WHO: Florida Grand Opera Studio Artists
WHAT: Final Sing Concert
WHEN AND WHERE: May 13, 2023, 7:30 p.m. at the Center for Spiritual Living in Oakland Park, and May 14, 5 p.m. at the Miracle Theater in Coral Gables.
WHY: It’s the final opportunity of the season to hear this elite cadre of talented young opera artists perform a mini-preview of the 2023-24 season, along with other best-loved excerpts from favorite operas.
The 2022-23 FGO Studio Artists take their final bow with a farewell concert featuring a mini-season preview alongside best-loved arias and ensembles. The Final Sing Concert serves up excerpts from FGO’s 2023-24 season of favorites, including La traviata, I pagliacci, and La bohème. Audiences will also enjoy excerpts from Mozart’s boisterous comedy Cosí fan tutte, Puccini’s Turandot, Gounod’s Faust, Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, and more.
The FGO Studio Artists are a cadre of elite singers chosen from hundreds of applicants across the US in a grueling audition process. They serve as the face of Florida Grand Opera in South Florida, singing mainstage roles at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, offering concerts throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, and touring local schools with a made-for-children opera and education. They also receive vocal and career coaching, such as recent master classes and career chats with opera stars Morris Robinson, Sherrill Milnes, Maria Zouves, and Elizabeth Caballero.
Final Sing represents the Studio Artists’ last performance of the season. It is an opportunity for them to demonstrate artistic growth for the fans who have been following them since their arrival at FGO in fall 2022, as well as to delight audience members who may be new to their work.
“We are extremely proud of these talented young artists and excited for their fans, old or new, to enjoy the culmination of their work this season,” said Studio Artist Program Manager Neil Nelson. “Final Sing is always one of the best concerts of the season. Not only is the music beautiful, moving, and also fun, but the singers get the chance to really stretch their wings and show what they can do. It’s exciting.”
The concert stars sopranos Ashley Shalna (Nella, Gianni Schicchi and Buoso’s Ghost; Elisetta, El matrimonio secreto) and Page Michels (Lauretta, Gianni Schicchi and Buoso’s Ghost, Carolina, El matrimonio secreto) along with mezzo-soprano Erin Alford (La Ciesca, Gianni Schicchi and Buoso’s Ghost; Fidalma, El matrimonio secreto). They are joined by tenors Charles Calotta (Rinuccio, Gianni Schicchi and Buoso’s Ghost; Spoletta, Tosca) and Joseph McBrayer (Gherardo, Gianni Schicchiand Buoso’s Ghost; Paolino, El matrimonio secreto), baritone Matthew Cossack (Amantio di Nicolao, Gianni Schicchi; A Magistrate, Buoso’s Ghost; Sciarrone, Tosca; Fiorello, The Barber of Seville) and bass-baritone Phillip Lopez (Geronimo, El matrimonio secreto; Betto, Gianni Schicchi and Buoso’s Ghost; Angelotti and A Jailer, Tosca).
Final Sing takes place on Saturday, May 13, 7:30 p.m. at the Center for Spiritual Living in Oakland Park and on Sunday, May 14, 5 p.m. at the Miracle Theater in Coral Gables. Register for free tickets at fgo.org, or by calling 800.741.1010.