Friday, October 6, 2017

Opera Parallèle to Hold its Gala Next Week

As was announced this summer, Opera Parallèle (OP) will hold its annual gala benefit event this coming Wednesday. The centerpiece of the evening will be an original program of musical performances celebrating the legacy of Leonard Bernstein, curated especially for the festivities by the OP creative team and featuring music and artists from the forthcoming season. The title of the program will be Make Our Garden Grow, which is the title of the final chorus from Bernstein’s musical Candide. Selections will also include excerpts of music by Jake Heggie, Rachel Portman, and Marcus Shelby, whose operas will be performed during the season along with Bernstein’s “Trouble in Tahiti.”

Kevin Korth will serve as pianist; and Shelby will be on hand to play bass in the preview of his opera “Harriet’s Spirit,” a one-act opera about Harriet Tubman. The vocalist for this preview will be Tiffany Austin. Other vocalists will be sopranos Roslyn Barak and Kindra Scharich, as well as Erin Enriquez, currently a treble in the San Francisco Girls Chorus.

This concert will be embedded in the context of the gala itself. The evening will begin with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Dinner will be provided by Barbara Llewellyn Catering. Wines will be from Medlock Ames Winery and Gloria Ferrer.

The entire affair will get under way at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 11. The venue will be the Green Room on the second floor of the Veterans Building of the War Memorial. This is located on the southwest corner of Van Ness Boulevard and McAllister Street. Individual ticket prices range from $275 to $500. There are also tables and sponsorships available for $5,000 to $15,000. Those planning to attend or wishing further information are invited to call Roma Olvera at 415-626-6279. As of this writing, the OP Web site is not set up for ordering benefit tickets online.

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