Opera Orlando Presents THE MOZART DINNER

Opera Orlando and honorary chairs Margie and Chuck Steinmetz present The Mozart Dinner on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at Steinmetz Hall at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Cocktail reception starts at 6 p.m. with dinner and musical presentation at 7 p.m. This is Opera Orlando's premiere event and annual fundraiser in Steinmetz Hall to support the Opera's productions and education programs. Guests will enjoy an evening unlike any other with special guest opera singers, a string quartet, and a candlelit dinner in the state of the art, acoustically ideal setting of Steinmetz Hall. This event is currently sold out but interested individuals can email Info@OperaOrlando.org to be added to the event's waitlist.

Mozart himself will be there to lead a fantastic musical program, performed in three parts before and in between a French inspired three-course dinner. Guests will of course enjoy Mozart's glorious music along with other operatic favorites and a special "auction of arias." Roseann Harrington, chief of staff for Orange County mayor Jerry Demings, serves as committee chair for this event. "This has quickly become the culinary and musical event of the year in the ideal setting of Steinmetz Hall in its flattened floor, ballroom configuration," stated Ms. Harrington. "Not to mention the set for Opera Orlando's production of The Daughter of the Regiment, which opens the night before in Steinmetz Hall, will provide the backdrop for the evening and the perfect picture opportunity. This is truly a once in a lifetime event and opportunity."

Guest artists include renowned tenor Ben Gulley and soprano Robyn Marie Lamp along with the Alterity String Quartet. Opera Orlando studio artists will also join in on the fun along with a couple other surprise guests.

American operatic tenor Ben Gulley has been hailed "as an outstanding tenor" (Opera News) and "startlingly-gifted" (San Francisco Classical Voice). Mr. Gulley's global career is flourishing with feature roles in opera, solo engagements, concerts, film work, touring and prestigious appearances abroad. Recent artistic and critical triumphs include Quasimodo in Dennis DeYoung's Hunchback of Notre Dame (Skylight Music Theater 2022), debut as Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca (Sarasota Opera 2022), the Tenor Soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (University of Texas-Austin 2022, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra 2021), the Tenor Soloist in Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde opposite the incomparable Michelle DeYoung (Belgian National Orchestra 2021) in Brussels and Namur, Belgium, featured artist for the National WW1 Monument (Kansas City) Centennial Celebration 2021 and headlining both Masterworks and Pops performances with symphonies and arts presenters worldwide.

Powerful soprano Robyn Marie Lamp has an exciting 2022-23 season, which includes singing Mimì in La bohème with Opera in Williamsburg, Julia Child in Lee Hoiby's chamber opera Bon Appétit! with First Coast Opera, the soprano solos in Verdi's Requiem at Carnegie Hall with The Masterwork Chorus, concerts with the Grammy-nominated ensemble Seraphic Fire, and the soprano solos in Messiah with Palm Beach Symphony. Her 2021-22 season included singing the title role in Tosca for Gulfshore Opera, Mozart's Requiem with Palm Beach Symphony and Master Chorale of South Florida, and Beethoven's Egmont with Orchestra Miami. The 2019-20 season sent her to Boston, where she appeared as Clotilde and covered the title role in Bellini's Norma with Boston Lyric Opera as an emerging artist. Another highlight was appearing as the soprano soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra at the Broward Center. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in her 2018-19 season, singing the soprano solo in Ralph Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem with Mid-America Productions. Ms. Lamp has also been a two-time Regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.