Monday, October 26, 2009




If you missed Sarasota Opera’s Thursdays at Four free Lobby Concert last week, you have two more opportunites to hear the company’s Apprentice Artists perform solos and ensembles from opera and operetta. The second performance is this Thursday, Oct. 29 at 4 p.m. The third and final performance in the series is Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. All performances are in the Opera House’s Victoria Leopold Grand Atrium. This themed presentation is titled Walt Whitman: His Poetry and Music. American writer Walt Whitman was an opera buff and the creator of more than 400 poems. There are more musical settings of his texts than of any other American author. The program features selections from operas that Whitman saw and commented on, including Verdi’s I Lomdardi, von Weber’s Der Freischütz, and Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. Popular music of Whitman’s day, including music performed by the Hutchinson Family Singers (Whitman’s favorite singing group) and the Civil War song “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again” is also of the program. In addition, numerous musical versions of Whitman’s poems will be heard. Limited seating is available.
Pictured here are tenor Bernard Holcombe, soprano Rebekah Diaz, and Roger Bingaman, Director of Sarasota Opera’s Apprentice Artist Program, at the Thursday, Oct. 22 free concert.
Seocnd photo, are soprano Carelle Flores Rebekah Diaz and Maestro Roger Bingaman, also at the Thursday, Oct. 22 free concert.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

New Subscriber Day at Sarasota Opera


New Sarasota Opera subscribers are treated to a private mini-concert and tours of the William E. Schmidt Opera Theater, backstage, and costume shop. Some of them even sampled the view from their subscription seats. Here Marketing Director Richard Russell shows patrons the set for Verdi's La traviata as well as the view from the stage. La traviata opens October 30 at 8 p.m.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Let the rehearsals begin!

The singers are here. The director is here. The crew is here. And rehearsals for La traviata begin today! Don't miss it. Performances are October 30, November 3, 5, and 11 at 8 p.m. and November 1 and 8 at 1:30 p.m. Call 941-366-8450, ext. 1 for more info.