From: IMAGING.CLUB@OFFICE.WANG.COM ("Imaging Club")
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Massachusetts Operafest '92  Starts in Quincy
Date: 27 Jul 92 22:41:06 GMT
Organization: Mail to News Gateway at Wang Labs

QUINCY, MA--(July 27, 1992)--The Massachusetts Operafest '92
swept into Quincy last night after achieving big successes
at the Newton Summer-in-the-Park Series last Sunday and this
past Saturday at the nearby Great Woods Institute.  Saturday's
performance was led by sopranos Elisabeth Borg, Kim Griffing,
and Penny Rubinfield who sang there at Great Woods with the
Providence Chamber Orchestra.

Last night's enthusiastic audience at the large Eastern Nazarene
College Fine Arts Center auditorium enjoyed a wide range of
performances by the 33-member Operafest '92 company in full
opera dress.

The performance opened with a scene from Dido and Aeneas by
Purcell which was sung by Jolene Hainkel as the sorceress,
accompanied by a chorus of witches.  This was followed by
Kim Griffing singing the role of Desdemona in Rossini's
Othello.  The role of Emilia was sung by Sandra Yaron.

Melissa Wilkison sang Santuzza from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana,
accompanied by a chorus of church goers.  She was followed by mezzo
Dianna Daly singing the role of Carmen in a scene from Bizet's opera.
She was joined by Laura Ellen White, Elizabeth Ann Johnson,
Stephen Curtis, and Eugene Bylinin-Djibouti in the Act II
scene.

Kathy Karassik sang the role of Susanna from Mozart's Marriage of
Figaro, with Norman Fox as Ct. Almaviva.  This was followed by a
scene from Rossini's La Cenerentola with Valerie Martin, Kimberly
Rose Peters, Norman Fox, Frank Ragsdale, Laura Ellen White, Jeffrey
Sposato, Eugene Bylinin-Djibouti and the chorus of party guests.

Next came a scene from Rossini's William Tell, starring Cynthia
Harmon, Kim Griffing, and Penny Rubinfield, accompanied by a chorus
of village women.

This was followed by the very popular "ice cream" scene from Kurt
Weill's Street Scene, with Frank Ragsdale, Ana Lorenz, Benjamin
Cole, Jim DeSelms, Matthew Malloy, and Cynthia Harmon.

The first half concluded with the Act II, finale from Strauss'
Die Fledermaus with Nicholas Robinson as Dr. Falke, accompanied by
a chorus of party guests.

The second half opened with a scene from Wagner's Tannhaeuser with a
chorus of the Landgrave's entourage.

Martha Ebel and Martina Ferrante then sang a scene from Il Giuramento,
followed by mezzo Dianna Daly singing the role of Orfeo from Orfeo ed
Eurice.  Margaret Lampasi sang the role of Euridice.

Next came a scene from Lucia di Lammermoor with Gayle Berman, Jim
DeSelms, Sandra Yaron, Nicholas Robinson, the popular Robert
Vanaria, and Jeffrey Sposato.  This was followed by Melissa Wilkison
again, singing the role of Lizinga in Rossini's Demetrio e Polibio.
Ingrid Coleman sang Sulveno.

Robert Vanaria then sang the role of Faust in Gounod's opera.
Melissa Wilkison and Jeffrey Sposato sang the roles of Marguerite
and Mephistopheles.

The performance concluded with Verdi's Nabucco, with Penny
Rubinfield singing the role of Abigaille, Frank Ragsdale the
role of Nabucco and Benjamin Cole the role of Zaccaria.  They were
accompanied by Laura Ellen White, flutist, and members of the company
as the chorus of Israelites.

Musical direction was provided by Lisa Harer de Calvo and Thomas Enman,
both of the Longy School of Music.

Although most upcoming performances on Cape Cod are sold out or close
to being sold out, seating is still available for the remaining 8:00 pm
performances this week (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) at the Eastern
Nazarene College Fine Arts Center.  Since the Quincy audiorium has
good acoustics, seats anywhere there will be fine.  Additional information
is available by calling 773-6350, extension 263, or 471-7970.
Tickets should be available at the door.

Regarding tickets for the Cape Cod performances, call 617-423-3740.
Operafest '92 is scheduled July 30 in Mashpee at 7:30 PM at Christ the
King Church, tickets $10; August 1, 8 pm. Unitarian Universalist Church,
Provincetown, tickets $15; August 2, First Congregational Church,
Wellfleet, donations.  With limited seating at these locations, there are
only a few remaining tickets available for these performances on Cape Cod.

Operafest '92 is directed by Donna Roll who also directs the
Opera Workshop Class at the New England Conservatory in Boston
and the Opera at Longy program at the prestigious Longy School of
Music in Cambridge, MA, next to Harvard University at Harvard
Square.  Most members of Operafest '92 are also members of
the Opera at Longy program, pursuing advanced opera training
after having completed their undergraduate programs from leading
colleges and universities.
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical