Elgin OPERA marks 10th anniversary with gala concert
Celebrate in grand Hollywood style Elgin OPERA’s 10th anniversary at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12 at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin.
In “Elgin OPERA Goes Hollywood!,” an opera gala concert of movie music will be sung in original languages with English supertitles.
Maestro Francesco Milioto will lead the New Millennium Orchestra, Elgin Choral Union, Elgin Children’s Chorus, and soloists in excerpts from “La Traviata,” “Madama Butterfly,” “Don Giovanni,” “Aida,” “Turandot,” “I Pagliacci,” “Marriage of Figaro,” “Il Trovatore,” “Nabucco,” “Norma,” and more.
Cast will include: sopranos Solange Sior of Elgin, Saira Frank of Waukesha, Wis. and Susan Dennis of Bartlett; tenor Jonathan Burton of Minford, Ohio and Cornelius Johnson of Chicago; and baritone Aaron Wardell of Chicago and Ghibong Kim of Arlington Heights, who is also a vocal instructor at Judson University.
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Elgin OPERA is going all “Grand.” This will be its biggest production, with the participation of a hundred choristers from Elgin Choral Union and 60 young singers from Elgin Children’s Chorus, along with the 50-piece New Millennium Orchestra. The New Millennium Orchestra has appeared at the Ravinia Festival, the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, the 2010 Sonar Chicago Festival, and has been a Performing Partner at the Chicago Cultural Center since 2005. Featured collaborators have included members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the International Contemporary Ensemble, the Grammy-award winning group Eighth Blackbird and more.
Preceding the performance, entertainment will be provided in the lobby by the youngest members of the Elgin OPERA Training and Performing Ensemble. The talent and professionalism of these young soloists (8 to 20 years old) will amaze you as they perform music that has been heard in the movies.
Members of the Elgin OPERA Guild are cordially invited to the mayor’s champagne toast and hors d’oeuvres during the intermission. This is an exclusive event for members of Elgin OPERA Guild. A current Elgin OPERA Guild Membership ID Card is required for the event. Call (847) 695-5014 to renew your membership, or download an application from elginopera.org.
Enjoy a glamorous photo souvenir of “Elgin OPERA Goes Hollywood” and support Elgin OPERA at the same time. Their official photographer, Mike Smith of Photographic Services International, will donate $10 to Elgin OPERA for each $25 raised. Photos will take place in the lobby of the Hemmens before the performance and during the intermission. Black tie attire is optional.
Elgin OPERA would like to express its gratitude to the City of Elgin, Florence B. and Cornelia A. Palmer Trust, Barbara and Barre Seid Foundation, Bank of America and Villa Verone for their financial support; and e3 design group for its promotional graphic design services.
For tickets, call the Hemmens Cultural Center box office at (847) 931-5900 or visit www.hemmens.org. Make checks payable to City of Elgin/Hemmens. Tickets range from $15 to $35.
To contact Elgin OPERA, call the office at (847) 695-5014 or email office@elginopera.org.
Visit elginopera.org and hear the singers at www.youtube.com/ElginOpera, including excerpts from the past galas “A Taste of Italy” and “L’Amour, Toujours L’Amour!”