The Passions of Love and Jealousy Abound in Dayton Opera`s

Winter 2016
In This Issue
Opera Marionettes Celebrate..........p.2
President’s Message........................p.3
Artists-In-Residence....................p.5
Applause, Applause.........................p.6
Traveling Opera ...............................p.7
Membership Luncheon ...................p.8
Working to win
new friends for opera
The Passions of Love and Jealousy
Abound in Dayton Opera’s Premiere
Production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello
On Friday, February 26, 2016, at
8 p.m. and Sunday, February 28,
2016, at 3 p.m. in
the Mead Theatre
of the Schuster
Center, under
the artistic direction of Thomas
Bankston, Dayton
Opera will present
Giuseppe Verdi’s
opera Otello, written near the end
of his career, his next-to-last opera. It will be sung in Italian with
English surtitles. “What a thrill it
is to be presenting Dayton Opera’s
first-ever production of this amazing masterpiece, particularly in the
400th anniversary year of the death
of the great playwright William
Shakespeare,” said Bankston. “And
it is equally a thrill to celebrate the
American debut of Dayton Opera
favorite, tenor Scott Piper, in the
demanding title role.”
At the height of his creative
genius, Italian Giuseppe Verdi had
retired after the huge success of his
1871 Aida. It took a full decade for
his publisher, Ricordi, to lure Verdi
from his rest with a libretto drawn
from Shakespeare that was so powerful he could not resist. The result
of librettist Boito’s recasting of
Shakespeare’s drama set to Verdi’s
music is Otello,
which has been
hailed as a masterpiece ever since
Verdi took twenty
curtain calls at its
premiere.
Otello turns on
three important
characters - the
forceful Otello,
his beautiful wife Desdemona, and
his crafty, unscrupulous rival Iago.
The orchestra is also a key player in
the drama, revealing Verdi’s growth
in the silent decade following Aida.
Opening with a dramatic storm in
the orchestra that foreshadows what
is to follow, Otello sweeps along as the
evil Iago gradually hatches his plot
to make Otello unjustly fear that his
beloved Desdemona is betraying him.
The dark mood of the opening
turns despairing and sinister in the
final act as Desdemona sings farewell to her confidante and prepares
herself for what is to come with
prayer. Iago’s dastardly manipulations
are fulfilled when Otello’s murderous rage erupts with fatal results for
Desdemona. Stricken with remorse
when he learns of her innocence,
Otello dies by his own hand, bringOtello continued on p. 4
This year’s Opera Ball with the
exciting theme of Hooray for Hollywood! will be held on Saturday,
April 30, 2016, from 6 –11 p.m. at the
NCR Country Club. The Hooray for
Hollywood theme will be reflected in
extraordinary decorations, including
a red carpet for the starring attendees.
The ambience will reflect the golden
age of Hollywood and the Hollywood
Hotel, featured in the movie. There
will be bell boys! There will be Oscars! Entertainment will be provided
by the Bob Gray Orchestra and singers
who will perform favorite movie
theme songs from across the decades.
A gourmet dinner and excellent wine
are included in the ticket price. There
will be a silent auction, a live auction,
and a Gold Key Raffle.
Tickets prices for this fabulous
evening are:
$250 for Platinum Patron, $200 for
Gold Patron, $175 for Silver Patron,
$150 for First Time Attendee or Military Patron.
Contact Ball Chairman Nancy
Farkas for additional information at
[email protected] or
937/776-0424.
Winter 2016
1
Opera Guild of Dayton Officers:
President
Penny Wolff
Executive Vice President Nancy Farkas
Managing Vice Presidents
Education
Nora Stang
Fundraising
Jane Reynolds
Marketing/
Sue Falter
Communications
Membership
Margarete Jennings
Office Management Sally Bruggemann
Recording Secretary Ellen McCloskey
Corresponding Secretary Sally Bruggemann
Treasurer
Dolores Anderson
Past President
Betty Holton
At-large members of Executive Committee Helen Jones-Kelley
Kimberly Robinson
Opera Notes is published by the
Opera Guild of Dayton.
