caress all of us with the sweetness of Faure's "Apres un reve." Cheryl Spielmann sang "Caro mio ben, " an absolute joy for all of us to receive. And finally our newcomers Maurizio and Maria acted out the great duet from Tosca, where religion, art, politics, lust, revenge all melded together!
Oh Opera, you never cease to fail us!

The finale of the evening brought nothing less that a wild standing ovation as the director gifted roses to our wonderful singers.

2011-04-26T05:18:00.000-07:00

May 1st, 2011

Opera Night performers:

Maurizio Casa, tenor
Barbara Divis, soprano
Linda Garrity, soprano
Lauren Haber, soprano
Gina Haver, soprano
Lorraine Helvick, mezzo soprano
Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano
Jackie Murphy, soprano
Cheryl Savitt Spielmann, soprano
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano
Bruce Solomon, tenor
Lia Stengren, soprano

Read about our singers!

Tenor Maurizio Casa attended the Mannes School of Music in New York City. He has performed Rodolfo in Theater Nordhausen in Germany, Alfredo from La Traviata with Teatro Capranica in Rome as well as the Duke from Rigoletto. He has also performed the Duke in Germany with Orpheus Ensemble. Also, he has performed the role of Tamino with the Frankfurt Opera in Germany; the role of Contino in Crispino and Contino in Maxlrain, Germany. Mr. Casa has done the tenor solos from Mozart 's Requiem Handel's Messiah the Amadeus Orchestra in Italy and the tenor solo in Cimerosa's Requiem with the Vatican Chorus and Orchestrs in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Currently, Maurizio is working on the role of Don Jose from Carmen.

Barbara Divis, soprano
Barbara Divis has performed over 35 roles throughout the country. She is known primarily for roles that demonstrate her expressive ability and acting prowess. She has performed Madama Butterfly with 5 opera companies, including Arizona Opera and Hawaii Opera Theatre. She has performed Mimi in La Boheme with 7 opera companies, including Atlanta Opera, Augusta Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, and Opera San Jose. Other companies that Barbara has performed with include San Diego Opera, Tacoma Opera, Austin Lyric, and El Paso Opera. She has won second place in the Regional Met Auditions three different times, is a Richard Tucker award nominee, and recently she was awarded the "Orgullo Hispano" award in Mexico, which is an award for distinguished Hispanic women. Music from her two CD's are currently being featured with author, Michael J. Vaughn, in his new novel called "Operaville."

Linda Garrity, lyric soprano, has performed with the New Metro Vocal Arts Ensemble, dell’arte Opera Ensemble, Regina Opera, Hartt Opera Theater, Janiec Opera at the Brevard Music Center, Rockland Opera and The Opera Workshop at Hunter College. In 2006, Ms. Garrity performed the role of the First Lady in the Die Zauberflote with the Amalfi Coast Music Festival in Italy. Other operatic roles include Despina in Cosi Fan Tutte, Amy in Little Women, Rose Murrant in Street Scene, Pousette in Manon, Suor Genevieffa and Infermiera in Suor Angelica. Recently, Linda participated in a series of master classes at Lincoln Center given by Maestro Peter Mark of Virginia Opera. For the past few years, Ms. Garrity has performed works by Schubert, Scarlatti, Granados, and Schumann in the chamber music concerts at the 92ND Street Y in New York City. She has also been a guest artist at performances throughout Long Island with The West Islip Symphony Orchestra and The Long Island Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra. Ms. Garrity obtained her Bachelor of Music Degree from Hunter College.

Lauren Haber, soprano
Soprano, Lauren Nicole Haber, recently created the demanding role of Lauren Kane/“Erica” in OperaWorks’ original three Act Improvisational Opera, Pride and Promiscuity. In addition to being an Artist in Residence, Lauren recently made her Carnegie Hall debut as Il Paggio with New York Lyric Opera Theatre. Ms. Haber performed Donna Anna’s “Non my dir” from Mozart’s Don Giovanni while at the Westchester Summer Vocal Institute, and the third act quartet in the role of Mimi from La Boheme while at the International Vocal Arts Institute, Canada. Lauren is also a recurring participant of the Martina Arroyo Foundation Role Performance Seminar where she has learned the roles of Mimi from Puccini’s La Boheme, Amelia from Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, the Countess from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and Desdemona from Verdi’s Otello. Other scene performances include Fiordiligi from Cosi Fan Tutte, the Countess from Le Nozze di Figaro, and Donna Elvira from Don Giovanni. She also enjoyed collaborating with the Long Island Youth Symphony on the soprano solos from the Mozart Requiem and Carmina Burana.
Ms. Haber earned her Master’s of Music Degree from the Manhattan School of Music in 2006 and her Bachelor of Music degree from C.W. Post, Long Island University in 2004.

Gina Haver's background includes opera, oratorio and theatre with such credits: Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, NYC Town Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Harry Chapin Theatre at Hecksher State Park, St. AnnsHoly Trinity Church in Brooklyn, the Northport Theatre, and Westchester Town Hall with various solo appearances at Merkin Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and NY Symphony Space. Other NYC credits: The Singers Theatre of NY, New York Selah Ensemble, New York Chamber Players, Genesis Repertory Ensemble, soprano soloist for New York Choral Society Summersings (Carmina Burana, Brahms Requiem, Israel in Egypt), participant in the Dicapo Opera Young Artist Program. Gina's performed roles as Musetta (La Boheme), Queen of the Night (The Magic Flute), Lola (Cavalleria Rusticana), Eurydice (Orfeo & Eurydice), Frasquita (Carmen) and Violetta from La Traviata (upcoming).

Lorraine Helvick, mezzo soprano graduated with her Masters in Vocal Performance from Westminster Choir College where she won second place in the Hilliard-Rankell voice competition. She studied with superb MET voices, Sharon Sweet and Anthony Laciura. Her recent roles and scenes include Flora, La Traviata, Gertrude, Romeo et Juliette, Suzuki, Madama Butterfly, Charlotte, Werther, Cherubino, Le Nozze di Figaro, and many more. Ms Helvick recently completed a residency with Opera New Jersey and main stage roles with NY Lyric Opera. Currently, Ms Helvick is actively performing in the New York metro area.

Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano, was a member of the Dicapo Opera theatre Young Artist Program and has performed with the New York Opera Forum and with New York Opera Productions. Roles performed include: Suor Genovieffa, Suor Angelica, Nella, Gianni Schicchi, Despina, Cosi fan tutte, Barbarina, The Marriage of Figaro and Zerlina, Don Giovanni. She has given several recitals and has performed with ensembles including the Western New York Chorale in its performance of Mozarts Vesperae solennes de confessore. Kimberly was a finalist in the Rising Star Opera Competition.
Currently, Kimberly is the soprano soloist of the Community Church of Douglaston where she has performed Vivaldis Gloria, the Mozart Requiem, Brittens A Ceremony of Carols and Faures Requiem. Kimberly has enjoyed performing in the Douglaston Concerts series and at Northports Opera Night for the past six years.

Jackie Murphy, soprano Jacqueline Murphy is currently a student at Hofstra University, majoring in Vocal Performance. Jacqueline feels privileged to have been an integral part of two separate fundraising events, one benefiting Haiti and the other The Visiting Nurse Service and Hospice of Suffolk. Given the success of the latter Jacqueline has been asked to host another Visiting Nurse Service and Hospice fundraiser for which she is currently preparing. She has become a regular at “Opera Night”, a non-profit organization, in North Port and continues to perform at every opportunity in and outside of school.

Cheryl Savitt Spielman, soprano, taught vocal music in NYC and Long Island public schools. Previously, Cheryl was principal singer with the Light Opera of Manhattan (LOOM) repertory company, performing leading roles in "The Merry Widow", "The Desert Song", "The Vagabond King", "The Student Prince", "A Night in Venice", "The Mikado", "H.M.S.Pinafore", "The Grand Duke", and "Yeomen of the Guard". She received her B.A. degree from Sarah Lawrence College and her masters in music education from Hunter College.

Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano, born in Hong Kong and graduated from Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, has appeared as an alto solo in vocal concerts such as The Christmas Oratorio, Le Roi David, Hymne au Soleil, Gloria, and many more. She also has performed in operas and musical productions like Quilters, Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte, Tour Guide in Orphee aux Enfer. She has joined Opera Night since December 2008.

Lia Stengren, soprano
Soprano, Lia Elizabeth Stengren is a recent graduate from the State University of New York at Fredonia and holds two degrees in both Music Business and Applied Voice. While at Fredonia Ms. Stengren performed in a production of Mozart's "Die Zauberflote" with the Hillman Opera and Kurt Weill's "Street Scene" during Fredonia's Opera Scenes. Ms. Stengren has studied with Christopher Arneson, Marie Sanfratello, Won Cho, and Delia Wallis. Ms. Stengren has been a soloist for the Babylon Chorale among many other choirs ranging from Fredonia, NY to Long Island. Ms. Stengren has sung under the direction of Sun Min Lee, Andrew Megil, Alice Cavanaugh, Gwen Coleman-Detwiler, Anne Kollar, and Donald Lang. Ms. Stengren is a frequent performer of the Opera Night Series.

James Besser, Piano accompanist

Opera Night in Oyster Bay

2011-03-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

Performers for March 25th Opera Night in Oyster Bay

Melissa Block, mezzo soprano
Barbara Divis, soprano
Linda Garrity, soprano
Lauren Haber, soprano
Gina Haver, soprano
Sarah Hoover, soprano
Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano
Young Ha Kim, tenor
Jennifer Lynde, soprano
Bruce Solomon, tenor
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano
Lia Stengren, soprano
Kathryn Wieckhorst, soprano

Program:

"Stizzoso, mio stizzoso"
La Serva Padrona
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Jennifer Lynde, soprano

"Un bel di"
Madama Butterfly
Giacomo Puccini
Linda Garrity soprano

"Deh tu!"

