Highland Park Strings Present Operatic Highlights in Annual Benefit
The Highland Park Strings take the stage with soprano Tracy Cantin and tenor John Irvin in Ravinia's acoustically perfect Bennett-Gordon Hall at 3 p.m. on February 14, 2016. They will perform operatic highlights as accompanied by some 50 local classical musicians. The Valentine's Day concert is the highlight of the Strings' 2015-16 'Season of Love'.
Tickets for the Annual Benefit concert are $40 each. Proceeds support the Strings' season of three free community concerts. A donation of $100 or more comes with preferred seating for a minimum of two tickets, a listing in the Program Book and free tickets to a Donor Appreciation Chamber Music Concert on April 3, 2016 at the Highland Park Community House.
Conducting the performance is Maestro Francesco Milioto, who also holds appointments with the Chicago Opera Theater and Lyric Opera of Chicago. This season marks his ninth year as conductor of the Highland Park Strings.
Cantin won critical acclaim last season at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Berta in "Barber of Seville," has appeared with the company in "Elektra," "Rigoletto," "Parsifal," and most recently in the title role of Donizetti's "Anna Bolena." The recent graduate of the Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago has also appeared with the Ravinia Festival, Grant Park Festival, Oregon Symphony and the Illinois Philharmonic.
Irvin is a member of the Ryan Center at Lyric Opera, where he appeared as Don Ottavio for Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park, and as Alfred for two performances of "Die Fledermaus." Additional Lyric performances included "The Barber of Seville," "La Traviata," "Parsifal," "Otello," "Rigoletto" and "Werther." Recently, he had notable debuts with the Chicago Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Irvin began pursuing his passion for opera when he earned his Bachelor of Music from Georgia State University in 2010 and his Professional Certificate from Boston University's Opera Institute in 2012.
Operatic highlights during the Valentine's Day concert include works by Verdi, Dvorak, Puccini, Lehar, Massanet and Gounod. In addition, the Strings present Tchaikovsky's Overture-Fantasy, "Romeo and Juliet" and the Overture to "Die Fledermaus" by Johann Strauss.
Attendees are invited to arrive early for a preconcert conversation, "The Art of Listening," led by expert Stephanie Ettelson at 2 p.m.
The concert is sponsored by YEA! Highland Park, which is funded in large part by the Ravinia Festival .
Tickets are now on sale for this program. To purchase, please call 847.831.3622 or visit www.HPStrings.org for more information.