Editor
Sue Falter
Contributors
Suzanne Crippen
Sue Falter
Nancy Farkas
Amy Lombardo
Linda Rountree
Angela Whitehead
Toni Winger
Penny Wolff
Opera Guild of Dayton Mission Statement
The Opera Guild of Dayton encourages and promotes opera
in the Greater Dayton area and supports Dayton Opera
through fundraising, marketing and educational activities.
Mailing address: 126 North Main Street, Suite #210
Dayton, Ohio 45402
Telephone:
937/224-3521, ext. 1099
Web address: www.operaguildofdayton.org
2
Opera Notes
Live In HD:
Metropolitan Opera
For opera lovers who just can’t get
enough of it, there are four operas
remaining in LIVE IN HD 2015-16
SEASON. In its tenth season, live performances from the Met have become a
staple for local opera lovers. Check your
local newspapers for times at local movie theatres as the dates grow nearer.
MARCH 5
Manon Lescaut by Puccini
APRIL 2
Madama Butterfly by Puccini
APRIL 16
Roberto Devereux by Donizetti
APRIL 30
Elektra by Stauss
The Remembrance
Fund
The Remembrance Fund helps
support the Guild’s High School
and Tri-State College Vocal Competitions. Gifts made in observance of
a birthday, anniversary, promotion or
other event, as well as those remembering the lives of loved ones, help
further the dreams and goals of many
talented young people. Gifts can be
made online at http://www.operaguildofdayton.org or gifts can be sent
to Evelyn M. Lewis, 3104 Carrier
Avenue, Dayton, OH 45429, 937/2994825. Make checks payable to the
Opera Guild of Dayton.
Recent contributions:
In memory of John James Robin-
son, Jean Beecher’s father
The Opera Guild of Dayton
In memory of Georgette Belden
Bruce and Leora Kline
In memory of Jane Hamilton
Sue Falter
In memory of Martha Robinson
George and Helen Vawter
In memory of William (Bill) Tully
The Opera Guild of Dayton
Paul and Dolores Anderson
Jim and Sue Falter
Bill and Toni Winger
In honor of the marriage of Ron
Anderson and Robb Sloan
Ron and Pam Eyink
In honor of BRAVO! 2015 Fashion
Show Chair Cindy Gaboury
The Opera Guild of Dayton
Opera Marionettes
Celebrate
On December 15, 2015, at Dayton
Country Club, Opera Marionette
volunteers gathered for a holiday
party and a festive celebration marking the 25th anniversary of the Opera
Marionettes. This special program
was designed to introduce opera to
young children and uses nine, 27 inch
marionettes representing characters
from famous operas, plus a crew
of trained volunteers who walk the
characters among the seated children
for a “nose to nose” experience. The
clown from I Pagliacci narrates the
program and recorded music from
opera is played. Each year 1300 children from pre-school through grade
two are introduced to opera through
this program. It has stood the test of
time as delighted youngsters reach
out and talk to the miniature opera
singers. Maybe they will be the opera
stars of the future.
In 1995 the Opera Marionettes
program won the Opera Volunteer International Resources Award. Chairs
through the years have been founder
Kay Gray, Claire Tully, Sue Erbaugh,
Jeanne Tyrell and, since the fall of
1999, Nora Stang. Congratulations!
operaguildofdayton.org
President’s Message
Penny Wolff
Twenty For Twenty
Thank you for being a trusted partner and valued supporter of Dayton
Opera. Without you there would be
no opera in Dayton.
You may have already heard and
read of the exciting news that I shared
with the audiences of Madame
Butterfly and which has been on the
Opera Guild’s website for several
months. But, it is news worth repeating. At the November 2015 perfor-
mances of Madame Butterfly I
presented two Guild “checks”
to Tom Bankston. The first,
in the amount of $70,000,
Tom was expecting as part of
our annual pledge to Dayton
Opera. However, the second
“check” of an additional gift
of $20,000 was a complete
surprise. It was so satisfying to
see Tom’s reaction and to hear
the warm applause of the audience. This additional gift honors
Tom Bankston in his 20th season as
the artistic director of Dayton Opera and recognizes his dedication to
artistic excellence that has enriched
the opera experience for all of us
who are opera lovers.