I Capuleti e i Montecchi

Vincenzo Bellini

Melissa Block, mezzo soprano

"If I were on Stage"

Mlle Modiste

Victor Herbert

Sarah Hoover, soprano

"Quando m'en vo"

La Boheme

Giacomo Puccini

Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano

"La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" (Flower Song)
Carmen
Georges Bizet
Bruce Solomon, tenor

"Vissi darte"
Tosca
Giacomo Puccini
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Torna a Surriento"
Ernesto de Curtis
Young Ha Kim, tenor

"Depuis le jour"
Louise
Gustave Charpentier
Barbara Divis, soprano

intermission

"Chi il bel sogno"
La Rondine
Giacomo Puccini
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Mein Herr Marquis" (Adele's aria)
Die Fledermaus
Johann Strauss, Jr.
Lia Stengren. soprano

"Come scoglio"
Cosi fan tutte
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Kathryn Wieckhorst, soprano

"E lucevan le stelle"

Tosca

Giacomo Puccini

Young Ha, tenor

"Plaisir d'amour"

Jean Paul Égide Martini

Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Tanto amore"
Turandot
Giacomo Puccini
Barbara Divis, soprano

"Addio del passato"
La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi
Gina Haver, soprano

"Belle nuit" (Barcarolle duet)
Tales of Hoffman
Jacques Offenbach
Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano and Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

Piano accompanists, Ken Friese and Isabella Eredita Johnson

Opera Night, February 4, 2011

2011-02-09T18:12:00.000-08:00

Program:

"Le Colibri"
Amédée-Ernest Chausson
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Voi, che sapete"
Le Nozze di Figaro
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Gabrielle Lowell, mezzo soprano

"Di ad Irene, tiranna infedele"
Atlanta
Georg Frederic Handel
Jeremy Barbaro, tenor

“Qui la voce…. vien diletto”
I Puritani
Vincenzo Bellini.
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Me voglio fa na casa"
Gaetano Donizetti
Bruce Solomon, tenor

"Always through the changing"
The Ballad of Baby Doe
Douglas Moore
Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano

"Va! laisse couler mes larmes"
Werther
Jules Massanet
Melissa Block, mezzo soprano

intermission

"Merce, dilette amiche"
I Vespri Siciliani
Giuseppe Verdi
Katherine Wieckhorst, soprano

"Air de Lia"
L'Enfant Prodigue
Claude Debussy
Lia Stengren, soprano

"Que fais-tu"
Romeo and Juliette
Charles Gounod
Melissa Block, mezzo soprano

"Chi il bel sogno di Doretta" (Doretta's aria)
La Rondine
Giacomo Puccini
Justine Lorenteson, soprano

"Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre" (Toreodor Song)
Carmen
Georges Bizet
Gary Lorenteson, baritone

"Quando men vo" (Musetta's aria)
La Boheme
Giacomo Puccini
Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano

"Non mi dir"
Don Giovanni
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Una voce poco fa"
l barbiere di Siviglia
Rossini
Dawn Zahralban, soprano

Serenade Opus 24
Arnold Schonberg
Marsch
Menuett
Variationen
Tanzscene
Lied (ohne Worte)
Finale

Performed by the Schonberg Chamber Ensemble
Conducted by Jonathan Heyward

Jerry Vabulas Clarinet
Jess Gross Bass Clarinet
George Barbera Mandolin
Barkley Heuser Guitar
Andrew Perea Violin
Andrea Maire Viola
Rebecca Perea Cello

The Opera Night Series

2010-12-28T20:12:00.000-08:00

December, 2010

2010-12-21T18:39:00.000-08:00

Opera Night
December 3rd, 2010
St. Paul's United Methodist
Northport, NY

Program for December 3, 2010

"Zueignung"
Richard Strauss
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Mein Herr Marquis"
Die Fledermaus
Johann Strauss Jr.
Lia Stengren, soprano

"Amor ti vieta"
Fedora
Umberto Giordano
Young Ha Kim, tenor

"Ach Ich Fuhl's"
Die Zauberflote
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ashley Wine, soprano

"Donde lieta usci"
La Boheme
Giacomo Puccini
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Sole e amor"
Giacomo Puccini
Jacqueline Murphy, soprano

"Sempre Libera"
La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi
Barbara Divis, soprano

intermission

"La donna e mobile"
Rigoletto
Giuseppe Verdi
Young Ha Kim, tenor

Deh vieni, non tardar"
Don Giovanni
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Lia Stengren, soprano

"Donna non vidi mai"
Manon Lescaut
Arthur Lai, tenor

"Vissi d'arte"
Tosca,
Giacomo Puccini
Barbara Divis, soprano

Medley of Holiday songs:
Silver Bells by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson
White Christmas by Irving Berlin
Baby it's Cold Outside by Frank Loesser
Justine and Gary Lorenteson

"Al dolce guidami"
Anna Bolena
Gaetano Donizetti
Lauren Haber: aria

"Libiamo ne'lieti calici"
La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi
Jacqueline Murphy, soprano and Arthur Lai, teno
along with the Opera Night company and Opera Night audience!

7:30 pm Chamber music recital

Minuet and Dance of the Blessed Spirits from "Orpheus" by Christoph Gluck

Sonata in g minor by Georg Philipp Telemann:
Adagio
Vivace
Grave
Allegro

Silent Night by Franz Xaver Gruber

Lauren Ausubel, flute
Isabella Eredita Johnson, piano

Opera Night performs in Harborfields Library this SUNDAY
Harborfields Public Library
31 Broadway, Greenlawn
December 12, 2010, Sunday at 2:00 pm
for directions:
http://harb.suffolk.lib.ny.us/directions.htm
for more information:
http://harb.suffolk.lib.ny.us/adobe/dec10news.pdf

Program:

Allerseelen (All Souls' Day), Op. 10 #8
Richard Strauss
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Stizzoso, mio Stizzoso"
La serva padrona
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Jennifer Lynde, soprano

"O mio babbino caro"
Gianni Schicchi
Giacomo Puccini
Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano

"O zittre nicht"
Queen of the Night's first aria
Die Zauberflote
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Dawn Zahralban, soprano

"Signore, ascolta!"
Turandot
Giacomo Puccini
Gina Haver, soprano

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

"Vesti la giubba"
Pagliacci
Ruggero Leoncavallo
Bruce Solomon, tenor

"Sempre Libera"
La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi
Barbara Divis, soprano

intermission

"Ah! per sempre"
I Puritani
Vincenzo Bellini
Stephen Barchi, baritone

"Chi il bel sogno di Doretta"
La Rondine
Giacomo Puccini
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Del Cabello mas Sutil"
Fernando Obradors
Gina Haver, soprano

"Un bel di"
Madama Butterfly
Giacomo Puccini
Barbara Divis, soprano

"Because"
Guy d'Hardelot
Young Ha Kim, tenor

"He shall feel his flock," "Come unto him"
The Messiah
Georg Frederic Handel
Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"O Holy Night"
Adolphe Adam
Dawn Zahralban, soprano

Isabella Eredita Johnson, piano accompanist

Opera Night performs in Oyster Bay

As we continue hosting concerts in Northport every first Friday of the month, we also plan additional concerts throughout Long Island. Opera Night has already performed at libraries, cultural centers, malls, and private concerts to the acclaim of all.

We really started something. Word of Opera Night has travelled far and wide. Our newest projects involve an Opera Night series in the Village of Oyster Bay, Long Island. We have met with members of Christ Church of Oyster Bay about bringing Opera into their community.

Our first performance will be on March 25th, Friday at 7:30. Christ Church of Oyster Bay has a great 302 year history. In fact, President Teddy Roosevelt was once a member of Its congregation.

We welcome all of you to help spread the word, to join our e-mail list for updated information, and to attend our concerts.

Memos from Maddalena:
Music is to be shared during holiday time. From the magnificent Handel's Messiah to carolers who ring our doorbells to rejoice in the season. What can be more heartwarming than to sip eggnog, feast on panetone and listen to Pavarotti's interpretation of "O Holy Night"?. Maybe Elvis' rendition of Blue Blue Christmas, or Brenda Lee swaying you to "Rockin' around the Christmas Tree" is you cup of tea. However you take your coffee or celebrate with your family, make music a part of it. All I know is that Isabella and I will with gusto and ferver! Enjoy, and as we say in our home "Buone Natale!"

