New name, new website, same mission for Fox Valley Lyrical Productions
Fox Valley Lyrical Productions, the new name for Soiree Lyrique, is highlighting its website while remaining committed to bringing classical vocal arts to the Elgin area.
The new website, foxvalleylyricalproductions.org, offers users a chance to order tickets to shows or donate to the group online, along with views of past productions and photos of the nonprofit organization's history.
Artistic director Solange Sior, who founded Soiree Lyrique in 2014, said the group will be expanding the productions into new communities.
"We're trying to grow," Sior said.
Supporting that, the production "Voices From Around the World" will be offered at three different locations in February and March.
The first show is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, at First United Methodist Church, 216 E. Highland Ave. in Elgin. It will be followed at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, at The Gallery of the Norris Cultural Art Center, 1040 Dunham Road in St. Charles.
The third concert will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at St. Paul United Church of Christ, 401 E. Main St. in Barrington.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets for students, age 6 to 16, are $15. Call the box office at (847) 622-9988.
The concert will be a collection of songs performed by four international soloists who had lead roles in last year's productions of "Die Fledermaus" and "Tosca."
Appearing in "Voices" will be Sior, Tetyana Torzhevska, Simon Kyung Lee and Franco Martorana. Taiwanese pianist Dr. Chiayi Lee will accompany the singers.
Sior, a Canadian soprano, has performed with many organizations, including Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Florentine Opera Company, Youth and Music Canada and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. She performed the role of Rosalida in the production of "Die Fledermaus."
Ukrainian soprano Torzhevska made her opera debut in 1989 at the State Opera Studio in Kiev. She has traveled with the Ukrainian Separate Model Orchestra and won first prize at the international festival Golden Lyre in Poland. She performed in the role of Floria Tosca in "Tosca."
Lee, a tenor, began as a child actor in his native Korea. He has sung with the Utah Festival Opera, Chamber Opera of Chicago and at the Kansas City Puccini Festival. Lee made his Carnegie Hall debut as a soloist in 2007. He played the part of Mario Cavaradossi in "Tosca."
Italian tenor and Switzerland native Martorana made his stage debut with Chicago's Lincoln Opera. He studied with Pavarotti's teacher Arrigo Polo before he enrolled in the University of Oklahoma and later joined the chorus of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He sang the lead part of Alfredo in "Die Fledermaus."
The event will include operatic excerpts, musical theater standards, Italian songs, Viennese waltzes, popular music and folk songs from around the world.