While the entire amount of $20,000
will go to support Dayton Opera, the
Dayton Performing Arts Alliance is
using this special gift as part of the
Advancing Together major gift initiative, a challenge to generate additional gifts for the performing arts. The
Guild is proud to be a leader in this
initiative. The Guild also established a
Twenty for Twenty campaign to help
meet this pledge. Contributions have
been generous.
As we look to the ambitious 20162017 season ahead, your commitment
to supporting the Opera Guild of
Dayton is more vital than ever. There
is still time to make a special donation
through Twenty for Twenty to help
the Guild reach its additional pledge
of $20,000.
Your generous donation is fully
tax-deductible and sustains powerful
performances that will keep opera at
the forefront of the arts in Dayton in
the years ahead.
SEE THE DONATION FORM ON
THE BACK PAGE OF THIS ISSUE
OF OPERA NOTES. YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED!
Penny Wolff
"
Twenty For Twenty
YES! I want to make a special gift to support the Opera Guild
of Dayton’s additional pledge of $20,000 in honor of Tom
Bankston’s 20th season as artistic director of Dayton Opera.
Enclosed is my donation.
____$20 ____$200 ____$2,000 ____$____ (other)
This contribution is from (Please Print)
Name: __________________________________
Mailing Address: __________________________
City: _________ State: ______ Zip: __________
Preferred Telephone: _______________________
E-Mail: __________________________________
I desire my contribution to be ____ published
• By check #_______Payable to Opera Guild of Dayton
____ anonymous _____ in honor or in memory of
• Mail to Ann Herr, Fundraising Chair, 638 Garden Rd.,
________________________________________
Dayton, OH 45419
Please notify the following:
• To make a secure credit card donation online through
Name ___________________________________
PayPal go to www.operaguildofdayton.org and click donate.
Mailing Address __________________________
_________________________________________
Winter 2016
3
Otello, continued from p. 1
ing the opera to a truly Shakespearian close.
Dayton Opera is thrilled to have
tenor Scott Piper back to Dayton
Opera for his eighth appearance,
this time in the “Mount Olympus of
tenor roles,” Otello. Piper has recently
debuted the role of Otello to critical
acclaim in Germany at the Hessian
State Opera in Wiesbaden. Dayton
Opera’s production of Otello will
mark his debut of this challenging
and defining role in the United
States. Piper appeared with Dayton
Opera in past performances of Lucia
di Lammermoor in 1999, La Traviata
in 2000, Aida in 2003, Tosca in 2005,
The Elixir of Love in 2009, in the title
role of Faust in 2009, and as a guest
vocalist in Dayton Opera’s 50th anniversary gala celebration in 2011. He
has been hailed
by critics for
his mastery of
vocal colors,
lauded by
conductors for
his keen sense
of musical
phrasing, and
praised by audiences for his heartfelt and penetrating performances.
For the role of Desdemona, Dayton
Opera welcomes to the stage soprano
Danielle Pastin, who will make her
Dayton Opera debut. Quoted as having “a lovely demeanor and irresistible creamy timbre” by Opera News,
fast-rising young soprano Pastin is
quickly gaining attention from opera
houses around the country. Pastin
has performed with opera companies
from coast to coast, including Nashville Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera
Naples, Syracuse Opera, Palm Beach
Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Central
City Opera, Pensacola Opera, Arizona Opera and roles with Metropolitan Opera in New York.
Baritone Grant Youngblood
4
Opera Notes
returns to Dayton Opera in the role
of the duplicitous and dastardly Iago.
Youngblood is known as a tall, dashing baritone “with a robust sound
with ringing top notes” and praised
for his “smooth lyric baritone voice,
bringing beautiful shading and color
to the score.” His past roles with
Dayton Opera include the roles of
Figaro in in the 2001 production of
The Barber of Seville, Scarpia in the
2004 production of Tosca, Amonasro
in the 2014 production of Aida, and a
guest soloist in Dayton Opera’s 2014
Season Opening Spectacular Russian
Panorama.