2010-11-08T05:04:00.000-08:00

November 5th, 8:00 pm
Program:

"Les Berceaux"
Gabriel Faure
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Un bel di vedremo"
Madama Butterfly
Giacomo Puccini
Barbara Divis, soprano

"Recondita armonia"
Tosca
Giacomo Puccini
Bruce Solomon, tenor

"Chi bel sogno di Doretta"
La Rondine
Giacomo Puccini
Lia Stengren, soprano

"Song to the Moon"
Rusalka,
Antonin Dvorak
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Summertime"
Porgy and Bess
George Gershwin
Jennifer Lynde, soprano

"Saper voreste di che si veste"
Un Ballo in Maschera
Giuseppe Verdi
Ashley WIne, soprano

"Ah! mes amis"
La Fille du Regiment
Gaetano Donizetti
Robert Murphy, tenor

intermission

"In diesen heil'gen Hallen"
The Magic Flute
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sergio Maldonado, bass

"Doll Aria"
The Tales of Hoffman
Jacques Offenbach
Dawn Zahralban, soprano

"Avant de quitter ces lieux"
Faust
Charles Gounod
Stephen Barchi, baritone

"Vissi d'arte"
Tosca
Giuseppe Verdi
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Va! Laisse couler mes larmes"
Werther
Jules Massenet
Melissa Block, mezzo soprano

"Faites-lui mes aveux"
Faust
Charles Gounod
Justine Lorenteson. soprano

"Le veau d'or"
Faust
Charles Gounod
Gary Lorenteson, baritone

"Bei Mannern"
Magic Flute
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Justine and Gary Lorenteson

"La Danza"
Gioachino Rossini
Alex Sheerin, tenor

"Regnava nel silenzio"
Lucia di Lammermoor
Gaetano Donizetti
Kathryn Wieckhorst, soprano

Chamber half hour
Members from Northport Community Orchestra
Performers: Members of the Northport Symphony Orchestra

Program:

Passacaglia, Barthe
Bizet, Carmen Fantasia (arr. Bill Holcombe)

Marianne Vandermeersch, flute
Emma Walker, oboe
Kathrynn Yland, clarinet
Leanna McCabe, bassoon
Steve Alberti, french horn

Haydn, Trio No. 1,C Major
Allegro
Andante
Vivace

Edna Susman, flute
Naomi Gage, flute
Ron Coleman, cello

Review of the evening by Greg Tsontakis-Mally:

Opera Night, on Nov 5, 2010, at St. Paul's Church in Northport, was incredibly rich. As is the custom, it began with a 1/2 hour of chamber music by members of the Northport Symphony Orchestra. It began with a wind quintet of Marianne Vandermeersch on flute, Emma Walker on oboe, Kathryn Yland on clarinet, Leanna McCabe on bassoon, and Steve Alberti on french horn, playing "Passacaglia" by Barthe. Barthe is a 20C English composer and this was a delightful new dressing of the English round, beautifully played. Appropriately, for Opera Night, the quintet next played a fantasia from Bizet's Carmen with a reprisal of the opera's major themes with a chugalong accompaniment. There was then a trio of Edna Susman on flute, Naomi Gage on flute, and Ron Coleman on cello. They brought to life Haydn's Trio No. 1 which was lightly and lovingly played. The first movement alone was practically a whole symphony in musical ideas.

Opera Night began with Jeanny Schwartz singing "Les Berceaux" by Faure, a song to be sung as if underwater. Jeanny delivered a lovely and haunting performance. Barbara Divis, new to Opera Night, gave a great rendering of the immortal classic, "Un bel di," from Madame Butterfly. There is an incredibly rich sheen and vibrancy to her voice with a full emotional understanding of this heartbreaking aria. This was a great performance. Bruce Solomon next sang one from Tosca with a voice of clarity and power that he was not afraid to unleash. Amazing! We knew we were in for an operatic ride that evening. Lia Stengren sang "Doretta's Aria" from La Rondine by Puccini. It starts out as a musical conversation and then eases into one of those arias that "packs a punch". Lauren Haber then took center stage to sing "Song to the Moon" with which she tossed out shards of silver-rich tone. A beautiful performance. Jennifer Lynde then sang "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess. The vibrato and overtones of her good voice brought a new sound to this well-known song. Ashley Wine would then sing "Saper voreste" by Verdi. It is a light confectionery, well done. A trip to Italy does us all good, but for a singer - it hits a switch, as it did with Robert Murphy who has recently returned from Italy. He sang "Ah! mes amis" by Donizetti with all the gusto of a natural born Italian (in opera, that's a compliment) and showed good control over those high notes. It closed the first half of Opera Night, with accompaniment by Isabella Eredita-Johnson, Opera Night's inspired godmother. She spoke of her dream, an opera house in Northport. With the inclusion of chamber players from the Northport Symphony Orchestra, perhaps such a dream is not so out of reach. The music is here. The singers are here. It's that matter of a building, fundraisers, set designers, production crews, occasionally, dancers - all which must be within our community. As I surveyed the warm reception of a now faithful audience, I think such a dream is indeed possible.

The second half began with Ken Friese now accompanying on piano. Ken's skills as a player, and I suspect, as a sightreader, are awesome. The first singer up was Sergio Maldonado, a bass, who sang from the Magic Flute. Sergio has a magnificent voice. It is deep, sonorous and full of melodious, golden tone, and this was a remarkable performance. Next, Dawn Zahralban sang the delightful "Doll Aria" by Offenbach. Dawn is an endearing performer. It was a charming performance, complete with a walk-on part by Isabella as the key winder. On Jan 29, the next performer, Steve Barchi, will give his senior recital at Paul Hall at Julliard. Based on what we have heard, you might want to make the trek in to Lincoln Center to hear it. Steve sang from Gounod's "Faust". He possesses a raw, unbridled talent that has such smooth control of some of the gymnastic demands of this song. That's good training. The result is the full, rich sound that he is known for. Lauren Haber would return again to sing one from Verdi's "Tosca". It was a great performance where we, the audience, were enveloped in a canapy of rich sound and unspeakable beauty. It was followed by another absolutely beautiful performance of "Va! Laisse couler mes larmes" by Melissa Block. Next, husband and wife, Justine and Gary Lorentson, took the stage to individually sing two from "Faust". Oh! To have music in the family like that! What a joy! They teamed up for a duet from the Magic Flute that was an absolute delight. A young performer, Alex Sheerin, beautifully accompanied by Ken Friese, put on some flash with "La Danza" by Rossini. It was a fleet sprint for the piano with cascading notes that is breathtaking and certainly brings the singer along. Kathryn Wieckhorst would close the evening with an exquisite and richly warm performance that was beautifully sung. A wonderful closing to a special evening This was an evening that was charged with a number of great performances. Our debt goes to the singers and musicians who bring this quality to downtown Northport.

At the reception in the Fireplace Room, I spoke with Bruce Johnson, the Opera Night photographer who said that the night was well balanced. The chamber music lowers your blood pressure - and the opera portion raises it. Surely opera touches the full range of human emotion, alluding to all our hopes and desires, and it is in this make-believe world that we are reminded of the marvelous spectrum of what it is to be fully human. Oh! That we have ears to hear! Would it not be great to, one day, walk up the steps of the Northport Opera House!

Memo's from Maddalena
St. Pauls was a veritable hive of activity last Friday night. The foyer machinations were in full swing, the reception preparations attended to and the stream of faithful opera lovers began to flow indoors. We never know the depths of emotions that are stirred when we listen and are touched by music. We aim to surround ourselves in beauty whenever we can, and we become cloistered in communality when we finally take our seats and the opening chords are struck. When kindred spirits gather to revel in performances that envelope us, we can only feel enriched and grateful for what we have and what we aspire to and what is in the realm of possibilities. Opera lifts us all!

Opera Night in September

2010-09-07T06:14:00.000-07:00

Opera Night Mission Statement:

Our goal is to foster the production and appreciation of opera and chamber music in the Long Island Community by providing an excellent venue for participating musicians. Opera Night brings together Long Island's finest singers, chamber musicians, and costume designers. Our concert location provides fine acoustics, with a professional accompanist on a Steinway piano.

Opera Night performances have consistently drawn audiences of two hundred or more. We strive to maintain and grow this popularity so that established and emerging performers have a

Two performances took place in September:

Opera Night, September 3rd at St. Paul's
Program:

"Doretta's aria"
La Rondine
Giacomo Puccini
Alexis Pesenti, soprano

"Morgen", op 27 #4
Richard Strauss
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Nacht" op 10 #3
Richard Strauss
Linda Garrity, soprano

"I'll sail upon the Dog Star"
Henry Purcell
Bruce Solomon, tenor

"Auf Flugeln des Gesanges" op. 34 #2
("On Wings of Song")
Felix Mendelssohn
May Liz O'Neill, soprano

"Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle?"
Romeo et Juliette
Charles Gounod
Melissa Block, mezzo soprano

"Voi lo sapete"
Cavalleria Rusticana
Pietro Mascagni
Marie Michalopoulos, mezzo soprano

"Here is Winter"
"Six Elizabethan Songs"
Dominick Argento
Jennifer Lynde, soprano

intermission

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525
Serenade for Strings
transcribed for Piano Duet
Karen Beluso, pianist
Isabella Eredita Johnson, pianist

"Quando m'en vo"
Musetta's Aria
La Boheme
Giacomo Puccini
Sharon Pesenti, soprano

"Ah! Mes Amis"
Daughter of the Regiment
Gaetano Donizetti
Sal Cappellino, tenor

"The Little Horses" (Lullaby)
from American Songs
Aaron Copland
Linda Garrity, soprano

"Va! Laisse couler mes larmes"
Werther
Jules Massenet
Marie Michalopoulos, mezzo soprano

"Che faro senza Euridice"
Orfeo
Christoph von Gluck
Ariana Warren, mezzo soprano

'Ch'ella mi creda libero e lontano'
La Fanciulla del West
Giacomo Puccini
Bruce Solomon, tenor

"Sull'aria"
Le Nozze di Figaro
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Alexis and Sharon Pesenti, sopranos

"Mandoline"
Claude Debussy
Mary Liz O'Neill, soprano

"Volta la terrea"
Un Ballo in Maschera
Giuseppe Verdi
Justine Lorenteson, soprano

"Largo al factotum"
Barbiere di Siviglia
Gioacchino Rossini
Gary Lorenteson, baritone

"Si, vendetta, tremenda vendetta"
Rigoletto
Giuseppe Verdi
Justine and Gary Lorenteson

Chamber Music, 7:30 pm

Pre-concert program:

W.A. Mozart Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 333

F. Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11

Karen Beluso, pianist

Karen Beluso is Glen Cove resident and a graduate of the Juilliard School, where she received a D.M.A. under the tutelage of Herbert Stessin. She has been on the faculties of the Portledge School and the C.W. Post Summer Chamber Music Festival. Dr. Beluso is currently the Director of Education & Community Engagement for the Long Island Philharmonic. She made her Carnegie Hall solo debut with the New York Youth Symphony in 1989 and has performed as a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Brentwood-Westwood (CA) Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Beluso has performed extensively in Costa Rica, Switzerland, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Tennessee, South Carolina, Washington, DC and the tri-state area.

