Riverside Opera Opens Season with Performance at SI Library, 4/19

The Riverside Opera Company, under the direction of Maestro Alan Aurelia announces a performance of "PoPera" a mix of Opera and Broadway favorites featuring long time Riverside Opera piano accompanist Ming Kwong and sopranos Jessica Sandidge and Manna Knjoi who are winners of open public auditions, held in New York City by the Riverside Opera Company. They will sing selections of their choosing. The performance is free and open to the public as part Music @NYPL on Saturday, April 19, 2 p.m. at the RichmondTown branch of the New York Public Library located at 200 Clarke Avenue, Staten Island. For information contact: riversideoperacompany@gmail or call Riverside Opera Company at 212-729-4792.

The Riverside Opera Company is based on Staten Island in New York City. It performs fully and semi-staged productions with full orchestra conducted by Maestro Alan Aurelia, who has conducted in Italy as well as in the U.S. Its singers are winners of open public auditions, held in New York City.

Pianist/Coach Ming Kwong is very active in the world of opera. In spring 2014, he will be joining the music staff at Portland Opera for their production of "Postcard from Morocco" by Dominic Argento. He is currently the coach-accompanist at Manhattan Opera Studio, music director of Manhattan Opera Repertory Ensemble (MORE Opera) and pianist for Opera Company Brooklyn. In the fall of 2013, he played the NYC auditions for Washington National Opera, Aspen Opera Theater and Glimmerglass Opera besides being invited back to play for Portland Opera. He is well-known for his ability to adjust tempo, give singers time to breathe and help them through a phrase in a totally unrehearsed situation. He was engaged as a faculty coach at one of the fastest-growing summer programs in North America - Opera on the Avalon in Newfoundland, Canada in summer 2012. Ming is regularly engaged by the Metropolitan Opera Guild as well to accompany their master class series.

American soprano Jessica Sandidge is rapidly gaining recognition for her captivating performances. She brings a silvery color and soaring top tones to a wide range of repertoire from Mozart to Verismo to Verdi.Her recent NY performances include Nedda (IPagliacci) with Amore Opera, Musetta (La Bohème)with New York Grand Opera, Violetta (La Traviata) with Regina Opera, and Colette (The Reformed Drunkard) with Little Opera Theater of New York, in which Steve Smith of the NY Times wrote: "...was an appealing Colette." Other performed roles includeCountess Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro) with Chelsea Opera, Freia (Das Rheingold) and Janthe (DerVampyr) with the Liederkranz Opera Theater, in which she "...sang her one scene with lovely, gleaming sound, and fine agility." Upcoming performances include covering Violetta in the Martina Arroyo Foundation in June of 2014.

Manna KnJoi is a multi-talented classical musical artist and educator who grew up in Huntsville, Alabama. As a violist/violinist, Manna has played professionally in numerous symphonies in the southeast region, often as a principal player. As an emerging artist in opera and classical voice, Manna has won several awards and performed in some of the country's most notorious venues. Most recently,she made her debut as Pamina in The Magic Flute as an artist with the Metropolitan Opera Guild. Later in 2014, she will appear in Trilogy Opera Company's production of Robeson: The Opera, staring as Essie, wife of Paul Robeson to be performed at NJPAC. In 2012 alone, Manna made her Carnegie Hall debut as Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly with the New York Lyric Opera Theatre, was a featured artist with Opera Exposures for National Opera Week and won the Elaine Malbin competition sponsored by the Mario Lanza Society in New York City. She also made her debut as Micaela in Carmen at Lincoln Center. In early 2010, Ms. KnJoi won the District Metropolitan Opera council auditions and in December 2009, was the recipient of the Lily Pons scholarship from the Palm Springs Opera Guild. As an artist with the California Opera Association, Manna sang the title role in Puccini's Suor Angelica to rave reviews. This performance also received critical acclaim as one of the top 10 performances in Central California for 2009. In 2008, she was a national finalist in the All-Tech opera competition, 1st place winner for the National Society of Arts and Letters Voice Competition (Birmingham region) and has received accolades for Excellence in Artistry from the California Opera Association. When Manna sang for Marilyn Horne, the legendary mezzo-soprano pronounced her voice, "An incredible instrument."

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