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Community Corner

Saints and Sinners, Opera Arias and Ensembles

“Saints and Sinners,” an evening of Opera Arias and Ensembles, will explore the raw edges of human nature on All Saints Day, Friday, November 1, at the Round Hill Community Church in Greenwich. The Church’s Soloists, accompanied by Music Director, Christopher Kabala, will perform selections by Gounod, Verdi, Britten, Mozart, Rossini, Wagner and Massenet. The concert will begin at 8:00 p.m. and will be followed by a lavish wine and cheese reception.

Beginning with the traditional source of evil – the devil, bass Scott Tomlinson, will sing Le veau d’or, from Gounod’s opera, Faust. Based on Goethe’s 18th century play of the same title, the aria occurs as Mephistopheles [the devil] enters the town tavern to regale the villagers with a blasphemous ballad extolling the virtues of the idol of a golden calf.

Dramatic soprano, Jenna Hintz, will sing Lady Macbeth’s aria, Vieni te affretta, from Verdi’s Macbeth.  In this opera, Verdi takes every opportunity to chisel the character of Lady Macbeth into a sinister catalyst who propels the work’s blood-soaked portrayal of ruthless ambition.

Benjamin Britten, arguably England’s finest composer since Handel, elucidates the seismic change in 20th century opera that views character as stricken victims of a cruel society rather than personages of flawed character, in his opera, Peter Grimes. Tenor, Patrick Hogan will sing the opera’s best-known and most-praised aria, The Great Bear and Pleiades, in which Grimes rages against his inability to undo the dark events of his recent past.

Carlisle Floyd’s opera Susannah, is one of the few American 20th century operas that enjoys a permanent place in the operatic repertoire. The aria Ain’t It a Pretty Night, sung by Risa Renae Harman, presents Susannah as she looks to the night sky and admires the stars.

“Saints and Sinners,” will be performed on Friday, November 1, at 8:00 p.m. at the Round Hill Community Church. There will be a chance to meet the performers at a reception following the concert, in the Church Parlor.  Tickets are $25 adults and $5 students. The Church is located at 395 Round Hill Road, Greenwich, CT. For reservations or more information, call 203/869-1091 or visit  roundhillcommunitychurch.org 


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