Thank-you Steinway & Sons Gallery, (Rte. 110, Melville) for providing us with a Steinway concert grand!

Memos from Maddalena

There was excitement in the air as Isabella and I watched the piano movers dollying in the Steinway concert grand Friday afternoon. When great piano meets master pianist, magic happens. It did Friday night, when Karen Beluso struck the opening notes of Mozart's B-flat Sonata, K.333. The audience was hushed, listening to her finesse the keys and deliver what was to be a stellar performance. Ms. Beluso accepted our standing ovation, and graced us with an encore by Ginestera. A great pianist will be versatile and in doing so, Ms. Beluso accompanied a varied program of Opera arias and art songs. Opera Night endured several cancellations that evening due to the storm that wasn't , but our devoted patrons that filled the pews were rewarded many times over. As we revelled in the selections of music, and feasted in the communality that only opera audiences share, the night drew to a wonderful conclusion with opera singer and opera lover, agreeing that it was a superb night. When I leave for Italy this week, I will take with me the hearts of those who love opera, and when I stand outside the portals of La Scala in Milano, I will thank the great composers who are remembered over and over again in Northport.

Maddalena Harris, Opera Night's assistant director

Upcoming events:
September 25, 2010: Karen Beluso, pianist performs in concert. Beacon Music Series at St, Patricks Church, Glen Cove, NY, 7:00 pm

October 1st, 2010 Opera Night at St. Paul's: an evening of Puccini, organized by Daniel Ragone 7:30 pm

October 15th "Heritage Night" , 7:30 pm, Sopranos Lauren Haber and Rebecca Posteraro perform at the Kings Park Heritage Museum (RJO School, Kings Park). Free admission

October 23rd: Opera Night performs at Betheny Presbyterian Church, Huntington Station. 8:00 pm.
for more info, e-mail maddalen@optonline.net $15.00 donation

November 5th, 2010: Opera Night at St. Paul's, 7:30 pm.

November 20, 2010: Opera Night performs at the Tanger Mall in Deer Park. A Holiday program and Christmas Tree lighting event.

Bravissimo to our singers who participated in the Walt Whitman Mall concert on Sunday, September 5th, 2010:
Young Ha Kim, tenor
Robert Cinnante, tenor
Jennifer Lynde, soprano
Mary Elizabeth O'Neill, soprano

Opera Night, August 6th, 2010

2010-08-08T19:58:00.000-07:00

Program: August 6, 2010

"Nuit d'etoiles"
Claude Debussy
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Vedrai, carino"
Don Giovanni
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Jackie Murphy, soprano:

"I shall find for you"
The Consul
Gian Carlo Menotti
Marie Michalopoulos, mezzo soprano

"Because"
Guy d'Hardelot
Robert Cinnante, tenor

"Non mi dir"
Don Giovanni
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Lauren Haber, soprano

"Vainement, ma bien-aimée"
Le Roi d'Ys
Édouard Lalo
Adam Zwang, tenor

"Dicitencello vuie"
Rodolfo Falvo
Young Ha Kim, tenor

intermission

"Va! Laisse couler mes larmes"
Werther
Jules Massenet
Marguerite Jones, soprano

"L'ultima canzone"
Paolo Tosti
Robert Cinnante, tenor

"Quanto e bella, quanto e cara"
L'elisir d'amore
Gaetano Donizetti
Arthur Lai, tenor

"This is my beloved"
Kismet
Robert Wright (Alexander Borodin)
Jennifer Heggman-Lynde, soprano

"Voi, che sapete"
Le Nozze di Figaro
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Bonnie Elmann, soprano

"Music. when soft voices die"
op. 25 #1
Roger Quilter
Patrick Shelton, tenor

"Deh vieni, non tardar"
Don Giovanni
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Melissa Block, mezzo soprano

"Lost in the Wilderness"
Children of Eden
Stephen Schwartz
Adam Zwang, tenor

"Non ti scordar di me"
Ernesto de Curtis
Young Ha Kim, tenor

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

The Chamber Music, 7:30 pm

Violin Sonata #3 in c minor, opus 45

I. Allegro molto ed appassionato
II. Allegretto espressivo alla Romanza
III. Allegro animato
Edvard Grieg

Matthew Aprea, violin
Paul Kerekes, piano

Opera Night, August 6th, a review by Dominic Caputo

Romance seemed to be in the air at this month’s Opera Night performance:

The evening started with soprano Jeanny Schwartz singing a haunting rendition of “Nuit d’etoiles” (Night of stars . . .) , Claude Debussy’s first published song which set a poem by Théodore de Banville to music.

Soprano Jackie Murphy, a former St. Anthony and current Hofstra student followed with “Vedrai carino” (Come dear one . . .), from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Jackie’s beautiful lilting vocals gave tender meaning to Zerlina’s consolation of the bruised and battered Masetto.

Mezzo soprano Marie Michalopoulos then gave us a rich and tasteful performance of “I shall find for you” from Gian Carlo Menotti’s first full length opera performed on Broadway in 1950.

Tenor Robert Cinnante sang “Because” by Helen Rhodes, composed under the pen name Guy d’Hardelot. Ms. Rhodes took her pen name from an old castle, Chateau d’Hardelot, once occupied by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Robert’s wonderful performance did justice to this “back when” classic.

More romance as Soprano Lauren Haber followed with an exceptional rendition of “Non mi dir” (Tell me not . . .) from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, where Anna assures Octavio that she loves him and is faithful.

Love and Marriage? Tenor Adam Zwang was in complete command as he sang "Vainement, ma bien-aimée" (In vain, my beloved) Mylio's bridal song from the opera Le Roi d’ys by the French composer Edouard Lalo.

And to top off the romantic setting of part 1 of this Opera Night, tenor Young Ha Kim heated up an already warm evening with his singing of “Dicitencello Vuie”, a Neapolitan love song by Rudolfo Falvo. If it sounded familiar, you may have heard the American version by Dean Martin, “Just Say I love Her.

Soprano Marguerite Jones, a student at Oberlin College in Ohio, opened part two of our evening with a lush rendition of “Va! Laisse couler mes larmes” (Go, let flow my tears . . .) form the opera Werther by Jules Massenet where Charlotte spends time rereading Werther's letters to herself.

Tenor Robert Cinnante followed with a passionate and powerful rendition of “L’ ultimo canzone” by Paolo Tosti. A few of the lyrics: “But always, night and day, a flood of passion, my song will come moaning to you”. Whew, turn up the air-conditioning!

Tenor Arthur Lai sang “Quanto e bella, quanto e cara . . .” (How beautiful, how dear . . .), Nemorino’s first act love song from the comic opera L’ Elisir d’amor (The Elixir of Love) by Gaetano Donizetti with warm and lovely Italian ardor. If you are looking for an Italian opera without murders, suicides, and a tragic ending, this one’s for you.

Recently married soprano Jennifer Heggman-Lynde gave us a soaring rendition of “And this is my beloved” from the musical Kismet by Robert Wright and George Forrest. Was it my imagination or didn’t Jennifer beam the best parts of this wonderful love song directly to her new husband in the audience?

Soprano Bonnie Elmann continued the enchanting evening as she sang a tender and sensitive “Voi che sapete che cosa e amor” (You who know what love is . . ) from Mozart’s opera Le Nozze Di Figaro.

Tenor Patrick Shelton performed a rarely heard Roger Quilter song, “Music when soft voices die”, shaping each phrase with bittersweet poignancy.

Soprano Melissa Block sang an entrancing and elegant “Deh vieni non tardar,” (Ah, come without delay) from Mozart’s Le Nozze Di Figaro wherein Susanna teases Figaro by singing a love song to her beloved within Figaro's hearing.

Adam Zwang returned to sing "Lost in the Wilderness" from Children of Eden, a musical written in 1986 by Stephen Schwartz that almost made it to Broadway. Adam's rendition of this song was very impressive, and the audience reacted with cheers.

You could close your eyes and be in Southern Italy as tenor Young Ha Kim returned to the stage and lifted his voice to majestic highs singing “Non ti scordar di me” (Never forget about me) by Neapolitan composer Ernesto De Curtis who also wrote “Torna a Surriento” (Come back to Sorrento).

And to close the evening, soprano Lauren Haber sang “Visi D’Arte, [vissi d’amor]”, (I lived for Art, [I lived for love]) from the opera Tosca, wherein Tosca questions God for allowing her to make a decision to give away her dignity in the exchange for her lover’s life. Although Lauren noted that this difficult aria was a new challenge for her, one cannot imagine that her rich, unforced rendition could get much better.

