April 2017 Vol. 5, Number 1 Gazette Dedicated to John Knox Village Inform, Inspire, Involve A Life Plan Continuing Care Retirement Community Published Monthly by John Knox Village, 651 S.W. Sixth Street, Pompano Beach, Florida 33060 IN THE APRIL ISSUE A Conversation With Soprano Recipe From Chef Mark’s In Good Taste ................. 3 Renata Scotto Book Review ................... 3 The Legendary Opera Star Shares Operatic Afternoon ....... 4 Her Life, Her Career And Her Passion “Tonight we are paying tribute to one of the greatest and brightest stars of the opera world, the legendary Renata Scotto, Prima Donna Assoluta!” – Willie Riddle, Executive Director of Venetian Arts Society s a girl growing up in northwestern Italy Marty Lee during the ‘30s and ‘40s, young Renata Gazette Contributor A Scotto was always surrounded by song. Her earliest memories were of her seamstress mother working away with cloth and thread while singing. That maternal influence would have a profound effect upon her life and career. “Since I was like four or five years old, Visit Us In April ............. 5 I sang all the time,” Renata said. Crossword Puzzle ........... 5 “My mamma was a seamstress and she South Florida Events, was working all Shows & Arts .................. 6 day long, she was singing, just Sudoku .......................... 6 because she had Join Us At ARTSAGE ... 6 heard songs, and she repeated Tech-Savvy Senior Enjoys those songs and London Vacation .......... 7 I was going along with her. That is how I began.” Through the joy of song, Renata decided exactly what her goal in life would be: “Profession- ally I said my life is going to be a singer. A singer absolutely.” But as Renata explained further, “Not a little singer…but a big singer! I wanted to be someone and I was very determined.” Renata’s immediate family did not have the financial means to further her love of song, however she was fortunate to have an uncle who did. “I loved the opera,” Renata said. “At 12-years old, I went to the opera for the first time with my uncle, who was my sponsor, my help, my everything and he loved opera, and he said, ‘Renata you have to become an opera star.’” Renata experienced Rigoletto at the Savona Opera House that first time. So impressed with opera, she en- rolled in singing lessons under her uncle’s sponsorship. Six years later, “When I was 18, I made my debut in that theater in 1953, in my hometown of Savona,” Renata told The Gazette. The rest of Renata’s story is operatic and theatrical history spanning more than six decades and exposing Living Well With Carmel .. 8 millions to The Opera through both live on-stage performance and through “Live from the Met” PBS tele- casts that began in 1977. Savvy Senior .................. 8 See “Renata” On Page 2 Abby’s Digital Guide ..... 9 12 Steps To Health ........ 9 Which Came First, The Egg Or The Rabbit? Fitness Center Update ... 10 Easter Traditions Thoughout The World Check Out This Featured he whole Easter People have a fascinating way of blending Apartment Home ......... 10 Nona Smith Bunny concept ancient rites, mythology and traditions into fan- Gazette Contributor T is a lot of fun, espe- tasies that develop over time into magical char- cially for children, acters and commercial celebrations. The Easter but to my mind it is a little strange. Whoever came Bunny, Santa Claus and Cupid are a few cases in up with the idea that rabbits could lay eggs should point. Each character seems to have its origins have asked a farmer. Chickens lay eggs. Birds lay in ancient stories told to explain nature, history PAID eggs. Dinosaurs laid eggs. Even that zoological and our habits. Many of our treasured customs NONPROFIT FT. LAUD, FL FT. U.S. POSTAGE PERMIT NO. 48 PERMIT ORGANIZATION oddity, duckbilled platypus lays eggs. But rabbits and celebrations are a convergence of mythol- definitely do not lay eggs. ogy, pre-Christian rites, ancient festivals, history and legends. While Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating Christ’s resurrection, its timeframe was originally a pagan celebration of Spring, the season of renewal! How Did It All Start? Now back to the original question – why does the Easter Bunny lay eggs? It seems the rabbit is an ancient symbol of fertility, long known for its reproductive prowess. And the egg is the symbol for creation and life, and somehow the two sym- bols got together and voilà – the Easter Bunny. But slightly more seriously, centuries before Christianity and Easter were even concepts, people were celebrating springtime with ver- 651 S.W. Sixth Street 651 S.W. nal equinox festivals centering around renewal, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 Pompano Beach, FL rebirth and fertility, usually following the hard- ships of winter. The pagan celebrations focused John Knox Village of