Gulfshore Opera has adjusted to these challenging times by offering an “Opera al Fresco” concert series which, by popular request, is extended into high season.
General director Steffanie Pearce explained, “The open air concerts introduced this fall have met with such warm reception that we decided to extend the series by offering some of our high season concerts in an outdoors setting. We are particularly grateful for St. Leo Catholic Church in Bonita Springs for the use of various locations on their campus.”
The company plans two touring concerts and a spring production in addition to the rescheduled Barbara B. Mann Hall debut production of La Bohème on Jan. 24. All concerts and events will have limited seating with social distancing, and safety protocols will be in place.
World of Lloyd Webber
Gulfshore Opera presents World of Lloyd Webber for an opera meets Broadway concert. A dynamic trio of versatile artists will perform songs and ensembles from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, Evita, Aspects of Love, and Jesus Christ Superstar. Featured tenor Glenn Seven Allen is garnering critical acclaim on theatre, opera, and concert stages throughout the United States as a consummate singing actor, lauded for his dynamic interpretations of heroes and leading men, alike. Allen was hailed by Opera News as an “Edwardian matinee idol, giving by far the most detailed dramatic performance.” This past season, Allen starred as Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain with New York City Opera and subsequently returned as Freddy in Dear Erich. He also performed a Benefit Concert of Candide at Carnegie Hall, Lt. Cable in South Pacific with Annapolis Opera, Will in Middlemarch in Spring with Ash Lawn Opera, and performed in New York City Opera’s production of Candide. Joining him will be sopranos Nadia Marshall and Lauren Davis accompanied on piano by Brian Holman. World of Webber will be presented Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. at Church of Marco Island, Jan. 31 at 4 p.m. at Sanibel Community House, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. at Naples Art and Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. at Gulf Theater in Punta Gorda.
A Night in Italy
Almost every Italian town has a beautiful piazza where everyone goes for an evening stroll and to enjoy some outdoor music making. Gulfshore Opera artists will transport you to Italy with an all Italian program of great arias, duets, and songs followed by a wine reception in a piazza setting complete with fountain and night lights on the campus of St. Leo Catholic Church on Feb. 6 at 7 p.m.
Viva Verdi
Nineteenth century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi created 26 operas with rich themes and lifelike characters, vividly illustrating conflicts and love-hate relationships. A quartet of noted opera artists will present excerpts from Il Trovatore, Aida, Othello, Requiem and other works to ensure both a musically and emotionally appealing evening of opera highlights. The featured artist is returning dramatic soprano Robyn Marie Lamp who joined GO for Passionate Puccini last year and performed the title role of Lucrezia Borgia in the Season 5 Gala to great acclaim. Of her Verdi, one reviewer wrote, “Robyn Lamp has a radiant soprano voice which she handles with great expertise and ease. She plucked bell-like high As, Bs, and Cs out of some celestial sphere, always interpreting the text with deep-felt emotion.” Viva Verdi will be presented Feb. 18 – 23 at various venues.
The Bat’s Revenge
Gulfshore Opera will mount a new concept of “The Bat’s Revenge” or Die Fledermaus, moving the action to a time period modern audiences can relate to, the Golden Age of Hollywood. With this new setting and libretto for Die Fledermaus, director and librettist Josh Shaw hopes to make a little more sense of things with the use of movie magic. It’s not so hard to believe that an actress would have access to her Hungarian Princess costume from a recent picture, that her maid is an aspiring chorus girl, that a mysterious Russian playboy has come to town to throw around some money, or that a matinee idol has a panache for the ladies and is in a little hot water with the local police. This production will tour Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties March 11 through March 14.
Gulfshore Opera is accepting reservations for some events that are to be confirmed. Make a reservation or purchase tickets by visiting www.gulfshoreopera.org or calling 239-529-3925.
