BEL CANTO Newsletter of the Manatee Opera Guild February 2020 President’s Message For the nation at large, February can be a bleak month, punctuated only by a rosy Valentine’s Day. Not so in the Manatee/Sarasota area! Here we have ample reason to remain cheerful throughout the shortest month. We begin with the Stars of Tomorrow Concert on February 2. This concert is always a thrilling event, and we have Katherine Martinez, Rich DeGennaro, and Maryanne Hazen to thank for making it so. We also have our great Sarasota Opera with their Season of Love — three operas in February all dealing with this most precious of human emotions. Puccini’s romantic portrayal of young love in Paris, La Bohème, opens on February 8, followed by the openings of Romeo and Juliet on February 15 and the Elixir of Love on February 22. I sincerely hope that you have tickets to each of these operas, filled as they are with love, longing and glorious music. Thanks to the efforts of Marge Melun, Ky Thompson, and the presenters at our Prelude series, we have a solid background on each of these operas. Bass James Eder The Board continues to solicit volunteers to be at-large board members. Amongst all our sings at the volunteer opportunities, this is the easiest! If you are suspicious that we will pile work on you, January Meeting. don’t be. We are looking for a fresh outlook and new ideas. Each of you has a lifetime of experience at work, at home, and in organizations, and has insight into what keeps an organization See more about vital. So, we urge you to step up the the task. We promise just 3 hours a month! our January talent and program on page 3. Our February meeting on the 19th will feature an exhibit of BOG/MOG presidents, past and present. Jean Roberts, our luncheon host, has been busy preparing interesting historical materials about the Guild for us to enjoy. We hope to see you there. LUNCHEON RESERVATION FORM FEBRUARY 19, 2020 Name ________________________________________________________________________________________ Number attending ___________________ Phone Number ___________________________________________ Please send your reservation and check made out to MOG for $20.00 per person to: Jean Roberts, 222 12th St W, Apt 302 Bradenton, FL 34205 Email: [email protected] or phone 730-0135 Deadline for reservations: Friday, February 14 Menu: Club Sandwich, Sweet Potato Fries, Cole Slaw, Chocolate Ice Cream A Chefs’ Choice vegetarian entree is also available. Please indicate your choice when making reservation. With our luncheon being near Presidents' Day, it is only fitting that we honor our own BOG/MOG presidents - past and present. Please join us in recognizing them for their work and dedication to our Guild. Meeting and Luncheon take place at IMG Country Club, 4350 El Conquistador Parkway, Bradenton, FL 34210 Coffee and conversation at 10:00, Business Meeting at 10:30 and Entertainment at 11:00. Luncheon follows. Operatic Valentines Tributes ’Tis the month of romance when lovers send sweet I greetings to their innamorati. Knowing how jealous operatic characters can be, can In honor of two dear family friends. you make sure that their billets-doux go to the correct Bill and Virginia Andersen lady? Extra-credit: Can you identify which opera each couple is from? In honor of my daughter Jennifer's 40th Birthday. Mary Zabin 1. Mario a. Marie In honor of the Birthday of my Granddaughter Darlene and Birthdays of two Great Granddaughters Kyra and 2. Don Ramiro b. Nedda Vanessa. Love from G.G. and Nana! 3. Edgar c. Lauretta (also known as) Dorothy Erikson 4. Tonio d. Floria Prelude for La Wally 5. Alfredo e. Susanna Our final Prelude for the season will be offered on Friday, 6. Nemorino f. Violetta February 21. Dr. Peter Shimkin, a retired physician from Connecticut, will be our presenter. Dr. Shimkin's interest 7. Silvio g. Angelina in classical music and opera has led him to be a volunteer broadcaster with a weekly program on WMNR fine arts 8. Dick h. Adina radio. This station broadcasts in New England, but their programs can be 'streamed live' on electronic devices. 