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Toledo Opera presents its annual
Opera Gala at the Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle on February
14, 2009 at 7:30 pm. This year’s theme is Viva Verdi! – a
lavish banquet of operatic delights by Giuseppe Verdi, musical
genius and perhaps the greatest Italian opera composer. The
evening will be a fantastic fusion of orchestral and vocal
sound when the Toledo Opera Chorus, University of Toledo
Concert Chorale, Toledo Community Chorus, Toledo Symphony
Orchestra and two dynamic soloists perform selections from
some of Verdi’s greatest and best loved operas. What
a romantic way to spend Valentine’s Day!
Soprano Barbara Quintiliani and tenor Roy Cornelius Smith
will perform duets from Otello, Un Ballo in
Maschera and La Traviata. The Boston Globe
called Ms. Quintiliani “the Verdi soprano the world
has been waiting for.” She recently became the first
American woman in over 25 years to win First Prize in the International
Singing Contest Francisco Viñas, and
was also awarded the Verdi Prize and the Public Prize. Following
her success in the competition, she made her debut with Gran
Teatre del Liceu as Elettra in Idomeneo. About a
recent appearance as Elvira in Ernani, Boston
Globe critic David Shengold heralded her as commanding “the
most genuinely exciting and beautiful Verdian soprano on
the continent.”
Ms. Quinitiliani will be joined
at the Gala by American tenor Roy Cornelius Smith. Mr.
Smith is known for his voice of great natural beauty and
for his compelling dramatic interpretations. Smith brought
down the house when he appeared in Toledo Opera’s
production of Pagliacci. At his recent debut in
Vienna in Puccini’s Turnadot, Musical
America critic said “just when you think they
don’t make ‘em like they used to, along comes
Roy Cornelius Smith as Calaf to send you back to the Golden
Age for comparisons. His voice is huge, dusky and Italianate,
his phrasing and use of dynamics generous and elegant. The
audience reserved its loudest roar for Smith. Triumphs like
this are one in a million.”
Ms. Quintiliani and Mr. Smith will also sing arias from Ernani, Falstaff,
Rigoletto and I Vespri Siciliani. The
choruseswill join them for some selections, but will also
be featured in selections from Nabucco and La
Traviata, and the Triumphal March from Aïda.
The Opera Gala performance will
be followed by a Valentine’s
Day party at the Toledo Club. Bring your sweetheart or come
solo for a complimentary glass of champagne, scrumptious
hors d’oeuvres, decadent desserts, and dancing to music
by the Hepcat Revival Band. Tickets to the Valentine’s
Day party are $75 per person. To order tickets for the Gala
performance and/or the party, call the Opera office at 419-255-7464
or order online at www.ToledoOpera.org.
Combination packages for the performance and the party are
available. |