Tenor Stephen Carroll makes his
Dayton debut in the role of Otello’s
honorable captain Cassio. This past
May, Carroll workshopped the role of
Franz Bierman in The Book Collector,
a new opera by composer-in-residence
Stella Sung, to premiere with Dayton
Opera in May 2016. A recent graduate with an artist diploma from the
University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, he was a member
of the prestigious 2015 Glimmerglass
Opera Young Artist Program.
Two performers return to Dayton
Opera to round out the cast of Otello.
Bass Adam Fry returns as Lodovico,
having recently performed the role of
The Bonze in Madame Butterfly this
past November. Errik Hood, baritone, also returns to Dayton Opera
in the role of Montano. Hood most
recently performed with Dayton Opera in the acclaimed 2014 production
of Dead Man Walking.
Three of Dayton Opera’s 20152016 Artists-in-Residence will also
sing in this production. Mezzo-soprano Melisa Bonetti appears as Emilia,
wife of antagonist Iago and handmaid
to the lovely Desdemona; Tenor
Zachary Devin will take the role of
Roderico. Baritone Andrew Pardini
will perform the role of the Herald.
Dayton Opera welcomes the return
of stage director Kathleen Clawson
for a ninth time to her “home away
from home” to direct this Verdi
masterpiece. She has been directing
operas with Dayton Opera since
2009, including The Elixir of Love, La
Traviata, Faust, Fidelio, La Bohème,
Lucia di Lammermoor, Aida, and last
season’s The Magic Flute.
The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra provides the gorgeous score to Verdi’s
classic, under the baton of the accomplished Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
Artistic Director and Conductor Neal
Gittleman. He has had many acclaimed
appearances on the podium of Dayton
Opera; the most recent being last season’s
The Pearl Fishers. The ever-versatile Dayton Opera Chorus, under the direction
and leadership of Chorus Master Jeffrey
Powell, take to the stage again to add
their choral expertise.
Love may be the most powerful force
in the world, but jealousy exerts a dark
power all its own. For those who like passion and drama, Otello is a must-see!
Membership
Changes
NEW MEMBERS:
RED BOOK CORRECTIONS:
Louis and Carmel Scacca
E-mail: [email protected]
Rita Price
Address: 540 Isaac Prugh Way, #657
Dayton, OH 45429
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Dayton Opera Proudly Welcomes
Four Young Vocalists to its 2015-2016
Artists-In-Residence Program
Dayton Opera is pleased to
welcome four young vocalists to
the Dayton area for its 2015-2016
Artist-in-Residence Program.
The four vocalists were selected
from national auditions and arrived
in Dayton in January to begin their
residencies. The Dayton Opera Artists-in-Residence (AIR) program
was established in 1987 as a professional training program for young
singers, providing a bridge for the
move from the university/conservatory education experience into
the arena of a professional opera
company. The young professional
artists in Dayton Opera’s 2015-2016
Artists-in-Residence Program are
soprano Kasia Borowiec, mezzo-soprano Melisa Bonetti, tenor
Zachary Devin and baritone Andrew Pardini.
The Artists-in-Residence will be
appearing at more than 40 performances in schools throughout the
community presenting musical
programs that educate Dayton area
students in the art of opera. WYSO
Development Director Luke Dennis is writer and director of a new
program entitled “Shakespeare
Sings!” which the AIRs will be
presenting this winter. “It was so
much fun to direct these talented
Artists-in-Residence,” said Dennis.
“Not only are they great singers,
they’re also great actors, and they
bring a sense of experimentation
and playfulness to their performances. They are exactly the type
of engaging performers you want
to be sending into schools.” “Shakespeare Sings!” is being presented in
Dayton area schools in cooperation
with Dayton’s nationally recognized
arts education organization program The Muse Machine. In addi-
tion, the AIRs will also be presenting a program entitled “Cooking
up Opera,” also directed by Dennis,
but geared more towards younger
school-aged children.
