Opera Exposures Celebrates Elinor Ross with Free Recital of Puccini and Duke Ellington, 10/27

Opera Exposures will celebrate National Opera Week by presenting a FREE recital honoring the legendary American soprano Elinor Ross on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 4:30 PM in The Music Hall at The Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Staten Island. The musical performance, titled Puccini and Duke Ellington, will feature sopranos Natalie Bergeron and Alicia Waller and tenors Carl Rosenthal and former professional football player Ta'u Pupu'a. Also performing will be the famous Chris Gillespie Quartet, who perform regularly at Bemelman's Bar in the Hotel Carlyle and a surprise guest who will not be identified until the day of the performance. They will be accompanied on piano by Mary Pinto. Dwight Owsley, Opera Exposures' Artistic Advisor and a well known New York bon vivant, will moderate the program, offering his unique and entertaining musical insights. The recital is being produced by Edna Greenwich, Founder and President of Opera Exposures.

Seats may be reserved online at www.operaexposures.com. For additional information about Opera Exposures and this event, visit www.operaexposures.org.

Created in 2004, Opera Exposures is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to presenting concerts and recitals featuring seasoned professional musicians and young operatic artists in accessible venues at affordable prices. Its first performance, in February 2004, received a warm and passionate response that has spurred the organization to continue presenting exciting programs annually. Opera Exposures has also participated in National Black History Month celebrations held at the New York City Municipal Building at One Centre Street. Its most recent program on July 21, 2013 at The Unitarian Church of Staten Island received glowing reviews and a standing ovation from its growing audience.

Opera Exposures is honoring American dramatic soprano Elinor Ross, who was particularly associated with the Italian repertory during her illustrious career which began in 1958 and ended 21 years later in 1979. She made her debut with the Cincinnati Opera in 1958, as Leonora in Il Trovatore, opposite Jussi Björling, Giuletta Simionato and Ettore Bastianini. She went on to sing at the opera houses of Boston, Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, San Francisco, New Orleans, Houston and Hartford. In 1968, she performed at Carnegie Hall in the American premiere of Verdi's Alzira and made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1970, in the title role of Puccini's Turandot. Ms. Ross also enjoyed a successful international career, appearing at La Scala in Milan, La Fenice in Venice, the opera houses of Bologna, Palermo, Florence, Verona and the Vienna State Opera, the Berlin State Opera, and the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires. Her repertoire included roles such as Abigail, Lady Macbeth, Amelia, Leonora, Elisabetta, Aida, Gioconda, Santuzza, Maddalena, Tosca, Donna Anna, Medea and Norma. She retired in 1979. Born in Tampa, FL, Ms. Ross studied at the Syracuse University, and later came to New York to study with William Herman, Stanley Sontag and Leo Resnick.

According to Ms. Greenwich, organizations that support young people in New York City are urged to come and bring their young constituents. "In addition to scheduling recitals in accessible venues to showcase the talents of seasoned and up-and-coming opera singers, Opera Exposures is also committed to inviting and introducing young audiences to classical and operatic music," she said. "We believe it is imperative to build new audiences for opera."