Chicago Opera Theater Hosts Carnivale: A Party Less Ordinary

On Sunday, March 6th Chicago Opera Theater (COT) will host its 2011 Annual Gala at Carnivale. The 2011 Gala Committee, led by COT Board Members and Gala Co-Chairs Roger Baskes and Dana Ragiel, is pleased to honor COT for Teens - a collaboration between COT and After School Matters - for its dedication in bringing opera to teens from across the Chicago community.

WGN Reporter and Anchor Dan Ponce will act as the evening's Master of Ceremonies, and the highlight of the evening will be a performance by opera's newest stars: Elliot Madore and Micaela Oeste.

The 2011 Gala is themed "Carnivale: A Party Less Ordinary," a take on Chicago Opera Theater's tagline: Opera LESS Ordinary.

"I am delighted to be having our Gala at Carnivale this year," says General Director Brian Dickie. "It is such a lively and festive place, a perfect fit for Chicago Opera Theater!"

Dan Ponce will lead the guests in honoring COT for Teens, Chicago Opera Theater's education and outreach collaboration with After School Matters, for its continued work in educating talented high school students from across the Chicago community in the art of opera. This year will mark COT for Teens fifth year in After School Matters.

COT is please to introduce a Tiffany & Co. themed raffle. The grand prize is a pair of matching his/hers stainless steel Tiffany bracelet watches; other prizes are a sterling silver charm bracelet with a blue enaMel Bow box and a crystal decanter. Raffle tickets are available online - click here / https://www.events.org/creg.aspx?e=32730&m=10#raffle

In a new twist this year, the evening will feature three different parties:

A Habanero ticket includes everything - cocktails, silent and live auctions, the Tiffany raffle, and a sit-down dinner. A Serrano ticket starts with a cocktail party with small bites and includes the auctions and the Tiffany raffle. Finally, there is an Opera Underground ticket which is the young professional (ages 21-45) price for the Serrano party.

All guests will enjoy a marvelous performance by Elliot Madore, and Micaela Oeste at 8pm. Cocktails and dancing with a Latin band follow, concluding a sizzling evening that is sure to take the edge off the winter's chill!

The internationally renowned soprano Micaela Oeste - recently praised by Opera News for her "bright, well-focused tone," in singing Ophélie in the Washington National Opera's Hamlet - returns to Chicago Opera Theater. Micaela sang with Chicago Opera Theater as a Young Artist in Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse, Mozart's Don Giovanni, and Handel's Orlando. In the upcoming 2011 Spring Festival Season, she will sing the role of Créuse in Charpentier's Médée.

Elliot Madore - currently a member of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Program - has previously sung at Tanglewood Music Festival, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Opera Colorado, and the National Arts Centre in Canada. This summer he is in Don Giovanni at the Salzburg Festival's Young Singers Project.

Accompanying the singers is COT's Director of Musical Studies Scott Gilmore.

With the leadership of COT Board Trustees Roger Baskes and Dana Ragiel, the Gala Committee is supported by: Erin Patrick, DeShawn Anderson, Paul E. Freehling, Julie E. Green, Ashley Kincaid, Averill Leviton, John Nelson, Gregory O'Leary, Jon Omahen, Aaron M. Stout, Morgan Walsh, and Allison Weber.

Erin Patrick, formerly of HefferNan Morgan Designs, will lend his eye as the Gala's Décor Consultant under his recently launched event design company, Erin Patrick: Events Fashioned.

The evening is sponsored in part by New Amsterdam Gin.

CHICAGO OPERA THEATER'S
2011 ANNUAL GALA
"Carnivale: A Party Less Ordinary"
In Honor of COT for TEENS

Where: CARNIVALE
702 W Fulton Market
Chicago, Illinois

***Festive Cocktail Attire Requested ***

When: Sunday, March 6th, 5:30 pm
(7pm for Serrano and Opera Underground tickets)

Gala Tickets: -$375 for Habanero Gala tickets (includes cocktails, auctions, Tiffany Raffle, and Feast)
-Tables for ten are available at $5,000, $10,000, and $25,000
-$200 for Serrano Gala tickets (includes cocktails and small bites, auctions, and Tiffany Raffle)
-$75 for Opera Underground tickets for young persons ages 21-45 (includes cocktails and small bites, auctions, and Tiffany Raffle)
-ID required

Tickets: 312.704.8420, x214
ChicagoOperaTheater.org
http://www.chicagooperatheater.org/support/gala.html

Raffle Tickets: 5 chances at $100 or 1 chance at $25.
Winners need not be present to win.

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