Additionally, the four AIRs will
be appearing in Dayton Opera
main stage productions in the
2015-2016 Ascend Season. They
recently presented a beautiful
Chamber Concert entitled “Sound
and Song” with several Dayton
Philharmonic Orchestra musicians
in January at the Dayton Art Institute. In addition, they will have
roles in the upcoming production
of Giuseppe Verdi’s penultimate
opera Otello at the Schuster Center.
Soprano Kasia Borowiec is a
native of Summit, NJ, and now
resides in New
York City. She
made her Dayton Opera debut
in the role of
Kate Pinkerton
in Madame Butterfly as a member of the Artists-in-Residence
Program, and will understudy the
role of Desdemona this February
in Dayton Opera’s production of
Otello. Kasia received her Bachelor
of Arts in Music from Columbia
University and her Masters of Music in vocal performance from the
Manhattan School of Music.
Mezzo-soprano Melisa Bonetti
will make her Dayton Opera main
stage debut
this February as Emilia
in Otello as a
member of the
Artists-in-Residence Program.
Last month, she made her Dayton
Philharmonic debut as a soloist in
Handel’s Messiah. Melisa received
her undergraduate degree from
Queens College and her Master of
Music in Voice from the University
of Cincinnati/College–Conservatory of Music. Born in Corona,
Queens, NY, she now makes her
home in Cincinnati, OH.
Tenor Zachary Devin, a native of
Robinson, IL, now lives in St. Louis,
MO. He received
his Bachelor of
Music from Millikin University,
his Masters of
Music from Rice
University and a
Masters of Arts
from the Royal
Academy of Music in London. He
makes his Dayton Opera debut this
February in the role of Roderigo and
understudies Cassio in Otello as a
member of the Artists-in-Residence
Program.
Baritone Andrew Pardini, a native
of Modesto, CA, received his Bachelor of Music in Vocal
Performance from the
University of Southern California and his
Masters of Music in
opera performance
from the University of
Maryland–Maryland
Opera Studio. As
a member of Dayton Opera’s Artist-in-Residence Program, Andrew
made his company debut this past
November in the dual roles of Yamadori/Imperial Commissioner as well
as understudying Sharpless in Madame Butterfly. He will sing the role of
the Herald and understudy Montano
in Otello this February. He now lives
in Maryland and serves as a collaborator with students in the Maryland
Opera Studio.
Conductor and Pianist Jeffrey
Powell will once again serve as
Artist-In-Residence continued on p. 7
Winter 2016
5
Applause! Applause!
Barbara Bostick
Those of you who have attended
an Opera Ball or BRAVO! Fashion
Show have probably been struck
by the innovative and beautiful
floral arrangements at each table.
What you may not know is that the
creative force behind these lovely
centerpieces is the Opera Guild’s
own Barbara Stewart Bostick. We
are lucky to have Barbara as our
personal style consultant at these
major events. Whether it be tablecloths and napkins, chair covers,
bows, lighting arrangements, or
accessories, Barbara imparts her
unique touch to all. She not only
knows what to suggest, but which
suppliers to contact for the best
work and price, oh yes, and at a
moment’s notice if need be!
Her talent and flair for design
would be gift enough for anyone,
but this Opera Guild member’s
abilities and accomplishments
would take pages to describe.
Barbara grew up in Dayton, in
the Paul Lawrence Dunbar area,
with her parents and sister, Sylvia.
Her mother was a homemaker
and her father was employed at
Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
Her entire family was creative and
artistic. Her mother made jewelry
and floral arrangements. An aunt
and a cousin were seamstresses.
Her grandmother taught her crafts.
6
Opera Notes
Her grandfather was a gunsmith
and made fishnets and repaired
fishing equipment - skills he taught
her. Barbara learned how to sew
while young and made her first
skirt when she was 7! She also
attended millinery school while
still a teenager. She graduated from
Roosevelt High School and attended Central State University full
time, majoring in Business Administration. She finished college in 3
years - all while working at General Motors full time! While still attending Central State, she applied
for a scholarship to attend Columbia University’s Graduate School of
Business. Bostick passed the necessary tests and requirements, was
awarded the scholarship, admitted
to Columbia and moved to New
York City after college graduation.
