Elgin OPERA to host Summer Music Festival
Elgin OPERA launches its first Community Outreach Summer Music Festival.
"Opera in Concert" will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 26. Opera excerpts from the classical and romantic period will be presented, including music from the "Magic Flute," "Marriage of Figaro," "Cosi fan Tutte," "Lakme," "Romeo and Juliet," "Faust," "Turandot," "Amahl and the Night Visitors" and more.
The third act of "La Boheme" will be staged and presented under the direction of Mark James Meier. Solange Sior, artistic director of Elgin OPERA, will perform Mimi. Nancy Wiebe Mazurowski of Chicago, second-place winner of the emerging artist division of Elgin OPERA's third annual vocal competition, will be Musetta. Rodolfo will be sung by Cornelius Johnson and Marcello will be sung by Aaron Wardell, both of Chicago.
Other singers for the evening will include: Kendra Wieneke, Barrington; Margaret Schnutt, Bolingbrook; Jori Jennings, Sara Litchfield, Marcy Stonikas and Wojciech Ziarnik, all of Chicago; Jim Hinton, Elgin; Tatiana Ranallo, Gilberts; Laura Dobroth, Lake Forest; Jacqueline Schiffer, Palatine; Andrew Marchiori, St. Charles; Annamarie Schutt, South Elgin; and Katherine Werbiansky, Urbana, with pianist Chiayi Lee of Batavia.
"Best Loved Opera Scenes" will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, July 31, and Saturday, Aug. 1. A staged and costumed production of "Suor Angelica," a one-hour opera by Puccini will be presented under the direction of Meier.
The title role will be performed by Marcy Stonikas of Chicago, first-place winner of the emerging artist division of Elgin OPERA's third annual vocal competition, as well as the winner of the "Most Promising Career" award.
Barbara Landis of Chicago, artistic director of Chamber Opera Chicago, will perform "The Princess." Marianne Adaire of Evanston, first-place winner of the young artist division of Elgin OPERA's third annual competition, will sing the role of Sister Genevieve.
Other singers cast in the production include Kimberly Albrecht, Stacey Bravos, Sarah Heitman and Kendra Wieneke, all of Barrington; Margaret Schnute of Bolingbrook; Paula Mrazek and Michelle Hackman, both of Cary; Corey Fretz, Jori Jennings, Sara Litchfield, Elizabeth Shuman and Nicole Teram, all of Chicago; and Danielle Floberg of Palatine.
The other part of the "Best Loved Opera Scenes" evening will highlight excerpts from various operas, including "La Boheme," "La Rondine," "La Traviata," "I Pagliacci," "Romeo and Juliet," "Hansel and Gretel," and "Don Giovanni."
Additional singers for the event will include founder and artistic director, Solange Sior; Ghibong Kim of Arlington Heights; Wojciech Ziarnik of Chicago; and Jeorge Holmes of Elgin.
Other events at the Summer Music Festival include Master Classes with Maestro Giulio Favario, former associate conductor and chorus master at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and former principal coach at the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists, and Philip Morehead, pianist and conductor, head of music staff of Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists and former Chorus Master.
These events are open to the general public. Admission is $10. For tickets, call Elgin OPERA at (847) 695-5014, e-mail office@elginopera.org visit www.elginopera.org to download a brochure and view a map.