Opera Night, August 6, 2010

2010-07-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

Come to Opera Night, August 6, 2010
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
270 Main Street
Northport, New York

July 2nd 2010

2010-06-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

St. Paul's United Methodist Church
Northport
Opera Night, July 2nd, 2010, 7:30 pm

Program:

"Passing Dreams"
Roger Quilter
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Serenata"
Pietro Mascagni
Robert Murphy, tenor

"So in Love"
Kiss Me Kate
Cole Porter
Gina Haver, soprano

"Nachtlied"
Felix Mendelssohn
Robert Cinnante, tenor

"O mio babbino caro"
Gianni Schicchi
Giacomo Puccini
Jackie Murphy, soprano

"At the river"
Aaron Copland
Bruce Solomon, tenor

"Habanera"
Carmen
Georges Bizet
Melissa Block, mezzo soprano

"Music of the Night"
Phantom of the Opera
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Gary Lorentzen

"Questa o Quello"
Rigoletto
Giuseppe Verdi
Young Ha Kim, tenor

intermission

"Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio!"
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Dawn Zahralban, soprano

"Che gelida manina"
La Boheme
Giacomo Puccini
Sal Cappelino, tenor

"Io son l'umile ancella"
Francesco Cilea
Andriana Lecouvreur
Cheryl Savitt-Spielman, soprano

"O Isis und Osiris" (Sarastro's aria)
The Magic Flute
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sergio Maldonado, bass

“Mi tradì quell' alma ingrata”
Don Giovanni
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Lucia Stolzenburg, soprano

"Chanson triste"
Henri Duparc
Alex Sheerin, tenor

"Hotel"
Francis Poulenc
Francesca Lunghi, mezzo soprano

"L'alba separa dalla luce l'ombra"
Paolo Tosti
Daniel Gutteriez, tenor

"Willow"
Ballad of Baby Doe
Douglas Moore
Kimberly Iannuzzi , soprano

"Recondita armonia"
Tosca
Giacomo Puccini
Arthur Lai, tenor

"One hand, one heart"
West Side Story
Leonard Bernstein
Robert Murphy and Jackie Murphy

Daniel Ragone, piano accompanist

Chamber Music, 7:30 - 8:00 pm
Peter Howard, violoncello
Suite No. 5 for unaccompanied cello in c minor

Praeludium (Largo)
Allegro Moderato (Fugue)
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Gavotte I
Gavotte II
Gigue

Opera Night, July 2nd, 2010

Review by Dominick Caputo

· The opera portion of the evening began with mezzo soprano Jeanny Schwartz treating us to a beautifully sung rendition of “Passing Dreams” by Roger Quilter. As Jeanny noted, a short piece but thought provoking.

· Next tenor Robert Murphy heated up an already warm evening, singing “Serenata”, a Neapolitan love song by Pietro Mascagni. This is the same composer who gave the world the opera Cavalleria rusticana and the unforgettable musical theme of the film Raging Bull.

· In the spirit of the July 4th weekend, Gina Haver presented us a wonderful Americana bouquet, “So in Love,” from the Cole Porter musical Kiss Me Kate.

· Tenor Robert Cinnante offered us yet more variety in the form of a well-sung German lieder song, “Nachtlied” by Felix Mendelssohn.

· And of course, what would opera night be without at least one Puccini aria? Soprano Jackie Murphy came to the rescue with her wonderful rendition of “O mio babbino caro”, from the one-act opera Gianni Schicchi.

· Tenor Bruce Solomon brought us back to Americana with his elegant rendition of the American classic “At The River” by Aaron Copland.

· If there is a runner-up to Puccini on Opera Night, it may be arias from Bizet’s Carmen, and Melissa Block teased her audience with her passionate singing of the famous "Habanera," starting with the lyrics, “When will I love you? Good Lord, I don't know, Maybe never, maybe tomorrow. But not today, that's for sure”.

· Baritone Gary Lorentzen transported us to Broadway with his nicely sung "Music of the Night" from the Phantom of the Opera.

· Tenor, Young Ha Kim closed out part one of our Opera Night evening by giving us a rousing performance of the famous aria "Questa o Quella" from the opera Rigoletto, by composer Joe Green, where the Duke informs us that he is not at all picky about his choice of women. Mr. Green, better known as Giuseppe Verdi, gave the world many of its best loved operas.

· Soprano Dawn Zahralban kicked off part two of the evening with a wonderfully sung Mozart piece, "Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio!", (I would explain oh God). This aria was actually part of an opera, Il curioso indescreto by Pasquale Anfossi.

· Tenor Sal Cappelino provided us a delicate rendition of what may be one of the most world’s most famous arias, "Che Gelida Manina," from one of the world’s most famous operas, Puccini’s La Boheme

· Soprano Cheryl Savitt-Spielman presented us with a lovely rendition of Andiana’s ode to creativeness, “Io son l’umile ancella” (I am the humble servant of the creative genius) in the aria from Andriana Lecouvreur, by Francesco Cilea.

· A little Singspiel, anyone? Baritone Sergio Maldonado rendered Sarastro's arias from The Magic Flute, by Mozart with the richness that only the baritone voice can provide.

· Next, soprano Lucia Stolzenburg sang “Mi tradì quell' alma ingrata” (That ungrateful wretch betrayed me) from the opera Don Giovanni, by Wolfgang Mozart. This aria was not part of the original opera but was composed at the request of the soprano Catarina Cavallieri to show off her voice. It has become one of the great jewels of the opera.

· What a coincidence! The art song "Chanson triste," by Henri Duparc was written when he was only 20 years old. And tonight it was sung beautifully by 15-year old tenor, Alex Sheerin. We watch with fascination as Alex continues to develop and proves to us that Bernard Shaw’s quote “youth is wasted on the young” should be taken with a large grain of salt.

· Mezzo soprano Francesca Lunghi gave us another art song with a terrific performance of “Hotel” by Francis Poulenc. Those who are trying to quit smoking will appreciate the lyrics – “My room is shaped like a cage, The sun streams through the window. But I who want to smoke to the mirages I light the fire of the day my cigarette. I do not want to work - I want to smoke.”

· While love songs are usually aimed at women, Neapolitan composer Paolo Tosti directed many of his most sentimental compositions to the sun, the sea, and the sky. Tenor Daniel Gutteriez gave us a beautifully sung example with Tosti’s ode to the dawn, “L’alba.”

· Soprano Kimberly Iannuzzi brought us back to America with her lovely rendition of the “Willow Song” from the American opera Ballad of Baby Doe by Douglas Moore.

· There is never enough Puccini to go around and tenor Arthur Lai did the great composer justice with his passionate, romantic rendition of the romanza "Recondita armonia di bellezze diverse" (Concealed harmony of contrasting beauties) from the opera Tosca by Giacomo Puccini.

· Well, how do you end a Northport Opera Night on the eve of Independence Day? Perhaps by declaring an end to rigid social mores? That is exactly what Jackie Murphy and her cousin Robert did as they sang the “One Hand, One Heart” duet from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story where Latino Maria and Anglo Tony declare their eternal love for each other.

Come hear us at Douglaston Community Church

2010-06-17T12:57:00.000-07:00

Opera Night Returns to Douglaston
Saturday, June 19th at 8:00 pm
Douglaston Community Church

Tickets are available at the door. $20 will benefit the Music Ministry program at Douglaston. Hall is AIR-CONDITIONED!

Click for directions.
http://www.communitychurchofdouglaston.org/CCD.Front.FindUs.041224.htm

Opera Night Returns to Douglaston
June 19th, 2010

Pre- Concert:
Waltz in c-sharp minor, Op. 64 #2
Frederic Chopin, 1810-1849
Isabella Eredita Johnson, pianist

8:00 pm
"Quando m'en vo' soletta" (Musetta's Waltz)
La Boheme
Giacomo Puccini
Gina Haver, soprano

“Torna a Surriento"
Ernesto De Curtis
Young Ha Kim, tenor

"Chi il bel sogno di Doretta" (Doretta's Aria)
“Vedrommi,intorno”
Idomeneo
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Bruce Solomon, tenor

"Meine Lippen, sie kussen so heiss"
Giuditta
Franz Lehar
Julia Partyka, soprano

"Senza mamma"
Suor Angelica
Giacomo Puccini
Linda Garrity, soprano

"Kdyz mine stara matka" (Songs my mother taught me)
op. 55 no. 4 from Gypsy Melodies
Antonin Dvorak
Izabel Grajner-Partyka, soprano

"Ah! per sempre"
I Puritani
Vincenzo Bellini
Stephen Barchi, baritone

"Sul'aria"
Le Nozze di Figaro
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Kimberly Iannuzzi and Leslie Valentine

intermission

"Lords Prayer"
Albert Hay Malotte
Robert Murphy, tenor

"Habanera"
Carmen
Georges Bizet
Leslie Valentine, mezzo soprano

"Silent Noon"
Vaughan Williams
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano

"Mein Herr Marquis" (Adele's Laughing Song)
Die Fledermaus
Johann Strauss Jr.
Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano

"Vainement, ma bien-aimee"
Le Roi d'Ys
Edouard Lalo
Robert Murphy, tenor

"Blick ich um her"
Tannhäuser
Richard Wagner
Stephen Barchi, baritone

"Non so piu cosa son "
Le nozze di Figaro
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Melissa Block, soprano

"O Soave Fanciulla"
La Boheme
Giacomo Puccini
Bruce Solomon and Gina Haver

"La Beaute"
Frederic Chopin 1820-1849
Julia Partyka and Izabel Partyka, sopranos

Bios: The singers:

Gina Haver's background includes opera, oratorio and theatre with such credits: Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, NYC Town Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Harry Chapin Theatre at Hecksher State Park, St. AnnsHoly Trinity Church in Brooklyn, the Northport Theatre, and Westchester Town Hall with various solo appearances at Merkin Hall and Alice Tully Hall. Other NYC credits: The Singers Theatre of NY, New York Selah Ensemble, New York Chamber Players, Genesis Repertory Ensemble, soprano soloist for New York Choral Society Summersings (Carmina Burana, Brahms Requiem, Israel in Egypt), participant in the Dicapo Opera Young Artist Program. This June Gina will be featured in a recital at Symphony Space in NYC.