It was while living in New York
that her interest in the arts flourished. Barbara lived with a friend
of the family, Helen E. Harden.
Mrs. Harden was a school teacher and guidance counselor in the
New York City public schools and,
along with Mollie Moon, founded
the National Urban League Guild,
a fundraising, education and
research auxiliary of the National
Urban League, in 1942 and served
as its vice-president until 1991.
Mrs. Harden had a vast array of
friends and acquaintances in politics, education, arts and business.
For Barbara, her friendship with
Mrs. Harden opened the door to
this world. One artistic connection Barbara especially valued was
with opera singer and actor Caleb Peterson. She also met Jessye
Norman, Etta Moten Barnett and
Kathleen Battle.
Barbara returned to Dayton
after graduate school with an MBA
and worked for General Motors
in sales, marketing and communications. She then moved on
to Delphi, retiring from there in
2001.One of the achievements of
which Barbara is the most proud is
her association and work with the
National Black MBA Association
(NBMBAA). She attended a convention of this group in Atlanta in
1983; she was so impressed with
this group that she not only joined
the organization but founded
the Dayton Chapter in 1984 and
served as its President from 19841986. Barbara has served on the
National Board, been chairman of
numerous NBMBAA committees,
and been honored by this organization as “Outstanding MBA of the
Year” and an outstanding Legacy
Leader.
Bostick says that her paternal
grandmother encouraged her to
get involved in community and
civic organizations from an early
age, and she has certainly taken
that advice to heart!
In addition to her extensive work
with NBMBAA, Bostick has been
a very active member of LINKS,
Incorporated for the past 21 years,
has served as co-chair for fundraisers
“Cookin’ Men” and the Sneaker’s Ball
and has been Chair of that organization’s Strategic Planning Committee
and its Arts Chair. She belongs to the
Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She is a
member and former Board member of the Girl Scouts of America;
the Soroptomists International and
the NAACP. She is immediate past
President of the Carrousels, Inc. and
Vice-President of the Dayton chapter
of the National Smart Set and was
Chair of that organization’s conclave
in 2009. She says that her most
satisfying volunteer work has been
with young adults and young people,
especially in the areas of fund development, education, scholarships
and literacy. She volunteers in a local
school with LINKS Books’ Alive! For
Kids, an award-wining arts literacy
curriculum.
As a child Barbara took piano
lessons, sang in a choir and was a
Applause! Applause! continued on p. 7
operaguildofdayton.org
Applause! Applause! continued from p. 6
member of a singing group while
in 7th and 8th grade! In 2009, she
was approached by Opera Guild
Board Member Helen Jones-Kelly
about joining the Opera Guild.
She has served on the BRAVO!
Fashion Committee from that
time until the present, advising
and assisting with room decor,
runway design, logistics and
production. She was on the 2015
Opera Ball Committee working
with room decor, lighting and
decorations. She is this year’s
BRAVO! Chair. Her decorations
combine elegance and understated glamour for a dazzling effect.
It is easy to spot the “Barbara
touch” at these events!
Barbara is married to attorney
Robert A. Bostick who practices
in Dayton and who has served as a
Montgomery County prosecutor.
He is currently semi-retired and
an adjunct professor at the Law
School of the University of Dayton. The couple have three children and seven grandchildren
Barbara has had extraordinary
life experiences and a successful
and satisfying business career. She
has donated her time, talents and
treasures to an array of volunteer
organizations for many years and
is an inspiration to all. Barbara, for
all you have done and continue to
do - Applause, Applause!
Artists-In-Residence continued from p. 5
Music Director and Accompanist
for the 2015-2016 Dayton Opera
Artists-in-Residence program. Jeff
most recently conducted Dayton
Opera’s 2013-14 production of
Hansel and Gretel.
Dayton Opera and the entire
Dayton Performing Arts Alliance
welcome these four young artists to
Dayton and wish them all the best in
their residencies.