Florida, Inc. Village John Knox See “Easter” On Page 4 Page 2 The John Knox Village Gazette April 2017 Celebrating The Life And Career Of A Legendary Opera Star From “Renata” On Page 1 South Florida opera fans were treated to a unique event through the cooperation of The Venetian Arts Society (VAS) and John Knox Village, the life plan continuing care retirement community in Pompano Beach. In celebration of Renata Scotto’s birthday on February 24, a gala celebration and retrospec- tive presentation revealed the essential “Renata Scotto,” to her many admirers. In introducing Mme. Scotto, Impresario Wil- lie Riddle, Executive Director of the Venetian Arts Society (VAS) said, “Tonight we are pay- ing tribute to one of the greatest and brightest stars of the opera world, the legendary Renata Scotto, Prima Donna Assoluta!” Riddle noted that the Washington Post pro- claimed Renata as, “The greatest singing ac- VAS Director Willie Riddle introduces Marilyn Mims, Renata Scotto and James Judd, who shared tress in the world” and New Yorker Magazine the stage during a retrospective on the operatic career of Madame Scotto at John Knox Village. hailed her as “A singer of extreme refinement.” Welcoming Renata and sharing the stage and television, Judd noted that Renata, “Began academic posts at the Accademia Nazionale di memories were Conductor James Judd, Music a serious development of technique for the Santa Cecilia in Rome and the Juilliard School Director of the Israel Symphony Orchestra and camera. This was a necessity for the megastars in New York. She lives in Armonk, NY with Slovak Philharmonic, and Operatic Soprano of opera as the new TV broadcasts and com- her husband Lorenzo Anselmi. Marilyn Mims, Artist in Residence in Vocal mercial videos required that the opera singing Although retired from singing, Renata is not Music at Palm Beach Atlantic University. actors master a realistic technique for a house retired from active life. “Everything keeps me Other guests included William Gallo, Presi- of 4,000 to 5,000 seats, yet at the same time a going, because I am an artist,” Renata said. dent of Gallo Herbert Architects, the present- technique appropriate for the up-close eye of “I don’t sing anymore, but I do something else. ing sponsor, and Harriet Mertz, John Knox the camera that Renata mastered with her in- I listen to music. I teach music. I get involved Village resident and South Florida performer/ nate instinct and intelligence.” with any kind of show that I can. I can direct. educator/philanthropist. Soprano Marilyn Mims introduced an ex- “You retire from singing, because nature The program presented a retrospective of 11 cerpt from a 1967 video of Gaetano Donizetti’s takes you to that moment: The limit on the vo- rare video performances that spanned Renata’s “L’Elisir d’Amore,” and said this was an ex- cal cord. But the vocal cord is only one thing career: From a 1962 La Scala Opera excerpt of ample of Renata’s, “Perfect bel canto singing.” on the body. The brain is the most important.” Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, through a 1984 “Scotto began her career at 18 with a natural With that philosophy, Renata stays involved. performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Macbeth at God-given voice,” Marilyn said. “In her early New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. 20’s, [Renata] secured a vocal technique that Now A Teacher And Director would carry her through a Currently Renata is teaching voice and A Soprano At The Top historic 50 plus year career.” theater in “Naples (Florida) in a new opera Of Her Game The Washington Marilyn urged the audience academy with Conductor Ramon Tebar. We Riddle recalled, “Renata Post proclaimed to view the video closely just began this past January. The idea is to de- Scotto was at the very highest and to watch the enthusiastic velop the academy and do an opera with a new level of female opera stars. Renata as, “The Italian audience reaction at theater just for us,” Renata said. She performed with all the greatest singing the end of the aria. “Italian Throughout her career, Renata has accom- best: Among them the Three audiences are extremely hard plished much. But she has so much more to Tenors, Plácido Domingo, actress in the to please and are exception- give through her passion and inspiration. José Carreras and Luciano world.” ally discerning.” “You have to have more than one talent,” Pavarotti,” who gained world- The night’s gala ended with Renata says. “To have a beautiful voice is wide fame beyond the oper- a celebration of Renata’s not enough. With the beautiful voice comes atic stage during the 1990s and early 2000s. birthday as the audience joined in singing the talent of being able to know your instru- Renata’s career blossomed at a time, when “Happy Birthday.” The Prima Donna was ment.