Historic St. Ann Church to Present THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER & A World Premiere

On April 19 at 7:00, historic St. Ann Church in West Palm Beach, Florida, will present the second reprise of The Prodigal Daughter, instrumental music performed by the Contrast Duo, and the world premiere of an aria from 3:16.

The Prodigal Daughter is a Christian-themed opera by librettist Alexander Reign and composers Theodore Christman, Jane Kozhevnikova, Akihiro Masuda, Hugo Antonio Miranda, Patricio Molina, Harrison Sheckler, and Stéphane Tesan. Mezzo-soprano Madison Marie McIntosh will sing the role of Irina, and baritone William Stafford will co-star as Jack Andrews. Internationally acclaimed speaker and author Wanjiru M. Gitau will make a special cameo appearance as Jack's wife, Jazmine Andrews. The instrumentalists will be violinist Yasa Poletaeva and pianist Darren Matias of the Contrast Duo.

3:16, titled after 1 Corinthians 3:16, is an opera in development. Ms. McIntosh will premiere an aria from this opera, composed by Akihiro Masuda for the character of Lieutenant Mary James.

Admission is free, but donations will benefit the church.

Historic St. Ann Catholic Church

310 North Olive Avenue

West Palm Beach, Florida 33401

About the performers:

Praised for her "prodigious vocal skills" (Voce di Meche) and "abundant vocal and dramatic technique, with no shortage of soaring high notes and flexible roulades" (OperaWire), Madison Marie McIntosh made her Carnegie Hall mainstage debut as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Dan Forrest's Requiem for the Living. She won The American Prize in 2020 and has performed roles with opera companies such as Caramoor, the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Teatro Nuovo, Sarasota Opera, Teatro Grattacielo, and the Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice.

Baritone William Stafford has performed leading operatic roles with such prestigious companies as The Palm Beach Opera, The Gold Coast Opera, The Greater Miami Opera, The Young Patronesses Of The Opera, and The South Florida Opera Company. He has also sung the major bass/baritone oratorio solos with The Columbus Symphony, The Virginia Symphony, Virginia Pro Musica, The Delray Beach Chorale, The Bel Canto Singers, The Greater Palm Beach Symphony, and The Port St. Lucie Chorale and Orchestra.

The Contrast Duo (violinist Yasa Poletaeva and pianist Darren Matias) is a renowned and critically acclaimed ensemble based in the United States with a growing international concert career spanning four continents. They recently won 1st prizes at Liszt-Garrison International Music Competition, the Lyric Chamber Music Competition, John Oliveira String Competition, became finalist at the Carnegie Hall Fellowship, and have received grants from private donors in South Florida and the National Society of Arts and Letters. Their growing artistic pursuits have yielded to performance art collaborations with various artists and musicians. The Contrast Duo is about exploring the depth of humanity and spirituality through music. Their ongoing projects have been supported by individuals with the intent to innovate recital experiences and music education.

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