Hartt's 10th Annual Gala To Feature Opera, Jazz and Theater

Each year, the entire Hartt community and hundreds of supporters join together to celebrate the performing arts at Hartt, and to ensure Hartt's bright future, at The Hartt School's annual fundraising gala. This year's spectacular event, Hartt Celebrates Its Future, will take place on Saturday evening, October 15, at the Hartford Marriott Downtown, and proceeds will support student success initiatives. Individual tickets are $250 per person, and Patron tickets are $350 per person. For more information about this year's event or to learn about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Hartt Celebrates Its Future gala coordinator Monique Aduddell at 860.768.4806 or HarttGala@Hartford.edu.

Hartt Celebrates Its Future will feature a special performance by acclaimed soprano Harolyn Blackwell, known for her expressive and exuberant performances on Broadway, and on opera stages and in recital halls around the world.

Following college, the Washington, DC native began her career on Broadway in Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story. Shortly thereafter, she was selected as a finalist for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and her career path changed from musical theatre to opera.

Since then, she has performed with many of the major national and international opera companies and at festivals around the world, including Lyric Opera of Chicago, Glyndebourne Festival, Teatro Colon de Buenes Aires, Seattle Opera, Opera de Nice, Miami Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Aix-en-Provence Festival, Opera Orchestra of New York, and New York's Mostly Mozart Festival.

She has appeared in several productions at the Metropolitan Opera, including Un Ballo in Mascara, Le Nozze di Figaro, Manon, Die Fledermaus, Werther, and La Fille du Regiment. She also starred in the Broadway revival of Candide in 1997.

An accomplished recitalist, Ms. Blackwell has performed in several acclaimed concert series, including London's Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, The San Francisco Performance Series at the Herbst Hall, and the Ambassador Foundation Performing Arts Series in Los Angeles.

Ms. Blackwell has received numerous awards and honors, one of which provided her the opportunity to study in Italy with Renata Tebaldi and Carlo Bergonzi.

Also taking the stage, Hartt's newest faculty members Kevin Gray, who has sung and acted in more than 8,500 Broadway and national tour performances, and Maestro Edward Cumming, who recently completed his tenure as Music Director of the Hartford Symphony.

Cumming, Hartt's new Director of Orchestral Activities, will lead the Hartt Symphony Orchestra as they perform with Blackwell, Gray, and Hartt faculty member and celebrated jazz vocalist Shawnn Monteiro.

Hartt's celebration will feature an elegant seated dinner; magnificent performances by Ms. Blackwell as well as Hartt's students and illustrious faculty; a unique and diverse selection of silent auction items; an exciting live auction, with extraordinary offerings unique to Hartt; and dancing to a live jazz combo.

Those who cannot attend but still wish to make a donation to Hartt Celebrates Its Future are asked to mail their checks, payable to The Hartt School (individuals) or University of Hartford with Hartt Celebrates in the subject line (corporations), to The Hartt School, Gala Coordinator, Public Relations T20, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117.

The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford that offers innovative degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. Founded in 1920, Hartt has been an integral part of the University of Hartford since its charter merged the then Hartt School of Music, the Hartford Art School, and Hillyer College to create the University in 1957. 2010 markEd Hartt's 90th year of providing world class performing arts education to students in Greater-Hartford and around the world. With more than 400 concerts, recitals, plays, master classes, dance performances, and musical theatre productions a year, performance is central to Hartt's curriculum. For more information about The Hartt School, visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.

Photo credit: Luc Papa

 

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