Lawrence Opera Theatre presents Metropolitan Opera Tenor HUGO VERA

Lawrence Opera Theatre (LOT) is pleased to announce an evening of vocal chamber music at the KU Lied Center (Pavilion) featuring Metropolitan Opera tenor Hugo Vera, with accomplished piano collaborator Kyle Naig. Additionally, soprano Natalie Young, mezzo- soprano Anna Patterson, and cellist Ellen Lind will join Mr. Vera, presenting works by Handel, Berlioz, Obradors, Britten, and Gershwin among others.

The recital is Thursday, April 20th at 7:30pm at The Lied Center Pavilion (1600 Stewart Dr.) in Lawrence.

FREE ADMISSION / Donations gladly accepted.

For further information about the program or about LOT, visit Lawrence Opera Theatre's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LawrenceOperaTheatre or email lawrenceoperatheatre@gmail.com .

About Hugo Vera

A native Texan and KU alum, tenor Hugo Vera is described as possessing a voice that is both "beautiful and brilliant." Increasingly in demand and a recent addition to The Metropolitan Opera artist roster, Mr. Vera has performed 40 roles and over 35 choral orchestral works with distinguished companies in the US and abroad.

In addition to The Metropolitan Opera, Mr. Vera has sung with New York City Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Glimmerglass Opera, The Minnesota Opera, Aspen Music Festival, Brevard Music Center, Sarasota Opera, Opera North, Aspen Opera Theatre, Pittsburgh Opera, Spoleto, USA, Chautauqua Opera, Opera Memphis, Nashville Opera, Shreveport Opera, Arizona Opera, Tanglewood Music Festival, Kansas City Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony and Chorus, and Illinois Symphony and Chorus. He founded Lawrence Opera Theatre in 2009 and has acted as Artistic Director since its begining.

About Kyle Naig

Kyle Naig is a pianist and collaborator from Des Moines, Iowa. Currently, he is the Resident Artist coach/accompanist at Lyric Opera of Kansas City, where he recently assisted a production of Heggie's Dead Man Walking. Kyle was a 2016 Mosher Studio Artist at Opera Santa Barbara, where he worked on productions of L'elisir d'amore and Suor Angelica/Gianni Schicchi. He has also worked at Des Moines Metro Opera, most recently on productions of Manon and Glass's Galileo Galilei. This summer, Kyle will be an apprentice coach at the Glimmerglass Festival. He is a frequent collaborator with Lawrence Opera Theatre.

About Lawrence Opera Theatre

Now in its eighth season, Lawrence Opera Theatre (LOT) was started to fill the void of opera, operetta and musical theatre performances during the summer season in Lawrence and the surrounding area. The 10-day Festival brings singing professionals, emerging vocal artists and community singers together to perform and gain experience.

With only three weeks of rehearsal time, performers put on a fully-staged opera production, opera/operetta scenes, a musical theatre cabaret, and an art song recital. The main part of the festival is performed at Theatre Lawrence, a producing partner of LOT. Other locations featuring performances in town include The Castle Tea Room, Lawrence Public Library and John Brown's Underground. Recent productions have included Mozart's Don Giovanni, Bizet's Carmen, and Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. LOT works with up-and-coming directors and designers and has become known for its edgy and thought-provoking productions.

Alumni of Lawrence Opera Theatre have gone on to perform in some of the best opera companies in the country, including The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and San Francisco Opera.

There is no tuition to be part of Lawrence Opera Theatre. We rely on ticket sales, grant funding and tax-deductible donations. LOT is supported this year in part by a grant from the Transient Guest Tax program of the City of Lawrence.

LOT is a 501(c)(3) non-for-profit organization.