knoxville opera announces 3rd annual community concert

Brian Salesky, Executive Director and Conductor of Knoxville Opera, is delighted to announce the company's 3rd Annual Oak Ridge Community Concert.  The free admission event will take place Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center (1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN 37830).  The program, which features the Oak Ridge Chorus, includes highlights from Knoxville Opera and UT Opera Theatre 2010 productions.
This year's special guest artist is soprano Rachele Gilmore, the stunning young star of Knoxville Opera's production of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor (February 12, 14) who is currently on the roster of the Metropolitan Opera.  In addition to singing selections from Lucia, The Tales of Hoffmann, and The Daughter of the Regiment, Ms. Gilmore will perform a scene from Knoxville Opera's production of Rossini's The Barber of Seville (April 23, 25). 
The concert will also feature selections from Knoxville Opera's production of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance (March 12, 14 starring David Keith).  Performing will be principal artists from the production, including Carroll Freeman (UT Opera Theatre Director) as "the very model of a modern Major-General," soprano Rachel Anne Moore as his daughter Mabel, and baritone Jesse Stock, as Pirate Sam.
Gems from the UT Opera Theatre's April production of Puccini's Gianni Schicchi will be performed by Mr. Stock, soprano Jessica Cates and tenor Stefan Barner.   Exciting ensembles from Verdi's Rigoletto and Bellini's Norma will round out the program.
For tickets to Knoxville Opera productions, please contact the Box Office at 865-524-0795 extension 1.    This free community event is sponsored by: EnergySolutions, B&W Y-12, Akins Crisp, ORNL UT-Battelle and Y-12 Federal Credit Union.
 

About Knoxville Opera - Knoxville Opera's mission is to provide the residents of East Tennessee with high quality locally produced opera and to contribute to the future of the operatic art form by educating the community about opera and its role in our culture.  Knoxville Opera, founded in 1978, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization presenting productions made possible, in part, by generous funding from our patrons, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the City of Knoxville, the Arts and Culture Alliance and the Robert H. & Monica M. Cole Foundation.  Knoxville Opera is located at 612 E. Depot Avenue Knoxville, TN 37917.  For more information about Knoxville Opera, please visit www.knoxvilleopera.com or call 865-524-0795.