Sarasota Opera to Host A TASTE OF DOWNTOWN Food & Wine Festival, 9/13

On Saturday, September 13th, from 1:00pm - 4:00pm, Sarasota Opera will invite the community into the Sarasota Opera House for A Taste of Downtown Food & Wine Festival as a benefit for the Sarasota Youth Opera program.

"Sarasota is fortunate to have such a thriving downtown restaurant scene and many of our patrons dine at these nearby establishments before or after a performance", says Jennifer Simms, who is in charge of Special Events and Corporate Relations for Sarasota Opera, and is the creator of this event. "I thought this would be an enjoyable way for the community to get a taste of what is available downtown, perhaps even discover a new favorite eatery, while increasing support for our wonderful Youth Opera program."

Attendees will be invited to enjoy culinary treats provided by some of Sarasota's most popular eateries and lounges spread amongst the unique setting of the historic Sarasota Opera House. Fine wine pairings will be provided by Pangea Wine & Spirits. The afternoon will include door prizes as well as other special treats.

Participating restaurants include:

Bijou Café

Café Americano

Café Amici

Café L'Europe

Caragiulos

Duval's New World Café

El Greco

Louies Modern

Mattison's City Grille

Nancy's Bar-B-Q

Michael's On East

Selva Grill

Roast

Social on First

The Short Giraffe

Tsunami Sushi and Hibachi Grill

Tommy Bahamas

Tickets are $45 per person if purchased in advance and $55 per person if purchased the day of the event. Tickets are available now online at www.sarasotaopera.org/taste.aspx or through the Sarasota Opera Box Office at (941) 328-1300.

For information on this event or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact Jennifer Simms at (941) 366-8450, ext. 402 or by email at jsimms@sarasotaopera.org.

ABOUT SARASOTA OPERA: Based in Florida's beautiful Gulf Coast, Sarasota Opera is approaching its 55th consecutive season. In 1960, the company began presenting chamber-sized repertoire in the historic 320-seat Asolo Theater on the grounds of Sarasota's Ringling Museum of Art. Recognizing the need for a theater more conducive to opera, the company purchased the former A.B. Edwards Theater in downtown Sarasota in 1979 and first performing in it in 1984 as the Sarasota Opera House. The theater has just undergone a $20-million renovation and rehabilitation enhancing audience amenities, while updating the technical facilities including increasing the size of the orchestra pit. The theater, which reopened in March 2008, has been called "one of America's finest venues for opera" by Musical America.

Since 1983 the company has been under the artistic leadership of Victor DeRenzi. Since then the company has garnered international attention with its Masterwork Revivals Series, which presents neglected works of artistic merit, as well as the Verdi Cycle producing the complete works of Giuseppe Verdi. Recognizing the importance of training, Maestro DeRenzi founded the Apprentice Artist and Studio Artist programs. Sarasota Opera also maintains a commitment to education through its Invitation to Opera performances for local schools and the unique Sarasota Youth Opera program.

The 2014 Fall Season will feature Leoncavallo's Pagliacci followed by the return of the Sarasota Youth Opera production of Dean Burry's The Hobbit. The 2015 Winter Festival includes Puccini's Tosca, Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, Rimsky-Korsakov's The Golden Cockerel, and Verdi's Don Carlos. Subscriptions are now on sale at the Sarasota Opera Box Office. Single Tickets for the 2014-2015 season will go on sale August 1st online and September 2nd in the box office. For more information, call (941) 328-1300, go online at www.sarasotaopera.org, or visit the Sarasota Opera Box Office at 61 N. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236.