Enjoy an evening of 'Verdi at its Best' Sunday
On Sunday, Feb. 28, enjoy "Verdi at its Best: An Afternoon of Opera with Elgin Master Chorale and Soiree Lyrique" at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at First Congregational Church, 256 E. Chicago St. in downtown Elgin. Suggested donation is $15-$30.
Elgin Master Chorale teams up with Soiree Lyrique to bring you an afternoon of operatic delights from this iconic composer with excerpts from "Il Trovatore," "La Forza del Destino," "La Traviata," "Nabucco," and more.
The concert will feature soprano Solange Sior, mezzo soprano Jennifer Kosharsky, tenor Cornelius Johnson, and baritone Aaron Wardell, accompanied by pianist Chiayi Lee.
For reservations, contact Soiree Lyrique at office@soireelyrique.org or call (224) 595-1526.
• A Viennese Concert is set for 3 p.m. Sunday, April 10, at the same location. Singers will include Genevieve Thiers, soprano, Simon Kyung Lee, tenor, Nicholas Provenzale, baritone and Solange Sior, soprano. They will be performing along with Chamber Music on the Fox with Chiayi Lee at the piano. Music selections from operettas by Franz Lehar, Johann Strauss, Wolfgang Korngold, famous waltzes and more will be featured.
• Tenors Franco Martorana and Simon Kyung Lee return for an outdoor concert of "Pop-Opera" planned for 3 p.m. Sunday, June 12, on the Terrace of Snuffy's Villa in West Dundee. The performance will be moved to the music room in case of rain. All-time favorite excerpts from musical theater, Italian songs, and popular opera will please a general audience.
• The Fox Valley Rising Stars - Young Artist Program will present three productions starting with an outdoor performance at DuPage Court right after the parade on July 4. Music will include patriotic songs, excerpts from musical theater and songs written by American composers.
• A Walk on Broadway at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 10, will feature aspiring young singers and local artists in an outdoor concert on the Terrace of Snuffy's Villa in West Dundee. Performance will be moved to the music room in case of rain.
• The final production of the Young Artist Program 2016 will feature aspiring young opera singers and local artists in various opera scenes to be performed at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 17, at the Evangelical Covenant Church, 1565 Larkin Ave. in Elgin.
The mission statement is to create and nourish a greater appreciation of the classical vocal arts and to educate through professional performances and community outreach programs. The long term goal is to present full length staged opera productions with chorus and orchestra accompaniment.
There are no ticket sales for these events. Suggested donations are $15 to $30 per person. This method fulfills its goal to make the productions accessible to the needs of the novice, disabled, senior citizens and students. The productions cannot be covered by the donations of attendees only. In order to fulfill the mission, financial support is needed to bring great productions in the Fox Valley area. If you care to help, send your check to Soirée Lyrique, NFP at 326 Wilcox Ave., Elgin IL 60123. Soirée Lyrique, NFP is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization. Therefore, your contribution is fully deductible as a charitable contribution for tax purposes.
For more information, or to download a brochure, visit www.soireelyrique.org.