Songs in English and Opera Gala
- Saturday, October 28, 2023 at 7:30 pm
- Sunday, October 29, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Free and open to the public.
Free-will donations gratefully accepted.
The duration of the concert will be 1 hour and 15 minutes. The varied program will preview the musical styles of composers selected for the current operatic season 2023–2024, including a hearty selection of songs, spirituals, arias and duets in English, as well as your standard beloved opera by W.A. Mozart, Pietro Mascagni, Giacomo Puccini, George Gershwin, William Grant Still and others. These gems of vocal music will be brought to you by the voices of:
- Dorota Sobieska - soprano
- Matthew Jones - tenor
- Amy Yekel - soprano
- Brian K. Johnson - baritone
- Alexandra Wiebe - soprano
- Jacek Sobieski - piano direction
- Wanda Sobieska - violin & viola
- Daniel Paterson - double bass
The performers range from the familiar artists to a new appearance. Amy Yekel is well known to our audiences from her appearances with The Cleveland Opera at the annual Opera in the Italian Garden; Brian Keith Johnson and Matthew Jones performed numerous roles with The Cleveland Opera and are well known to all opera audience in NE Ohio; likewise, Dorota’s voice brings in familiarity and friendship; Alexandra Wiebe is a new performer, chosen by means of our opera’s auditions in June 2023.
Dear All, Matthew Jones will not sing with us in our "Songs in English and Opera Gala" due to an emergency surgery. We wish him speedy recovery. The Cleveland Opera is grateful to two tenors who are joining our concerts, so that the program remains nearly intact! Thank you so much Daniel Doty and Frederick Taylor!