Lyric Opera of Chicago
Friends of Lyric
Thank you to everyone who either purchased tickets through or shared the promo code with others to L’elisir d’amore through Lyric Opera of Chicago’s “Friends of Lyric” program. Please share your opera-going experience with me by sending an e-mail to rose@operagram.com. I’d love to hear about it!
Lyric OperaKids
I am excited to be part of this program for the third year in a row. I am in awe of the dedication I see across the board from Lyric’s Education Department, the other teaching artists, and the Chicago Public School teachers, staff and students. It is such a thrill for me to see the enjoyment grade school-aged students experience as they learn about music, stagecraft, character development, art and production. This year, I’m working with a school near Cicero Avenue and I-290. The kids will be performing Stone Soup in early June. Read more about this program at http://www.lyricopera.org/education/operakids.aspx.
Chicago Folks Operetta
Tickets are now available for an evening filled with delightful songs from the Silver Age of Viennese operetta. This performance of arias by Emmerich Kálmán, Oscar Straus, Edmund Eysler, Franz Lehár will be followed by a silent auction and raffle to benefit Chicago Folks Operetta and topped off by Viennese pastries and coffee from Julius Meinl (what an amazing café!).
OperaGram.com® is donating an OperaGram.com® in Person and Rose Guccione will make a “special” appearance to both evenings. What is “special” about her appearance? You’ll have to be there to find out ;). Here’s the 411:
What: “Forever Operetta”
When: Thursday, March 11 and Friday, March 12, 8:00 p.m.
Where: Pleasant Home, 217 E Home Ave, Oak Park, IL
Tickets: $30 call 708.383.2742 or online at www.chicagofolksoperetta.org.
Chicago Opera Theater
OperaGram.com® is listed among the many fine items up for auction to benefit Chicago Opera Theater’s “Annual Spring Gala.”
The online bidding ends March 13th at 6:00 p.m. The highest online bidder will become the starting bidder at the Live Auction. You can include a Maximum Bid amount with your bid. The Max Bid amount will become your proxy bid at the event, where someone will bid on your behalf at the live event until it reaches your Max Bid. If you are the final winner, then you will be notified via email. The direct link to the online bidding may be found at http://www.events.org/auctionitem.aspx?id=5741&o=425.
The Live Auction will continue at the Gala that features Danielle de Niese who is currently performing the role of Susannah in Lyric Opera’s production of Le nozze di Figaro (see http://www.lyricopera.org/tickets/production.aspx?performanceNumber=9003).
Additionally, OperaGram.com® will make a donation to Chicago Opera Theater when you place an order using the information at http://twtqpon.com/2jm1fi.
Here is the Gala information:
What: Chicago Opera Theater “Annual Spring Gala”
When: Saturday, March 13, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Mid-America Club, 200 E Randolph, 80th Floor, Chicago, IL
Tickets: Tickets start at $375; Tables start at $5,000 call Sally Preminger at 312.704.8420 ext. 214 or spreminger@chicagooperatheater.org. For more information, visit http://www.chicagooperatheater.org/events/events_main.html
La Bohème
I will be performing the role of Musetta in the opera La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini on Thursday, April 15th and Saturday, April 17th and hope to see you there. The production, sung in Italian with English supertitles, is directed by Sasha Gerritson and conducted by Michael D. Melton. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased in person, by phone or online:
What: Rose Guccione as Musetta in La Bohème
When: Thursday, April 15 (purchase tickets) and Saturday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. (purchase tickets)
Where: Salme Steinberg Fine Arts Center Auditorium, 3701 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago – Map
Tickets: $10 (free for NEIU students, faculty & staff with ID); 773.442.4636, boffice@neiu.edu. Free parking is available in Lot F and 4th level of parking garage.
Dedication: I dedicate my performances to the memory of my dear friend and mentor Rudolph Macciocci.
An Evening at the Opera
I will be performing a free Lyric Opera of Chicago season preview concert with my wonderful colleagues Janet Mensen Reynolds, mezzo-soprano, Ken Donovan, tenor, Robert Morrissey, bass/narrator and Patrick Holland, piano. This concert includes excerpts from Macbeth, Carmen, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Masked Ball, The Mikado, The Girl of the Golden West, Lohengrin and Hercules. This FREE concert is made possible by the generosity of the Thomas Ford Memorial Library and the Pauline and Elmer Kennedy Family.
What: Rose Guccione in “An Evening at the Opera”
When: Sunday, May 2 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: First Congregational Church of Western Springs, 1106 Chestnut Street – Western Springs
Tickets: FREE!
Rudolph Macciocchi
I’ve known Rudy since I was a freshman at Curie High School where he taught. Together with another teacher, Andrew Lombrazo, they would stop me in the hall to tell me jokes. I think it was because they wanted to hear my crazy, uncomfortable adolescent laugh.
In my adult life, Rudy hired me to sing with his orchestras and played French Horn in opera orchestras with which I sang. He spent several fun Thanksgivings with my family and shared stories from life in the Army Band during WWII, playing for Roosevelt’s funeral, attending college on the GI Bill and did impersonations of several famous conductors with Lyric and the CSO under whom he performed, including Fritz Reiner and Tulio Serafin.
Also during my adult life, Lombrazo and Macciocchi autographed and gave me a hard cover copy of La Bohème. I’ve used it primarily as a reference copy. On the day I received the phone call that Rudy died after a long battle with cancer, I held the score to my heart and cried.
I recently found an article about Rudy dated June 7, 1947 Billboard Magazine entitled “French Horns Help Zoo ‘Gators Reach Romantic Mood.” The title says it all. That’s my Rudy!