Daron Hagen

Sarasota Opera's Annual Food & Wine Festival returns on September 23, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. and will take place at Sarasota Opera House. Local restaurants will gather to serve tasty bites, wine, and other treats as a benefit for Sarasota Youth Opera.

Brooklyn Art Song Society (BASS) announced its 2023-24 season, which features Circles, a six-part series following friendships between composers throughout history, as well as the return of the Dichter Project and New Voices Festival. Led by Artistic Director Michael Brofman, the organization, which plays a vital role in keeping the tradition of art song alive, presents ten full-length concerts highlighting 37 composers and 56 performers.

On Saturday, August 19, from 12 to 2 pm, bring the whole family to a free “Family Day” event and come see what Sarasota Youth Opera is all about! The Sarasota Opera House will be abuzz with activities – you can hear the Youth Opera sing, attend a “Find Your Own Opera Voice” singing session, join in fun acting games, and stand on the opera stage when you take a tour of the opera house.

On Saturday, September 23, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. the Sarasota Opera Food & Wine Festival will take place at Sarasota Opera House. Local restaurants will gather to serve tasty bites, wine, and other treats as a benefit for Sarasota Youth Opera. Throughout the event, there will be performances from the Youth Opera chorus and Sarasota Opera artists, as well as raffles and other activities.

Sarasota Youth Opera (SYO) Summer Camp is an opportunity for young people ages 8-18 to explore the exciting world of opera. 

Sarasota Opera has announced that Florida native Cameron Maxwell has been hired as the new Youth Opera Coordinator. Ms. Maxwell will be the administrator for Sarasota Youth Opera programs and performances and will also be the liaison to the parents and community. Sarasota Youth Opera is currently in its winter semester and is now working towards the Youth Opera Summer Camp to be held this June.  

Thursday, March 16 (7:30 pm) marks the world premiere of composer/guitarist D. J. Sparr's orchestral reimagining of Kaki King's Modern Yesterdays, performed by the American Composers Orchestra under Daniela Candillari, with King as guitar soloist.

only a sample of the awe-inspiring creativity of Daron Hagen. Versatile doesn’t begin to describe this Renaissance Man of Music.

Lyric Fest will continue its 20th anniversary season with Ode to the Lost Song, a collection of songs by Norwegian composer Arne Dørumsgaard, on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 at 7:00pm at the Moorestown Community House in Moorestown, NJ, and Wednesday, December 7, 2022 at 7:00pm at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, PA.

Sarasota Youth Opera has announced that open auditions for several principal roles for male and female singers in the fall production of Dean Burry's The Secret World of Og will take place on Tuesday, August 23rd and Thursday, August 25th, 2022. Interested singers should arrive at 5:30pm for music preparation and auditions will follow. 

Sarasota Opera’s Annual Food & Wine Festival returns on September 17, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. and will take place at the historic Opera House on Pineapple Avenue.

Hear the Youth Opera sing, attend a “Find Your Own Opera Voice” singing session, join in fun acting games, and take a tour of the opera house. You can even get creative and make some props, have fun at the makeup table, explore the beautiful costumes, and more. This event is free to all!

Lyric Fest announced their 2022-2023 season, which coincides with the organization's 20th Anniversary. The season kicks off with Elysian Fields, a celebration of Lyric Fest's beginnings.

Lyric Fest—the only performing arts organization in the Mid-Atlantic region with a primary focus on song in all its varied expression—concludes its 2021-22 season with a program entitled My Favorite Things featuring soprano Jennifer Aylmer together with pianist Laura Ward on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 7:00pm at the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA).

​​​​​​​Lyric Fest presents a larger-than-life musical biography of iconic American composer Cole Porter: Anything Goes: Cole Porter - Uncensored will take place on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 7:00pm at the Moorestown Community Center in Moorestown, NJ and Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 7:00pm at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Featured in this all-Cole Porter program are baritone Randall Scarlata, mezzo-soprano Suzanne DuPlantis, and pianist Laura Ward.

LA Opera will present the world premiere of In Our Daughter's Eyes, by composer Du Yun and librettist Michael Joseph McQuilken, from April 13 through 17, 2022, at REDCAT. The monodrama was created for and with baritone Nathan Gunn, who portrays a father-to-be striving to become a man his daughter would be proud of.

Lyric Fest presents two performances of My Letter to the World, a special concert centered on the life and writings of Emily Dickinson, on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 3:00pm at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill and Sunday, December 12, 2021 at 3:00pm at the Academy of Vocal Arts.

Lyric Fest will present two performances of My Letter to the World, a special concert centered on the life and writings of Emily Dickinson, on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 3:00pm at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill and Sunday, December 12, 2021 at 3:00pm at the Academy of Vocal Arts.

GRAMMY-winning violinist Keiko Tokunaga created INTERWOVEN in reaction to the change in social climate that occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An individual of the Asian heritage, Tokunaga was saddened by the news of racial injustice towards the AAPI community— but what was even more shocking to her was the lack of response from the other racial groups, and hesitation to speak up amongst her fellows.

Grammy-winning conductor Michael Christie will lead the Welsh National Opera Orchestra to accompany finalists in the 2021 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World main prize competition. Staged without an audience in strict compliance with the latest health and safety government guidelines related to COVID-19, the competition takes place from June 12 – June 19, 2021 at St. David's Hall in Cardiff.