Greensboro Opera

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May 6, 2011

Emerging Artists to Perform Concert to Benefit Greensboro Opera

Emerging artists who have previously performed with Greensboro Opera step into the spotlight for a benefit concert of audience favorites from the operatic repertoire. Love, Life, Laughter - A Benefit Concert Celebrating Greensboro Opera's 30th Anniversary will be presented on Sunday, May 15, at 7:30 pm in the Recital Hall at UNCG's School of Music, Theatre and Dance. Operatic highlights include selections from Don Pasquale, La Traviata, Faust, Le Nozze di Figaro, La Bohème, and more. The concert will be followed by a brief reception in the Recital Hall Atrium, giving the audience an opportunity to meet the artists.

Organized by local soprano, Stacy Dove, all proceeds from the concert will benefit Greensboro Opera. "In a down economy, I know that the first thing many people trim from their budgets is contributions to the arts. I saw an opportunity to help support Greensboro Opera, and approached Executive Director, Barbara Peters with the idea," says Dove. "I knew many local artists have worked with Greensboro Opera and would be willing to donate their time and talent to help support a company who has given us so much support."

Performed by: Chelsea Bonagura, Stacy Dove, Elizabeth Harvey, and Carmen Prather, sopranos; JoAna Rusche, mezzo-soprano; Daniel C. Stein, tenor; Paolo Pacheco and David Weigel, baritones; with Benjamin Blozan, piano.

A $25 donation is suggested for entry. The benefit is sponsored in part by BCB Recording.

About BCB Recording
BCB Recording, owned and operated by pianist Ben Blozan, is the only studio in the Triad area created solely with the classical singer in mind. With the constant need to supply demo recordings to opera companies, music institutions, competitions and young artist programs, singers need an expedient way of producing quality audio at an affordable price. BCB Recording offers the convenience of a professional coach/pianist, recording technician, and recording space rolled into one.

Meet the Talented and Generous Performers

Benjamin Blozan is active nationally as a collaborative pianist, vocal coach, and music director. He has worked with Nashville Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Lake George Opera, Delaware Valley Opera Company and recently conducted Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury at the Carolina Theater for Greensboro Opera's "Opera at the Carolina." He holds an MM in Accompanying and Opera Coaching from Temple University and is in progress on a DMA in Accompanying/Chamber Music from UNC-Greensboro. In addition to his degree work, Benjamin attended workshops at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria; Académie International d'Eté de Nice; and the Académie de Villecroze. His primary mentors are Andrew Harley, James Douglass, Lambert Orkis, Dalton Baldwin, John Douglas, and Charlie Abramovic. He owns BCB Recording, a recording studio devoted to the recording of classical singers.

Chelsea Bonagura, soprano, is a native of Rochester, New York and received her BM in Vocal Performance from the Eastman School of Music. She is currently pursuing an MM in Vocal Performance at UNC-Greensboro in the studio of Dr. Carla LeFevre. Roles with UNCG Opera Theatre include La Princess in L'enfant et les Sortilèges, Monica in The Medium, and most recently Gretel in Hansel and Gretel. Chelsea has appeared in La Traviata and Die Zauberflöte with Greensboro Opera. Other roles include Aloes in L'etoile, Susan in Company, Geraldine in A Hand of Bridge, and Princessa, Bambina, and Mei in two newly composed operas at Eastman. In addition to singing, Chelsea has spent several summers studying foreign languages in France, Germany, Italy, and Israel.

Stacy Dove, soprano, began her performance career on the music theater stage, appearing in such roles as The Baker's Wife (Into the Woods) and Marty (Grease). A trained dancer, Miss Dove held both dancing and singing roles in performances of Crazy for You, Will Rogers Follies, and Brigadoon. Appearances with Greensboro Opera include La Traviata, and as soloist in last year's EMF/GO performances of A Date with Oscar and Tony: Songs from Award-winning Films and Musicals. Stacy holds a Master of Music in Voice Performance from UNC-Greensboro, where she was a student of Nancy Walker. Roles with UNCG Opera Theatre include La Chatte in L'Enfant et les Sortilèges, Angelina in Trial by Jury, and Esmeralda in The Bartered Bride (also for Greensboro Opera outreach performances of Opera at the Carolina). Other credits include Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte, Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, Lakmé, and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro.

Elizabeth Harvey, soprano, was raised on grits and good manners in Lexington, NC. Liz is delighted to share her talent and joy of singing this evening. She has performed with Barn Dinner Theatre, Greensboro Opera, and Piedmont Opera. No stranger to the stage, Liz has played June Carter in a Johnny Cash musical and Despina in Mozart's Così Fan Tutte, continuing to portray theatrically challenging roles in all styles. A 2005 vocal performance graduate of UNC-Greensboro, Liz continues classical voice study with Levone Tobin-Scott. She resides in Greensboro where she works in property management and performs at St. Francis Episcopal.