Young Ha Kim (tenor) received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in vocal performance from Stony Brook University. He has performed the role of Reuel in the Red Scarf, Sam in Street Scene, Apollo in L'orfeo and Basilio in Don Quichotte auf der Hochzeit des Comacho. Kim has been a guest artist with Indiana Opera North in Pagliacci and performed in Main Opera Theater, Michigan. Currently, he is a contracted singer of the New York Art Song Association and a music director of New York Bible Church.

Bruce Solomon-tenor
Began his studies at the Juilliard school pre-college division. He then received music degrees from Queens College and the Manhattan School of music. Bruce did his apprenticeship at The Lake George Opera festival where he appeared in fully staged performances of Opera. He continued his studies in Europe studying at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. Bruce has sung at Alice Tully hall, Carnegie Hall and Avery Fischer and has sung in churches and synagogues throughout the country.
Bruce is a frequent performer at Opera Night and is a resident of Huntington.

Izabel Grajner- Partyka , Angelus Chorus Music Director and Mezzo Soprano soloist. Piano and cello at the Szymanowski HS of Music in Katowice, Poland. Voice and Opera major at the Academy of Music, Cracow. MA in Opera and Voice, Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz - Poland

Concert of complete songs of Chopin in NYC and various venues in Italy, 2007. Solo and ensemble appearances in US and Europe. Mezzo soprano soloist and section leader, Community Church of Douglaston.
Private Studio for Voice and Piano, NYC.

Linda Garrity, lyric soprano, has performed with the New Metro Vocal Arts Ensemble, dell’arte Opera Ensemble, Regina Opera, Hartt Opera Theater, Janiec Opera at the Brevard Music Center, Rockland Opera and The Opera Workshop at Hunter College. In 2006, Ms. Garrity performed the role of the First Lady in the Die Zauberflote with the Amalfi Coast Music Festival in Italy. Other operatic roles include Despina in Cosi Fan Tutte, Amy in Little Women, Rose Murrant in Street Scene, Pousette in Manon, Suor Genevieffa and Infermiera in Suor Angelica. Recently, Linda participated in a series of master classes at Lincoln Center given by Maestro Peter Mark of Virginia Opera. For the past few years, Ms. Garrity has performed works by Schubert, Scarlatti, Granados, and Schumann in the chamber music concerts at the 92ND Street Y in New York City. She has also been a guest artist at performances throughout Long Island with The West Islip Symphony Orchestra and The Long Island Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra. Ms. Garrity obtained her Bachelor of Music Degree from Hunter College.

Julia Partyka is a young talent that has been said to “have a bright future on the stage“. At the age of 6 she started studying piano with her mother Izabela Grajner - Partyka. Notable performances include Claudette Peterson’s and Friends Recital Series in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, Anthony Maglione’s “Spirits of the Dead” premiere as a soloist in Jordan Hall at New England Conservatory, “Tosca” with Myriad Opera Company and playing Tessa in Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Gondoliers eith LaGuardia’s Opera Workshop. In 2007, she was a part of the Music e Arte Festival where she studied and performed in Tolentino, Italy. Julia attended the legendary Fiorello H. LaGuardia HS for Music and Art & the Performing Arts for voice and graduated in 2009. She has now finished her first year as an undergraduate classical voice major at the New England Conservatory of Music where she performed in the Undergraduate Opera Studies production of Seymour Barab‘s Game of Chance as the 3rd knitter. Julia was recently accepted into AIMS in Graz (American Institute of Musical Studies) and will be studying and performing in Graz, Austria this summer .

Stephen Barchi Baritone, is 21 years old and a senior at The Juilliard School. He has appeared in various Juilliard recitals and in Juilliard Opera Workshop’s productions of The Mother of Us All and Doriclea. In January of 2006, Stephen was a voice winner for the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts in Miami, Florida. This summer, Stephen travels to Europe to attend The London Masterclasses and the 53ème Académie Internationale d’Été de Nice where he will pursue intensive study with Lorraine Nubar and Dalton Baldwin. He will also be visiting several conservatories in London and Paris as he hopes to study (next year) in Europe after he finishes his diploma at Juilliard.

Robert Murphy, tenor:

Between a rigorous schedule as a Junior at Manhattan School of Music, and working professionally with the McNeil Robinson Octet at Holy Trinity Church in New York City, Robert performs in many community events and performs regularly for Opera Night. Some of Robert’s notable performances were solo Recital at Carnegie Hall 2008 (Manhattan School of Music Fund Raiser), guest tenor at Mozart Festival at Old Westbury Gardens with Gemini Youth Orchestra ( Summer 2008). This past summer, Robert was one of thirty vocalists from the United States to be accepted into the elite Opera Works program for June, 2009, in Los Angeles, California. Robert was one of 24 chosen worldwide to be accepted into the la lingua della lirica program in Novalfeltria Italy this summer where he will study for three weeks in July.

Leslie Valentine, mezzo soprano:

A native of Long Island, New York, Leslie Valentine has appeared in opera, concert and recital throughout the United States, as well as in Great Britain and Japan. Companies she has performed with include The New York City Opera National Company, Chautauqua Opera, Lake George Opera Festival, Opera Theater at Wildwood, Opera Theatre of Rochester, Tacoma Opera, Lyric Opera Cleveland, Tulsa Opera, Virginia Opera, Sarasota Opera Association, Bronx Opera, American Opera Projects, Tokyo City Orchestra, the New York Asian Symphony Orchestra, Gala Opera International, the Philharmonia Virtuosi, the Charlotte Philharmonic, the Huntington Choral Society, Ridotto, the Brookhaven Choral Festival, the Taghknic Chorale, and the National Chorale, which marked her Lincoln Center debut.

Jeanny Schwartz, born in Hong Kong and graduated from Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, has appeared as an alto solo in vocal concerts such as The Christmas Oratorio, Le Roi David, Hymne au Soleil, Gloria, and many more. She also has performed in operas and musical productions like Quilters, Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte, Tour Guide in Orphee aux Enfer. She has joined Opera Night since December 2008.

Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano, was a member of the Dicapo Opera theatre Young Artist Program and has performed with the New York Opera Forum and with New York Opera Productions. Roles performed include: Suor Genovieffa, Suor Angelica, Nella, Gianni Schicchi, Despina, Cosi fan tutte, Barbarina, The Marriage of Figaro and Zerlina, Don Giovanni. She has given several recitals and has performed with ensembles including the Western New York Chorale in its performance of Mozarts Vesperae solennes de confessore. Kimberly was a finalist in the Rising Star Opera Competition.Currently, Kimberly is the soprano soloist of the Community Church of Douglaston where she has performed Vivaldis Gloria, the Mozart Requiem, Brittens A Ceremony of Carols and Faures Requiem. Kimberly has enjoyed performing in the Douglaston Concerts series and at Northports Opera Night for the past five years.

Melissa Block is a mezzo-soprano from Commack, New York. She has a Bachelors of Music in Voice and a Bachelors of Arts in Spanish from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Melissa was a soloist in the Metropolitan Youth Chorale of New York. She has performed scenes as Angelina in Rossini’s La Cenerentola and Cherubino in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro under the tutelage of Carol Vaness. Her mainstage roles include Barbarina in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Princess Linetta in Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges, and Third Lady in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte.

Isabella Eredita Johnson, pianist, lives in Northport, and accompanies and teaches piano professionally. She was awarded a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music where she received both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees, studying with Constance Keene. She has won both the prestigious George Schick award for outstanding musicianship and 1st prize at the Mason & Hamlin Piano competition. Among her proudest accomplishments are the presentations of the Diabelli Variations and the Goldberg Variations. Each of these two concerts involved the gathering of over thirty fine pianists, each performing a single variation. Ms. Eredita is an active advocate for the arts on Long Island, and regularly hosts the "Opera Night series in Northport.

Opera Night in Costume, May 7, 2010

2010-05-08T22:38:00.000-07:00

All concerts take place at
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
270 Main Street, Northport
7:30-8:00 (Chamber Music)
8:00 Opera Night
Long Island's best singers
$7 donation
for questions, e-mail us at vivaldi222@aol.com

Opera Night May 7, 2010
A most remarkable evening. Singers were in top form. Audience packed to capacity.
Lucky for all those in attendance.

2010-04-19T06:07:00.000-07:00

May 7th performance coming up! Here are some bios....

Bios:

Linda Garrity, lyric soprano, has performed with the New Metro Vocal Arts Ensemble, dell’arte Opera Ensemble, Regina Opera, Hartt Opera Theater, Janiec Opera at the Brevard Music Center, Rockland Opera and The Opera Workshop at Hunter College. In 2006, Ms. Garrity performed the role of the First Lady in the Die Zauberflote with the Amalfi Coast Music Festival in Italy. Other operatic roles include Despina in Cosi Fan Tutte, Amy in Little Women, Rose Murrant in Street Scene, Pousette in Manon, Suor Genevieffa and Infermiera in Suor Angelica. Recently, Linda participated in a series of master classes at Lincoln Center given by Maestro Peter Mark of Virginia Opera. For the past few years, Ms. Garrity has performed works by Schubert, Scarlatti, Granados, and Schumann in the chamber music concerts at the 92ND Street Y in New York City. She has also been a guest artist at performances throughout Long Island with The West Islip Symphony Orchestra and The Long Island Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra. Ms. Garrity obtained her Bachelor of Music Degree from Hunter College.

