Opera Edwardsville plans fifth anniversary season
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EDWARDSVILLE — Opera Edwardsville (OE) is presenting a 5th Anniversary Season that includes a free opera for kids, a free outdoor concert, its signature December concert and its popular series, “The 12 Days of Opera Edwardsville,” shared online.
Over the past four years, alongside world class performances, OE has developed education and outreach programs that have reached more than 5,000 grade schoolers through an annual opera for kids, more than 300 high school and college students through masterclasses, a community concert in 2021 and more than 80,000 online viewers of free performances.
Pianist Joseph Welch also has been named OE’s first Artist-in-Residence.
The 5th Anniversary Season includes:
• July 9: Goldilocks and the Three Singing Bears – 10 a.m. at the Edwardsville Public Library. The magic of Mozart meets the fun of children’s theater in a 40-minute sung performance with dialogue. Goldilocks and the Three Singing Bears is produced by Chase Hopkins, directed by Marc Schapman, with music direction by OE Artist-in-Residence Joseph Welch, and set and costume designs by Roger Speidel. The cast will feature four local performers, including Southern Illinois University Edwardsville student Ty’Ria Rounds as Goldilocks, Jacob Lassetter as Papa Bear, Amy Prince as Mama Bear and Spenser Domer as Baby Bear.
• Sept. 30: OE Free Concert – 7:30 p.m. in Edwardsville City Park. OE returns to the park with a star-studded line-up of guest artists performing operatic highlights and Broadway favorites. Featured will be sopranos Emily Birsan and Sofia Troncoso, mezzo-soprano Emily Fons and Tenor Eric Ferring in performance alongside a special guest appearance in celebration of OE’s fifth anniversary from OE’s Artistic Advisor and Grammy Award-winning soprano, Christine Brewer. Audiences are encouraged to bring picnics to enjoy the free concert; a post-concert champagne reception is planned at the Edwardsville Public Library for OE season sponsors and donors, with a toast and artist meet-and-greet.
• On Dec. 3: Opera Edwardsville at Dunham Hall – 7:30 p.m. SIUE Arts & Issues will present OE’s signature ticketed holiday event for the second time. To celebrate OE’s fifth anniversary, the performance will feature world-renowned soprano Amanda Majeski, mezzo-soprano Emily Fons and tenors Jonathan Johnson and Chase Hopkins. A champagne reception is planned for OE sponsors and donors.
• Dec. 12-13: The 12 Days of Opera Edwardsville – For the third time OE will gift the community with 12 free performances filmed on the stage of the Wildey Theatre, featuring top talent from the St. Louis and Southern Illinois area. The programs will be shared daily via eblast, Facebook and Instagram.
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