Paolo Pacheco, baritone, has performed in opera, operetta, and music theater. His favorite roles include Guglielmo in Così Fan Tutte, Zurga in Les Pêcheurs de Perles, Marcello in La Bohème, and Papageno in Die Zauberflöte. He has performed with the Janiec Opera Company at Brevard Music Festival, Central Piedmont Community College Opera Theatre, Opera Carolina, and in Greensboro Opera outreach performances of Die Fledermaus at Opera at the Carolina. Paolo is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music at the UNC-Greensboro as a student of Dr Robert Wells.

Carmen Prather, soprano, is a recent MM graduate of UNC-Greensboro, and is thrilled to be a part of Love, Life, Laughter. Carmen received her BM from Shorter College in Rome, Georgia in 2008. She has studied with Dr. Carla LeFevre since the fall of 2008. Her recent roles include Rosalinda in Strauss's Die Fledermaus (also for Greensboro Opera outreach performances at Opera at the Carolina), The Mother in Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors, La Chauve-Souris in Ravel's L'enfant et les Sortilèges, and Angelina in Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury (also for Opera at the Carolina). Additional roles include Dido in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Dianna in Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, and the title role in Puccini's Suor Angelica.

JoAna Rusche, mezzo-soprano, has performed numerous opera roles including the title roles in Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel and Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortilèges, the Mother in Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Fidalma in Cimarosa's Il Matrimonio Segreto. This summer, she will perform with Opera North as Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro. Recently, JoAna was awarded first prize in the Charlotte Opera Guild Competition, as well as at the state and national levels of the National Federation of Music Collegiate Auditions. Last summer, as a scholarship recipient, she attended SongFest in California and the Franz-Schubert-Institut in Austria participating in master classes with distinguished performers such as Elly Ameling, Barbara Bonney, Julius Drake and Martin Katz. JoAna earned a BM in Vocal and Piano Performance from UNC-Chapel Hill and an MM in Vocal Performance from UNC-Greensboro.

Daniel C. Stein, tenor, whose voice has been described as "ringing" and "warm and flexible," was a Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and was awarded first place in the Charlotte Opera Guild Competition. An MM graduate of UNC-Greensboro, Dan received additional training as a Principal Young Artist with Opera North. On the operatic stage, he has sung such roles as Ferrando in Così Fan Tutte, Gerald in Lakmé, Laurie in Little Women, Alfredo in La Traviata, Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Alan Seymour in the World Premiere of Libby Larsen's Picnic. Dan has been tenor soloist in numerous concert works including Mozart's Requiem, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Handel's Messiah, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, and J.S. Bach's St. John Passion. He made his debut at Carnegie Hall with the New York City Chamber Orchestra.

David Weigel, baritone, recently created the role of Curtis in George Lam's new documentary opera, The Persistence of Smoke, and appeared in Greensboro Opera's Die Zauberflöte. Other roles include Frank in Die Fledermaus (also for Greensboro Opera outreach performances at Opera at the Carolina), Melchior and Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Death in Holst's Savitri. This summer, David will appear as a Young Artist with Opera North in Lebanon, NH, where he will sing Antonio and cover Bartolo in the mainstage production of Le Nozze di Figaro, and sing Horace Tabor in scenes from The Ballad of Baby Doe. Concert performances include Bach's Mass in B Minor, Handel's Messiah, Schubert's Mass No. 3 in B-flat Major, and Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem. A native of Asheville, NC, David received his BM in Vocal Performance from Furman University in Greenville, SC and is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from UNC-Greensboro, studying with Dr. Robert Wells.

Thank you to our 2011-2012 Season Supporters

Clinton Press
Cone Mills Charitable Fund

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Celebrating Anniversaries:
An American Songbook
Toast 30 years of GO and 50 years of Eastern Music Festival at our fourth annual summer cabaret.
Tuesday, July 19 - 8PM
Wednesday, July 20 - 8PM

La Bohème
by Giacomo Puccini
One night only!
Saturday, November 5 - 8PM

Artwork by Anne Kiefaber.
www.annekiefaber.com

A Special Offer from BCB Recording

Love, Life, Laughter is made possible partially through the generous support of BCB Recording Studio. Summer Special!

Bring the program from the benefit to receive 25% off the recording fee for projects booked through July 4th.

BCB Recording: quality audio for classical singers at a reasonable price
www.bcbrecording.com

MET Opera HD Reminder

Next Saturday is the final live broadcast of the 2010 season. It is not too soon to get your tickets! Stop by Friendly Center and buy them any time between now and the opera.