Fifth Annual VOICE Gala Slated for March at the Harmonie Club

The fifth annual VOICE Gala is slated for March 23, 2020 in a regal culmination of the weeklong program of VOICExperience's Opera As Drama program. This annual gala, which supports scholarships for the Milnes VOICE Programs, will take place at the Harmonie Club, one of New York City's oldest, private social clubs, located at 4 East 60th Street in Manhattan.

Distinguished, opera legend and co-founder of VOICExperience, Sherrill Milnes, will co-host the 'Royal Feast' themed evening along with American operatic bass-baritone, James Morris, who is a Milnes VOICE Award recipient. Other previous honorees, including Neil Shicoff, Denyce Graves and Diana Soviero, will be in attendance to celebrate these significant milestones with a sumptuous dining event beginning at 6:00 p.m. with cocktails and appetizers. There will be performances by VOICE program alumni, Meechot Marrero, Santiago Ballerini and Amy Shoremount-Obra with Pei-Wen Chen on the piano. Milnes and, co-founder, Maria Zouves will present an entertaining night of world class music and reflections on the best of opera to support the mission of VOICExperience. To request an invitation, contact info@voicexperiencefoundation.org

"Over the years, we have had the pleasure of honoring great opera legends, many of whom are with us this evening. In this anniversary year, it made sense to honor Sherrill himself, without whom the Milnes VOICE Programs' mentorships would not be possible," said Maria Zouves, co-founder of VOICExperience. "Our mission is to pass on the traditions of great singing and develop new audiences for opera and we are dedicated to the quality, integrity and perpetuation of the vocal arts through life-changing intensives, performances, and community-enriching outreach events. We are proud to have given over $85,000 in scholarships to aspiring artists through our 2019 programs and we are grateful for the ongoing support we receive from our donors and patrons."

This fantastic gala will be the culmination of VOICExperience's annual Opera as Drama week in New York City, which runs from March 16, 2020 at prestigious venues including Manhattan's National Opera Center and the historic Explorers' Club. The program of dramatic study will begin on March 16, 2020 and marks the 20th Anniversary of the VOICExperience Foundation and Sherrill Milnes' 85th birthday. Designed to refine the dramatic process and focus on the interpretation of opera with leaders in the profession, singers in this unique program work with Sherrill Milnes and stage director Fabrizio Melano on scenes and arias, studying original texts and source material. Singers who have a good understanding of their voices and are prepared to work specifically on interpretation are encouraged to apply. VOICE faculty and guest lecturers will also be available to offer singers their insight into the opera industry as well as assistance with career development.

Opera As Drama Events Include:

The Singing Actor: A Melano Masterclass with Fabrizio Melano and Laura Melano Flanagan

7:30 p.m. Monday, March 16

National Opera Center, MacKay Hall | 330 7th Ave, New York, NY 10001

Tickets: $30 | Students: $10 (at the door only, 30 minutes prior to showtime)

Melano Masterclass Tickets

Arias on the Eastside

8 p.m. Tuesday, March 17

The Explorers Club | 46 E 70th St, New York, NY 10021

Sponsored by Ms. Faanya Rose

Tickets: $50
Meet the Artists at Wine and Dessert Reception
Arias on the Eastside Tickets

Sherrill Milnes Masterclass

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 18

National Opera Center, MacKay Hall | 330 7th Ave, New York, NY 10001

Tickets: $30 | Students: $10 (at the door only, 30 minutes prior to showtime)

Sherrill Milnes Master Class Tickets

Sherrill Milnes presents: Opera as Drama

2 p.m. Sunday, March 22

National Opera Center, Domingo Hall | 330 7th Ave, New York, NY 10001

Explore the spoken word of opera in this unique concert of scenes. VOICExperience's Opera as Drama artists present the culmination of a week's study, performing original texts alongside their scene equivalents. VOICExperience Artistic Director Sherrill Milnes hosts this final showcase at the National Opera Center.

Tickets: $40 | Students: $10 (at the door only, 30 minutes prior to showtime)

Sherrill Milnes presents: Opera as Drama Tickets

For more information and to purchase tickets for these events, please visit: www.voicexperiencefoundation.org call 855-76-OPERA or email info@voicexperiencefoundation.org.