The centerpiece of the evening will be a recital of favorite arias by former Young Artists Lawrence Brownlee, Jennifer Hines, Brandon Jovanovich, David Korn, Anya Matanovic, and Morgan Smith, all scheduled to sing in an intimate reunion of program alumni. The evening's festivities will also include a champagne reception, dinner, and dancing at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall.
"What a joy—it will be wonderful to have Larry, Jennifer, Brandon, David, Anya, and Morgan return to Seattle Opera," says Education Director Perry Lorenzo. "They will sing for us in celebration of Seattle Opera's decade of cultivating the new generation of opera stars."
Since its inception in 1998, the Young Artists Program has helped to launch the careers of many singers: Former Young Artists have gone on to perform on Seattle Opera's mainstage and have appeared with more than fifty opera companies in the U.S. and Europe, including the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera Covent Garden, and many others.
Seattle Opera's annual Gala benefits Seattle Opera's Education Department programs: Opera Goes to School (a one-week workshop for fourth- and fifth-grade students), Experience Opera (lectures and dress rehearsal tickets for high school students), and the Young Artists Program (training for emerging opera singers embarking upon their professional careers). Each season, the Seattle Opera Education Department presents up to 250 events attended by more than 25,000 young people and adults throughout the Puget Sound region.
Following a champagne reception at 6:00 p.m., attendees can enjoy the recital on the mainstage, followed by a gourmet dinner prepared by Chef Peter McCoy in McCaw Hall's Grand Lobby. The "Springtime Serenade" continues until midnight with dancing in "Club Impromptu" on the South Promenade.
"You can look forward to a memorable evening filled with fabulous food, entertainment, and springtime fun, all for a great cause," said Seattle Opera's Director of Development, Mary Kaufman-Cranney.
About the Artists: In 2006, Lawrence Brownlee became the first opera singer to win both the Richard Tucker Award and the Marian Anderson Award in the same year. Brownlee will be featured as Arturo in Seattle Opera's I Puritani this May. Jennifer Hines appears frequently at the New York City Opera and returns to Seattle Opera as Flosshilde and Schwertleite in the 2009 Der Ring des Nibelungen. Brandon Jovanovich, who won the 2007 Richard Tucker Award, garnered rave reviews for his portrayal of Cavaradossi in Seattle Opera's just-completed Tosca. Male soprano David Korn has sung here in the role of Nireno in Handel's Julius Caesar and the Shepherd Boy in Puccini's Tosca. Anya Matanovic debuted at New York City Opera in 2007 and has sung Mimi in Baz Luhrmann's version of Puccini's Boheme in Los Angeles and Papagena in Mozart's Magic Flute at Santa Fe Opera. Morgan Smith will next be seen at Seattle Opera as Riccardo in Bellini's I Puritani. He performed as Silvio in Pagliacci this January and sang the title role of Don Giovanni here in 2007. -- www.seattleopera.org
