Welcome to Opera Guild of Rochester
The Opera Guild of Rochester, Inc. presents free opera lectures at local libraries, tours to productions of leading local opera companies and the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, as well as our popular Beat-the-Blahs — The Haskell Rosenberg Memorial Series atTemple B'rith Kodesh in January 2015. The Guild also has a newly updated Reading Room that contains Handouts and Playlists for all of our free lectures, as well as our monthly Newsletter and Opera Flyers, that are handed out at local opera events such at the MET HD broadcasts in local theaters.
Our Spring Tour to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City has just been announced! Book your tickets now! In July 2015, we will take a bus trip to the Glimmerglass Festival to see a production there.
On May 17th, 2015, we will entertain our donors with our annual opera recital at the Rochester Academy of Medicine. The featured artist will be tenor Matthew Valverde, who is planning to present music from Spanish operas, including some music from Mexico.
You will find links to regional opera companies and local music organizations with their exciting programs, as well as the Metropolitan Opera's schedule of HD telecasts in local movie theatres. Click here to view the MET in HD's exciting 2014-15 schedule!
Perhaps the most exciting feature of our website is the ability to view production photos, cast photos and bios, programs, and reviews of Mercury Opera Rochester's six seasons. Click here to view the history of Mercury Opera Rochester and re-live your favorite moments at the opera.
Visit our website often to stay in touch with opera events in Rochester and Western New York State.
Announcing Auditions for Finger Lakes Opera's "The Elixir of Love"
Finger Lakes Opera
will hold auditions for ensemble and understudy roles
for their summer production of Gaetano Donizetti's The Elixir of Love. Performances will be held on August 7 and 9, 2015.
When: Auditions held on Saturday, February 7; 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Where: Doty Recital Hall on the SUNY Geneseo campus.
What: A classical aria/song Something in Italian preferred,although not required
Contact: Lisa Burns at burnsl@geneseo.edu to schedule a time.
Click on the artwork to the right to see the complete poster.
Eastman Opera Theater Announces Double Bill
Eastman Opera Theater will present a double bill featuring Menotti's The Old Maid and the Thief and Poulenc's La voix humaine on January 29, 30, 31 at 7:30 PM with a 2:00 PM matinee on February 1 at the 840 Annex at the Eastman School of Music.
The Old Maid and the Thief is a radio opera in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti. The work tells a twisted tale of morals and evil womanly power. Menotti writes in the libretto "The devil couldn't do what a woman can - Make a thief out of an honest man."
Composed by Francis Poulenc in 1958, La voix humaine is a forty-minute, one-act opera for soprano and orchestra. The work is based on the play of the same name by Jean Cocteau, who, along with French soprano Denise Duval, worked closely with Poulenc in preparation for the opera's premiere. Poulenc's tragédie lyrique was first performed at the Théâtre National de l'Opéra-Comique in Paris on 6 February 1959, with Duval singing the female role and Georges Prêtre conducting; the scenery, costumes and direction were by Cocteau. Performances will be in French with English supertitles.
Dr. Ksenia Lelëtkina (pictured right) makes her debut as musical director for this double bill. She currently serves as Vocal Coach for Eastman Opera, having received her Doctor of Musical Arts in Accompanying and Chamber Music from Eastman in 2013. The operas will be directed by Spencer Reese, an Eastman graduate student in opera stage direction.
Tickets are available at the Eastman Theater Box Office, online at rpo.org or by calling (585) 454-2100.
RPO to Present Concert Performance of Verdi’s 'La Traviata - One Night Only!
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra will be presenting a concert performance of Verdi’s La Traviata with conductor, Ward Stare along with members of the Rochester Oratorio Society directed by Eric Townell. Rochester audiences will experience Verdi’s timeless masterpiece on Saturday, February 28th, 2015 at 8 PM at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.
The concert features Anya Matanovič, soprano (Violetta Valery), Jennifer Panara, mezzo-soprano (Flora Bervoix), Marco Cammarota, tenor (Alfredo Germont), and Weston Hurt, baritone (Giorgio Germont). Click here for photos and bios of the cast.
The 2014-2015 Season of the RPO is presented by Dawn and Jaques Lipson. The La Traviata concert is sponsored by the Haskell Rosenberg Memorial Fund for Opera.
Tickets are available at the Eastman Theater Box Office, online at rpo.org or by calling (585) 454-2100.
Classical Idol 9 Returns on April 18th!
For the ninth consecutive year Classical Idol™ presents young rising stars in an incredible live competition. Contestants from all over the world gather in Rochester for a chance to become the next Classical Idol™.
Contestants are critiqued in real-time by world class judges including Pavarotti's long time friend and Italian coach, the legendary Maestro Gildo DiNunzio of the Met, baritone Johnathan Beyer (pictured left), the 2010 Classical Idol Winner, international performing artist an Artist-in-Residence at Roberts Weslyan, Constance Fee, and WXXI's own Music Director Julia Figueras.
The Final Competition Performance Gala will take place on April 18, 2015, at 7 PM and feature a wine & cheese tasting, elegant desserts, fresh brewed coffee and tea.
Tickets are $75.00 per person, table prices are available here. Classical Idol 9™ will take place at Temple B’rith Kodesh 2131 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618. Buy tickets from any ROS member, online or call the ROS office at (585) 473-2234.)
Click here for more news about Rochester's Classical Idol 9™.
Finger Lakes Opera Festival 2015 to Present Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore
L'Elisir d'Amore is one of Donizietti's masterpieces of opera buffa and will be performed on August 7 and 9, 2015, in Italian with English super titles. The production will be held in the Wadsworth Auditorium at Geneseo College.
Conductor:Gerard Floriano.The role of Adina will feature soprano, Andrea Carroll and tenor, Victor Ryan Robertson will sing the role of Nemorino. The orchestra and chorus will be conducted by Maestro Gerard Floriano (picktured right).
Returning to Finger Lakes Opera will be its creative team, including stage director, E. Loren Meeker, scenic designer, Laura Hawkes, and lighting designer Nic Minetor.
Tickets for the 2015 season are now available online or by phone at (585) 245-5650. A group package of 10 or more tickets will receive a $ 5.00 per ticket discount.
Click here for more information.
Rochester Opera Guild's Newest Reading Rooms Online
Contained in the navigation tab of Reading Rooms is the new digital library of the Opera Guild of Rochester. Here you will find various materials for your research and reading pleasure. We intend to enrich the content of this library both in depth and breadth. If you have suggestions for and/or contributions of new content, please contact us at operaguildofrochester@gmail.com.
Opera Guild of Rochester Seeks Volunteers
Have fun & enjoy the company of other opera fans by joining those who make the Guild run.
We are seeking volunteers for the following positions: Document Designer, Mail and Database Maintenance Specialist, and Audio/Visual Technician.
More volunteer positions will be posted soon. If you would like to volunteer in some other way, just let us know what your interest is and we will certainly find a place to accommodate it! Contact us by sending an e-mail to operaguildofrochester@gmail.com.
