The holidays are just around the corner and The Santa Fe Opera has wonderful plans to fill the air with music. Four young talented singers will perform in the popular concert, Arias, Carols and Songs, a program of opera and sacred works as well as music of the season, in Santa Fe, Lubbock, Albuquerque, Roswell, and Las Vegas this year.
The artists will also offer two evenings of song at Vanessie restaurant in Santa Fe.
The first performance of Arias, Carols and Songs is scheduled for Thursday, December 6 at 11:30 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis in Santa Fe. In Lubbock, the concert will take place on Friday, December 7 at 7:30 at the First Christian Church. The University of New Mexico Alumni Chapel is the venue for the Albuquerque performance on Sunday, December 9 at 3:00. The Roswell concert will take place on Monday, December 10 at 7:00 at the Anderson Museum. In Las Vegas the performance will begin at 7:30 on Thursday, December 13 at Kennedy Hall on the campus of New Mexico Highlands University. The concerts are free and everyone is welcome. Seating is on a first come first served basis and the doors will open one half hour before the performance. First Community Bank is the sponsor for all of the performances.
The evenings at Vanessie are Thursday, December 6 and Tuesday, December 11. On Thursday, the singers will serenade diners during a private “supper-club” style dinner which begins at 6:30 in the piano bar. The cost is $100 per person. Seating for the dinner is limited and reservations can be made by calling the restaurant at 505/982-9966. On Tuesday, the singers will perform two sets of favorite holiday songs, opera arias, and other musical selections in the piano bar at 6:30 and 8:30. There is a $7 cover charge. Vanessie is located at 434 West San Francisco Street. A portion of the proceeds from each evening will benefit the Opera.
The singers are all former members of the Santa Fe Opera’s Apprentice Program. Soprano Angela Mannino, an apprentice in 2006 and 2007, appeared as the First Maiden in last summer’s production of Daphne. She is currently performing in the New Orleans Opera’s productions of Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi. Mezzo-soprano Deborah Domanski, an apprentice in 2005 and 2006, portrayed Mercedes in Carmen during the 2006 season. Most recently she has performed with the American Symphony Orchestra at Avery Fisher Hall. Tenor Aaron Pegram, an apprentice in 2006 and 2007, is scheduled to sing Alfred in Die Fledermaus with the Orlando Opera and Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville with Opera Birmingham in 2008. He returns to Santa Fe next summer to sing Don Basilio in The Marriage of Figaro. Baritone Kelly Markgraf, an apprentice in 2007, has appeared with the Minnesota Opera in roles which include Frederic in Lakme and Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro. He returns to the company in January to sing Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. Kirt Pavitt, the Opera’s music associate, is the pianist. -- www.santafeopera.org
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