Lauren Nicole Haber, Soprano, graduated with a Masters of Music Degree from the Manhattan School of Music in 2006 and earned her Bachelor of Music Degree from C.W. Post, Long Island University in 2004. Last summer, Lauren was a participant at the International Vocal Arts Institute ,Canada, under the direction of Joan Dornemann, This summer, Lauren will participate at the four week intensive OperaWorks program in California under the direction of Ann Baltz. She will also be a participant in the Westchester Summer Vocal Institute under the direction of Dr. Sherry Overholt. This coming Fall, Lauren will learn the role of Violetta from Verdis La Traviata with the Martina Arroyos Role Performance Seminar.

Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano, was a member of the Dicapo Opera theatre Young Artist Program and has performed with the New York Opera Forum and with New York Opera Productions. Roles performed include: Suor Genovieffa, Suor Angelica, Nella, Gianni Schicchi, Despina, Cosi fan tutte, Barbarina, The Marriage of Figaro and Zerlina, Don Giovanni. She has given several recitals and has performed with ensembles including the Western New York Chorale in its performance of Mozarts Vesperae solennes de confessore. Kimberly was a finalist in the Rising Star Opera Competition.Currently, Kimberly is the soprano soloist of the Community Church of Douglaston where she has performed Vivaldis Gloria, the Mozart Requiem, Brittens A Ceremony of Carols and Faures Requiem. Kimberly has enjoyed performing in the Douglaston Concerts series and at Northports Opera Night for the past five years.

Young Ha Kim (tenor) received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in vocal performance from Stony Brook University. He has performed the role of Reuel in the Red Scarf, Sam in Street Scene, Apollo in L'orfeo and Basilio in Don Quichotte auf der Hochzeit des Comacho. Kim has been a guest artist with Indiana Opera North in Pagliacci and performed in Main Opera Theater, Michigan. Currently, he is a contracted singer of the New York Art Song Association and a music director of New York Bible Church.

Lauren Klimek holds a bachelors degree in music performance from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. Lauren has performed in various roles such as "The Dew Fairy" from Humperdink's Hansel and Gretel, "Blanche" from Poulenc's Dialogue of the Carmelites, "Belinda" from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and "Cherubino" from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. Lauren studied under Dr. Sherry Overholt and coached with Steve Crawford and William Hicks of the Metropolitan Opera House. Lauren has also performed with the local chamber group Canta Libre and featured the world premiere of Paumonock, composed by Northport-native Dr. Jerry Ulrich, at such venues like The Boulton Center in Bayshore, New York, The Walt Whitman House in Huntington, New York and The Sunwood Estate at SUNY Stony Brook University. Lauren is currently finishing a Masters degree in Music Therapy at Molloy College in Rockville Center, with hopes of sharing the healing power of music with her patients and clients.

Marie Michalopoulos, mezzo-soprano, holds a double degree from Ithaca College in Vocal Performance and Music Education. She has a MM in vocal performance from the University of Maryland at College Park. Some of Marie's performances have been with the Ithaca Opera Association, Northern Virginia Opera Theatre, the Thomas Circle Singers, Old Bethpage Restoration Singers and soloist with the North Shore Chorus. Since 1993, she is a choral director at East Northport Middle School with her musician husband, Dana where she directs the musicals and 6 and 7/8 grade choruses and the select Chorale. She looks forward to singing at Northport Opera Night each month. Marie has three children, Ariana, Andrew and Zoe who also love to sing!

Mary-Elizabeth O'Neill, age 16, is a Junior at Huntington High School where she participates in choral groups, concert band, and drama club productions. Mary-Liz was the 2008 inaugural recipient of the Northport Choraleâs âYoung Artist Incentive Award,â a national semifinalist in the 2009 Classical Singer High School Vocal Competition, and has qualified for the 2nd round of the 2010 Competition to be held May, 2010 in NYC. She is in her second year at The Juilliard School Pre-College Division. This past summer Mary-Liz studied voice at the Academie Internationale dâEte in Nice, France with Dalton Baldwin and Lorraine Nubar. She has been the youngest regular performer for the past three years at the Northport Opera Night series. Besides Opera Night, upcoming public performances include Meet me in St. Louis (Esther Smith) April 16-17th at HHS and Juilliard Pre-College Opera Scenes April 24th.

Jeanny Schwartz, born in Hong Kong and graduated from Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, has appeared as an alto solo in vocal concerts such as The Christmas Oratorio, Le Roi David, Hymne au Soleil, Gloria, and many more. She also has performed in operas and musical productions like Quilters, Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte, Tour Guide in Orphee aux Enfer. She has joined Opera Night since December 2008.

Bruce Solomon-tenor
Began his studies at the Juilliard school pre-college division. He then received music degrees from Queens College and the Manhattan School of music. Bruce did his apprenticeship at The Lake George Opera festival where he appeared in fully staged performances of Opera. He continued his studies in Europe studying at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. Bruce has sung at Alice Tully hall, Carnegie Hall and Avery Fischer and has sung in churches and synagogues throughout the country.
Bruce is a frequent performer at Opera Night and is a resident of Huntington.

Dawn Zahralban made her professional debut as Young Pocahontas in the world premiere of Linda Haugen's Pocahontas, at the Virginia Arts Festival. She has had the pleasure of performing with the New
York Summer Opera Scenes in Manhattan for three consecutive summers and performed several roles at Shaker Mountain Opera for two summers. Miss Zahralban has also performed as a concert soloist, in such varied works as Brahm's Ein Deutsches Requiem and Schubert's Mass No. 2. She is now preparing for her second performance as Najade in Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos with The German Opera Project to be performed in Manhattan. Miss Zahralban is a versatile performer, showing her talents in many ways including concert, opera and operetta.

Marianna Benedict, Lyric Coloratura Soprano
Marianna Benedict has been training in classical voice for 10 years under renowned Lincoln Center Recitalist and Ms. Senior New York winner, Florence Hechtel. She holds a BA in vocal performance from SUNY Stony Brook, and has won several competitions, including 1st Place in the Music Teacher's National Association's NYS Collegiate Voice Competition. She has performed in various concerts and fully staged operas around the NYC and LI area, including 3 solo performances at Carnegie Hall. In addition to providing private music instruction at The Stony Brook College Preporatory School, and running her own Marianna's Music Studio, where she teaches voice, violin, piano and acting to over 60 pupils, Mrs. Benedict is currently in the process of preparing the newly formed Amadeus Opera of Long Island for their debut performances this Spring. Mrs. Benedict will be directing and starring in "A Mozart Double Bill", which includes fully staged opera scenes, as well as Mozart's "The Impresario," while sharing 50% of ticket sale profits with her fellow performers.

Naomi Pierro, Soprano
Naomi Pierro is thrilled to be making her opera debut with the Amadeus Opera Company of Long Island. She is a 27 year old first soprano and currently teaches voice lessons to students who share the same passion for singing as she does. She has been under the vocal tutelage of an amazing singer and teacher, Florence Hechtel for the last 15 years , and has performed in many recitals, including one in the Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall. Naomi has her Bachelor's in Music and has been in various musicals in the community, is a soloist at Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle as well as a part of the choir , a featured soloist at various performances at Five Towns College, and has performed in Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado” as Piti-Sing with the Babylon Chorale. She looks forward to many more opportunities to express her gifts and talents in the future to come!

Denise Fillion, Accompanist for the trio
Denise Fillion received her B.M. from Western Washington University in 2003. She was the Head of Staff Accompanying at Western Washington Universityin 2004. In 2006, she received her M.M. from SUNY Stony Brook, and is currently working towards finishing up her DMA degree at SUNY Stony Brook.

Director:
Isabella Eredita Johnson, pianist, lives in Northport, and accompanies and teaches piano professionally. She was awarded a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music where she received both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees, studying with Constance Keene. She has won both the prestigious George Schick award for outstanding musicianship and 1st prize at the Mason & Hamlin Piano competition. Among her proudest accomplishments are the presentations of the Diabelli Variations and the Goldberg Variations. Each of these two concerts involved the gathering of over thirty fine pianists, each performing a single variation. Ms. Eredita is an active advocate for the arts on Long Island, and regularly hosts the "Opera Night series in Northport.

James Besser, piano accompanist, is originally from South Orange, N.J. He studied piano and accompanying at Stanford University, the Juilliard School, and the Manhattan School of Music. He is associated with several local opera companies and performs frequently as an accompanist throughout the Tri-State area.

Scrim Designer:
Bob Flanagan is founder of Den Design Studio, a puppet, prop and special effects studio. Among his better known creations is “Toonces: the Cat Who Could Drive a Car,” a recurring character on NBC-TV’s Saturday Night Live..Mr. Flanagan's recent theatrical endeavors, includes the design and construction the 40 foot Time Dragon Puppet which resides on the proscenium of the Tony Award winning WICKED the Musical. Off Broadway Mr Flanagan designed and directed: Rafferty Rescues the Moon, Oscar Wilde’s the Happy Prince, and recently Emperor Jones, (produced in relation with NY’s Irish Repertory Theatre). His design work on The Irish Rep’s “The Hairy Ape” earned him a nominaton for a 2007 Henry Hewes Design Award. Mr. Flanagan won an Emmy Award in 1986 for outstanding achievement in costume design for his work on Sesame Street.

The Opera Night Costume Designers for this concert:
Doris Rowe
Michael Krazowitz
Thea Lanzisero
Maddalena Harris
Kelly Powell
Karen Zahralban

T.J. Di Misa will be designing a dress for Isabella Eredita Johnson, director. With the assistance of Rosalba from "Rosalba Alterations, Kings Park" a dress will be made in chiffon. T.J. is a long time friend and Opera Night audience member. He studied design at the High School of Fashion Industry, and at F.I.T. (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York City. He has worked in the garment district during the 1960's and 70's, designing dresses. For a number of years, he worked under designer, Bill Blass.