9. Rinuccio i. Minnie La Wally is a "Dramma musicale" in four acts by Alfredo Catalani to a libretto by Luigi Illica. It premiered at La 10. Gil j. Lucia Scala in 1892. The story is a sad one! In a village in the Tirolean alps, Wally chooses love over family. However, with a cruel bet, the man of her dreams breaks her heart, igniting a chain of events that leads to tragedy. Fashion Show We all appreciate the SOA for its fine productions. We are so pleased that every year we are introduced to a little Look for your invitation to our fantastic Fashion Show on known and rarely produced opera. March 4th at Lakewood Ranch Country Club. Fashions are by Irene’s Resort Wear on Anna Maria Island The morning begins with light refreshments and modeled by the lovely ladies of MOG. conversation at 9:30. The presentation will begin at 10:00 See full information on back page. a.m. and end around 11:30 a.m. The program is held in the second floor classroom in the Westminster Towers, 1533 4th Ave West in downtowm Bradenton. This is at 15th St. West and 4th Ave West, one block north of Manatee Ave. West. Admission is $5.00. No reservations required! All Preludes are open to the public, so come with a friend for an educational and entertaining operatic morning! Questions: Contact Marge Melun at [email protected] or (941) 779-8408. January Meeting Notes Board Meeting The next Board Meeting will be held on Wednesday February 12 at 10:00 a.m. at the Westminster Shores (1700 3rd Avenue West) in the Card Room. Park in the parking lot in front of the building. There are several parking spaces that are reserved for staff after 2 p.m., but feel free to park in ! " them in the morning. Come in under the awning, sign in, and Baritone Michael Gracco, Mezzo Michelle Blauman, Tenor follow the corridor on the left. Samuel Schlievert, Bass James Eder and Soprano Yvonne Trobe La Bohème Opens February 8, 2020 at Sarasota Baritone Michael Gracco began our program with the aria Opera “Votre toast” from Bizet’s Carmen. We know this better as the rousing Toreador Song. Mr. Gracco sang with bravado While you are waiting to enjoy Sarasota Opera’s performance and vigor as the bull-fighter Escamillo. of La bohème, you might want to revisit the fun romantic comedy Moonstruck. Norman Jewison’s 1987 film is infused Samuel Schlievert, tenor, followed with a selection from with myriad references to the opera. Giordano’s Andréa Chenier. Poet Andrea Chenier faces death during the French Revolution. While waiting for dawn, he The film introduces us to Ronny Cammareri (Nicholas Cage), writes his last poem “Come un bel dí di maggio” and reads it brother of Johnny, the fiancé of Loretta Castorini (Cher). to his friend Roucher. Look for Mr. Schlievert as Tybalt in When Johnny flies to Sicily to be with his dying mother, Cher Romeo and Juliet. and Ronny meet for the first time, and the sparks fly, much as they do for Mimí and Roldolfo in the opera. As their passions Soprano Yvonne Trobe sang Liù’s brave aria from Turandot, flare, we hear the aria ‘O soave fanciulla,’ the very aria “Tu che di gel sei cinta.” Rather than reveal the identity of Rodolfo sings to Mimí when he realizes he loves her. the man she loves, Liù tells the Princess Turandot that one day the unnamed man will melt Turandot’s heart. Liù then In one of the most famous scenes from the film, Ronny, who commits suicide. Ms. Trobe is excited to play her first “pants states one of his great loves is opera, takes Loretta to The role” when she performs as Stefano in Romeo and Juliet. Met to see a production of La bohème. Loretta’s tears as Michelle Blauman, mezzo, followed with “Amour! viens aider Mimì sings her aria ‘Donde lieta’ not only show her reaction a ma failblesse” from Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila. Dalila to the moment Rodolfo and Mimì split, but also reflect her knows that Samson is entranced with her and will come to her inner turmoil as she realizes she is in love with her fiancé’s instead of leading the revolution against the Philistines. She brother. It is also in this scene that we see Sarasota Opera sings seductively of the powers of love to ensnare Samson. All favorite Martha Collins playing Mimí on the stage at the Met. of his strength is hopeless to withstand love's onslaught. And, Dick Hyman, our 2018 On Stage Concert entertainer, arranged the music for the film. Both Cher and Olympia Bass James Eder sang “Il lacerato spirito” from Verdi’s Simon Dukakis won Oscars for their roles in the film, as did the Boccanegra. Fiesco sings sorrowfully that his daughter Maria screenwriter John Patrick Shanley for Best Original has died. He rages against the absent Simon Boccanegra and Screenplay. then accuses the Virgin Mary of not protecting his daughter. After realizing that he has committed blasphemy, he prays to Click Here for the famous Metropolitan Opera scene. her, hoping that she will forgive him. Yvonne Trobe sang the final number “Dich, teur Halle” from Wagner’s Tannhäuser. Elisabeth hears that her love, Tannhäuser, is coming back to the Hall of Song, which is the site of many of his triumphs in singing competitions.