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.

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.

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.

What's a Super? Want to be One?

Supers, short for supernumeraries, are the non singing "extras" that Sarasota Opera uses in its productions. This upcoming winter season Sarasota Opera needs male and female supers to play the roles of couriers, nuns, soldiers, cardinals and priests. If you are interested in volunteering your time as a super, you should attend the Super Call, Thursday, October 29 at 1 p.m. (Gather in the Opera House Courtyard). Your attendance at the Call doesn't guarantee that you'll be a super. Directors of our productions will interview applicants and members of the costume shop staff will be taking measurements to see if they have a costume that will fit.
Being a super requires both day and night-time availability.
Sarasota Opera House is at 61 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota. If you have any questions, call Sarasota Opera's Artistic Administrator, Greg Trupiano, at (941) 366-8450, ext. 420, or email him at gtrupiano@sarasotaopera.org

Free Performances Friday, October 2

October is almost here - and in Sarasota that means Opera!
Singers, crew, and other members of our artistic staff are beginning to head back into town for our Fall Opera season.
Stop in at Galleria Silecchia, 20 S. Palm Avenue, downtown Sarasota, Friday evening, Oct. 2 during the Palm Avenue First Friday Walk.
Sarasota Opera artists Alissa Anderson and Evan Brummel will be performing at 7, 7:30 and 8 p.m. Listen to the music, peruse the art. It all makes for a joyous evening.
This is only the first of many performances during our fall season.
Hope to see you there.

More 2009 Tosca Video - E lucevan le stelle

Rafael Dávila singing E lucevan le stelle from our 2009 Production of Tosca.

Tosca - Sarasota Opera 2009

A remembrance from the 2009 season with the fabulous Kara Shay Thomson as Tosca.