Maddalena Harris, lives in Northport, and actively helps out with Opera Night each month. She has a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Stony Brook University. Maddalena attended the School of Visual Arts, during the time it first became accredited. She enjoys listening to good music, watching old movies, and doing creative projects. For many years, she has been the president of East Northport Home Extension, a group of women who enjoy sewing and making crafts, and various charitable projects. She collects Depression glass, and is a member of the Long Island Depression Glass Society. Maddalena bakes breads almost every day and gives them away to friends and family.

Michael Krasowitz is a visual artist working in a variety of media. His background is in photography and has been published worldwide for commercial and editorial clients. Throughout his career he has been working with painting, printmaking, as well as digital imagery. Currently he is working on various ways to expand the language of painting through ideas such as animating a single image and painting on three dimensional surfaces. His work can be seen at www.michaelkrasowitz.com

Thea Lanzisero creates work in sculpture and installation. Favored materials for her temporary installations are bamboo and other natural elements including solar powered light effects. She also works with steel, paper and ceramics. Her upcoming interactive outdoor piece this summer in Huntington will involve knitting on a giant scale. Thea has received grants from NYSCA, JP Morgan Chase, NYFA SOS, and has had numerous exhibits, commissions and public art installations in varied sites locally, as well as NYC, Brooklyn, Governor's Island, Key West, Florida and Virginia. She teaches in the summer at USDAN Creative and Performing Arts Center. Contact Thea for a studio visit at 631-988-8373.

Doris Sjögren Rowe (aka Dojoro) focus is to combine symbols that respond to the state of American society. You may have seen her recent work in shows on Long Island ... Earth Matters - LICG; Tease Shirt Factory - NAC; Works on Paper - L I Art Museum; A Passion for Pixels - Islip Art Museum; or Embracing Our Differences Billboard Show - CHDHU. Designing posters, program covers, videos, and costumes for Opera Night is her fun activity. After an art teaching career at Northport High School her portfolios now brim with art waiting to be seen. Doris welcomes you to view her work at http://dojorostudios.com and http://dojoroamerica.com an archive with over 100 original posters. Enjoy.

Karen Zahralban, back in the day, made and decorated the Christmas decorations for many department stores such as Lord& Taylor, A&S, Macy's, et.al and ultimately, store & window display for Swezey's. She helped make and decorate the original Christmas decor for Disneyworld stores and hotels their first year.Upon the birth of her daughter Dawn,she became a stay- at- home Mom and enjoyed making clothes for her. She later went into Eldercare and taught Autistic pre-schoolers. She now enjoys making Dawn's costumes for her various Arias.

Musicians:
"Symmetry Qunintet"
Debra Kalabza-Balsamo, flute
Collete Galante, clarinet
Laura Koski, oboe
Susan Babcock, horn
Robert Price, bassoon

Debra Kalabza-Balsamo, flutist, resides in St. James, and holds a Bachelors degree in performance and education from Hofstra University, a Masters degree in education and a Professional Diploma in Educational Administration from Long Island University, C.W. Post and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Accountability with an emphasis on music education from St. John’s University. Presently, Dr. Kalabza is teaching at Smithtown High School East, where she directs the Symphonic Band, the Jazz Ensemble, percussion ensemble and small chamber groups for various wind instruments.

Collete Galante, clarinetist, is a Northport community member. Mrs. Galante received her education at the Crane School of Music (SUNY Potsdam) in education with an emphasis on clarinet performance. She is currently a band director in the Half Hollow Hills School District where she works with middle school students. Collete can be heard performing with the C.W. Post Band for the 2008-2009 concert series.

Laura Koski, oboist, lives in Seaford and teaches music in the Levittown School District. She received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Ithaca College, and a Master of Science in Music Education from Queens College. Laura is currently principal oboist with the West Islip Symphony, and will be performing on clarinet and tenor sax on May 22 with the Seaford Community Band and Jazz Band.

Susan Babcock, hornist, resides in Great Neck, NY. She is a professional musician and teacher. Ms. Babcock is currently in her fourth year of teaching elementary band in West Islip, NY. She holds degrees from Interlochen Arts Academy, the Eastman School of Music, the Manhattan School of Music and Hunter College.

Robert Price, bassoon, lives in East Patchogue, NY. He received his BM from the Manhattan School of Music and his MM from the Mannes College, both in performance on the bassoon. He is the music director and organist at the Setauket Presbyterian Church. He teaches piano and bassoon, and works as an accompanist.

Getting ready for May 7th: Backstage with Maddalena and Bruce

2010-04-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

Memo from Maddalena:
Good tidings to all our Opera lovers that grace the pews of St. Paul's on the first Friday of each month. There is much planning and details that go into each performance, from contacting singers, and musicians, coordinating volunteer efforts, logistics of the actual program including rehearsals and finally the kitchen prep for the refreshment hour. Isabella and I never lose our excitement and enthusiasm for presenting what we feel is a quality production. We love being privy to the "behind the scenes" activity and think that our audience will enjoy being in the inner circle of interesting tidbits. For instance.......did you know that our very own Dawn Zahralban is a certified open water scuba diver? Taking all AP courses in high school her dream was to be a marine biologist. Lucky for us that her interests were redirected when she fell in love with classical music. She will be running 261/2 miles in the GO! Saint Louis marathon on April 11 along side 170,000 runners. After her practice runs, Dawn takes ice baths!!

A note from Bruce Johnson:

I often think about the humble beginnings of the Opera Night series. A dozen or so listeners and a hand full of singers taking turns singing in front of an upright piano that sorely needed a tune up. Singers would often choose their selections on the spur of the moment and sometimes a listener would suggest an aria or song. It really was a lot of fun for everyone involved.

Well, Opera Night quickly outgrew Portofino Cafe and we were very fortunate to have St Paul’s available when the time came to move. This venue has been good for the development of the series because of the large space, fine acoustics, and accommodating church members. It was a good move.

As the series develops we continue to work to find new ways to help it grow and improve. Our latest “move” is to register Opera Night as a corporation. Hopefully, this will give us the flexibility and the structure that will allow us to develop the resources and programs we will need to realize the potential of Opera Night.

One possible change that could occur is the inclusion of dramatic scenes and set design in our programs. Another possibility is the production of an opera. One of the more ambitious ideas for future growth would be the goal of building an opera house in this area.

One thing I always try to keep in mind when thinking about the possibilities, is that whatever we do we have to make sure continues to be lots of fun for all involved. that is a humble, but

worthwhile goal.

Opera Night Highlights....
Cheryl Savitt-Spielman, soprano, has taught vocal music and chorus in NYC and Long Island public schools for over twenty years. Previously, Cheryl was a principal singer with the LIGHT OPERA of MANHATTAN (LOOM) repertory company, performing leading roles as the widow Sonia in "The Merry Widow", Margot in "The Desert Song", Lady Kathryn in "The "Vagabond King", Kathie in "The Student Prince", Luisa in "A Night in Venice", Yum-Yum in "The Mikado", Josephine in "H.M.S. Pinafore", Julia in "The Grand Duke", and Elsie Maynard in "The Yeomen of the Guard". She received her B.A. degree from Sarah Lawrence College and her masters in music education from Hunter College.

(Cheryl will be performing on April 16th at the Steinway Gallery. Details below)

Opera Night in Costume

2010-04-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to May 7th's Opera Night in Costume"

May 7th "Opera Night in Costume" designs
Update:

"Amour, viens aider ma faiblesse"
Samson and Delila
Camille Saint-Saens
Jeanny Schwartz, mezzo soprano
Doris Rowe, designer

"Senza mamma"
Suor Angelica
Giacomo Puccini
Linda Garrity, soprano

“Vedrommi, intorno”
Idomeneo
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Bruce Solomon, tenor

"Glitter and be Gay"
Candide
Leonard Bernstein
Dawn Zahralban, soprano
Karen Zahralban, designer

Trio from
Der Schauspieldirektor (The Impressario)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Marianna Benedict, soprano
Naomi Pierro, soprano
Young Ha Kim, tenor

intermission

"Depuis le Jour", Louise,
Gustave Charpentier
Jessica Zamek, soprano

"Ain't it a pretty night"
Susannah
Carlisle Floyd
Lauren Klimek, soprano

Stephano's aria, "Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle"
"Romeo and Juliette"
Charles-Francois Gounod
Mary Liz O'Neill, soprano
Mike Krazowitz, designer

"Torna a Surriento"
Eduardo di Capua
Young Ha Kim, tenor
Maddalen Harris, designer

"Song to the Moon"
Rusalka
Dvorak
Lauren Haber, soprano
Doris Rowe designer

"Sull'aria"
Le Nozze di Figaro
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Kimberly Iannuzzi, soprano and Marie Michalopoulos, mezzo soprano
Kelly Powell, designer

James Besser, piano accompanist

Opera Night Inc.

2010-04-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

March, 2010

Dear Opera Night Audience Members,
Thank-you for joining our select list. Opera Night is going through many changes, and we would like to keep you informed with updated news, and hopes to elicit your involvement. You may like to make a comment, offer a suggestion, refer other interested members into the series. We welcome your participation!

Operanight Inc.
We have applied for incorporation, and have been accepted! Currently awaiting our Tax ID number, and other corporation info, the adventure begins.

Although you may believe that the level is currently at its highest, we hope to raise the caliber of singers. And if we are successful in what we are doing, we may be able to give out stipends to the professional singers and musicians who spend hours upon hours honing their craft.

An Opera House?
With continued support and interest in the Opera Night series, we may have our very own Opera House. It can be done! With creative investors, financiers, and an active board of directors, any thing is possible!

Join us, and feel free to comment as we cultivate this wonderful art form in our community.

Isabella Eredita Johnson and Maddalen Harris