Florida Grand Opera Young Artists Say Goodbye with a Pair of Concerts

"How strange the change from major to minor," Cole Porter wrote in his classic song, "Every Time We Say Goodbye." On the weekend of May 20-21, Florida Grand Opera says goodbye to its current group of Young Artists with a special concert that puts each of them in the spotlight. The YA Final Sing, as it has come to be known, is one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the end of FGO's season. It will be given in two different venues:

Saturday, May 20 at 7 pm
NSU Art Museum, Fort Lauderdale

Sunday, May 21 at 7 pm
The Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theater, Coral Gables

The event is free to the public. "There is always a big rush for tickets," says Susan T. Danis, General Director and CEO of Florida Grand Opera. "This is the final chance for our South Florida audiences to experience the young artists before they take the next step in their careers. Reservations are strongly recommended."

Among the high points for this season's FGO Young Artists:

• Soprano Elena Galván is giving an acclaimed performance as Oscar in Un ballo in maschera, currently concluding its FGO run at Fort Lauderdale's Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, May 11 and Saturday, May 13. Miami ArtZine praised Galván's "crisp and supple Mozartian vocal leaps" and her "sparkling soprano."

• Tenor Dominick Corbacio earned excellent reviews for his performance as Monsieur Triquet in FGO's production of Eugene Onegin. South Florida Classical Review wrote that Corbacio "displayed a winning character tenor."

• Bass-baritone Alex Soare was heard as Prince Gremin in FGO's Eugene Onegin and as Count Horn in Un ballo in maschera. On ConcertoNet.com, Jeff Haller found Soare's Gremin "greatly moving and beautifully sung."

• Bass-baritone Calvin Griffin was singled out by critics for his performance as Victor, Reinaldo Arenas's tormentor, in FGO's acclaimed production of Jorge Martín's Before Night Falls. In The Palm Beach Arts Paper, Greg Stepanich wrote that Griffin "turned in a terrific performance."

"We are very proud of the level at which this year's group of Young Artists has performed," says Susan T. Danis. "The YA Final Sing will be a bittersweet occasion: we are sorry to see them go, but we are thrilled by the work they have done for FGO."

The program will consist of many treasured moments from the standard opera repertoire.

Arias include:

• "Lunge da lei...de' miei bollenti spiriti...O mio rimorso" from Verdi's La traviata, sung by tenor Dominick Corbacio

• "Vois sous l'archet frémissant" from Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffman, sung by mezzo-soprano Melissa Fajardo

• "Ach, ich fühls" from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, sung by soprano Elena Galván

• "Allez...scintille, diamant" from Les Contes d'Hoffman, sung by bass-baritone Calvin Griffin

• "Vani sono i lamenti...Svegliatevi nel core," from Handel's Giulio Cesare, sung by mezzo-soprano Courtney Miller

• "Das war sehr gut Mandryka," from Strauss's Arabella, sung by soprano Sarah Payne

• "Fuor del mar" from Mozart's Idomeneo, sung by tenor Benjamin Werley

Also featured on the program will be a number of opera scenes, including classics such as Mozart's Don Giovanni and Puccini's La rondine.

Both concerts are open to the public free of charge. After the May 21 program in Coral Gables, a special wine reception will be held to which all audience members are invited.

The NSU Art Museum is located at One East Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. The Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theater is located at 280 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables.

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ABOUT FLORIDA GRAND OPERA

Florida Grand Opera (FGO), the oldest performing arts organization in Florida, celebrates its 75th Anniversary Season in 2016-17. The mainstage operas of the season include: Georges Bizet's Carmen, November 12-December 3, 2016; Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, January 28-February 11, 2017; Jorge Martín's Before Night Falls, March 18-25, 2017; and Giuseppe Verdi's A Masked Ball, (Un ballo in maschera), April 29-May 13, 2017.

FGO is currently accepting single ticket purchases for A Masked Ball in Fort Lauderdale and subscription renewals for the 2017-18 season online or at FGO offices. FGO's Box Office is located at the Doral Center on 8390 NW 25th Street, Miami, FL 33122, and is open from 10am to 4pm, Monday through Friday during the season. Season tickets may also be purchased by phone at (800) 741-1010.

Founded in 1941 as Greater Miami Opera and later merging with The Opera Guild Inc. in 1994, FGO presents a mixture of standard repertoire and contemporary works as well as commissions and new productions - all featuring projected translations in English and Spanish. FGO is recognized for funding by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Funding is also provided, in part, by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners, and the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council. Program support is provided by the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, and the Cultural Arts Council. Florida Grand Opera is a Resident Company of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and a member company of OPERA America. Intercontinental Miami is the Official Hotel and Steinway & Sons is the Official Piano of Florida Grand Opera.

Florida Grand Opera, Inc. 8390 NW 25th Street Miami, FL 33122 305-854-1643 (Administrative Offices) 800-741-1010 (Box Office)