Opera Guild Education
Backstage with our
Traveling Opera
The Children’s Traveling Opera offers a wonderful introduction to opera
for elementary students throughout
the Miami Valley. A dynamic team of
volunteers selects the opera for presentation. Making the sets and acquiring
the necessary props takes almost as
much time as making the fantastic
costumes. Various costumes are made
in a one-size-fits-most, always with a
few exceptions.
Schools are contacted and a contract
is signed for this unique program at the
special rate of $125.00 with the Opera
Guild of Dayton covering the shortage.
Two paid positions, a professional opera
singer and accompanist, go out for
each performance. Auditions for these
positions are held annually. Several professionals are chosen for each role and
they rotate performances to cover the
scheduled 25-30 programs each season.
Prior to each performance, music
teachers are sent a general outline of the
opera, and a simple song to teach the
students. The children are the opera
Student Night @
Dress Rehearsal
Madame Butterfly was seen by 532
students and chaperones on November 28, 2015. Student Night@
Dress Rehearsal was chaired by Judy
Hudson along with many other Guild
volunteers who checked in students
and acted as ushers.
Tri-State College
Vocal Competition
The 27th Annual College Vocal
Competition will be held on April
10, 2016, at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Kettering. The busy
committee, chaired by Tammy Schaff,
chorus. Programs are scheduled in the
spring and fall in order to avoid bad
weather and each program requires ten
trained Guild volunteers to be on hand
to set the stage. Four to five classes attend
each program and students are randomly
selected for the cast by the narrator. Each
cast member has a volunteer assigned to
him/her who explains and coaches the
child for the assigned role. And then the
fun starts as someone misses his cue or
loses his hat or discovers it would be fun
to be a star for the day. This is a wonderful program and always well received.
The students love it.
This spring the Children’s Traveling
Opera was awarded a $3,000 grant by
the Dayton Rotary Foundation to cover
the costs of creating a new production.
For the past four years they have
presented The Barber of Seville. Something new is coming. Volunteers are
sewing new costumes; a new script
is being written; new sets are in the
works; new music is being recorded.
The Children’s Traveling Opera (CTO)
team led by Pat Ferguson, Cindi Hoffsis, and Linda Rountree, is hard at work
preparing for this spring’s new, exciting
production. It should be a great season
for The Pirates of Penzance.
has sent out more than 300 brochures
and posters to colleges in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, inviting qualified
young people to apply. The competition will be preceded by the Stars
of Tomorrow Luncheon at Moraine
County Club.
High School Vocal
Competiton
Plan to hear area high school
students compete for $1,300 in prize
money at the Lutheran Church of
Our Savior in Oakwood on Saturday,
March 19, 2016. Linda Menz is busy
confirming judges and mailing out
brochures inviting area high school
age voice students to enter.
Winter 2016
7
126 North Main Street, #210
Dayton, OH 45402
937/224-3521, x1099
OPERAGUILDOFDAYTON.ORG
Working to win
new friends for opera
COMING EVENTS
Friday, February 26, 2016
Sunday, February 28, 2016
DAYTON OPERA’S
Otello
Thursday. March 17, 2016
MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON
Dayton Country Club
Saturday, March 19, 2016
HIGH SCHOOL VOCAL
COMPETITION
Lutheran Church of Our Savior
Sunday, April 10, 2016
TRI-STATE COLLEGE
VOCAL COMPETITION
Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Saturday, April 30, 2016
OPERA BALL “HOORAY
FOR HOLLYWOOD”
NCR Country Club
4435 Dogwood Trail
Kettering, OH
Membership Luncheon
Taking advantage of the St. Patrick’s
Day date for this year’s luncheon,
the committee has created a shamrock-strewn invitation and theme for
its “Opera is Pure Gold” luncheon to
be held on Thursday, March 17, 2016,
from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Dayton
Country Club, 555 Kramer Road, in
Oakwood. There will be fabulous food,
prizes, and shopping at the Opera
Guild’s Boutique. The event is open
seating so come early and get a table of
friends together. The Artists-in-Residence will entertain. Cost is $30.00
($10.00 tax-deductible). Send reservations to Susan Herman, 34 West Dixon
Avenue, Dayton, OH 45419. This is an
excellent opportunity to introduce new
friends to the Guild.