THREE TENORS + One presented by Opera Club of The Villages
Fernando Varela
Maestro Bill Doherty
Ashley Thunder
Devin Eatmon
Pavel Suliandziga benefitting
CONTENTS Theater Staff.......................................................................................................... 2 Whitney Morse on The Sharon® L. Morse Performing Arts Center........................ 3 Set List.................................................................................................................. 4 About the Opera Club.......................................................................................... 5 We Are the Opera Club......................................................................................5-6 Biographies........................................................................................................7-9 Coming Soon...................................................................................................... 10
STAFF Director of Operations................................................................... Jason Goedken Artistic Director.............................................................................Whitney Morse Technical Director..................................................................... Kenneth Constant Production Manager..............................................................................Jon Cronin Booking Coordinator & Administrator....................................Elizabeth Constant Executive Administrator.................................................................... Sean Graham Lighting Director..............................................................................David Krupla Artist Liaison/Hospitality Management........................................... Leslie Munson Cassandra Francois Audio/Visual.........................................................................................Luke Bezio Sound/AV Designer.........................................................................Nick Erickson House Manager...................................................................................Heather Ard Director of Ticketing & Customer Relations............................... Yasmeen Stogden Promotion & Marketing...................................... The Villages Sales & Marketing Ad Sales.........................................................................The Villages Media Group
GIFT CARDS
Available
Purchase at any of The Villages® box office locations. ©2022 The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center.
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WHITNEY MORSE on
The Sharon L. Morse ®
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Dear Patron of the Arts
,
Welcome to The Sharon® L. Morse Performing Arts Center! We are so grateful to re-open our doors after such a trying season. We invite you back to view the national and international performing art tours we host here for your entertainment. Much like the building’s namesake, my grandmother, Sharon L. Morse, we love all varieties of the performing arts here. It is in her memory that I, along with my amazing team of artists and arts administrators, strive to bring many different types of the highest quality entertainment here to The Sharon. Since opening in 2015, we hope we have established a relationship of trust; that any show at The Sharon will be a show worth seeing. Perhaps you find yourself here today to see a concert of one of your favorite musicians, or to take in the national tour of a Broadway show. Either way, we encourage you to consider trying out a new show that perhaps you haven’t heard of before, knowing that it has been intentionally curated by our team. We welcome you to The Sharon: a place for you to see an old favorite, but also a place to discover your new favorite. I sincerely hope you enjoy the show today, and I look forward to seeing you here again soon!
Whitney Morse
See You at The Sharon,
Artistic Director
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SET LIST Part I "O sole mio" by di Capua..................................... Ashley Thunder, Devin Eatmon, Pavel Suliandziga & Fernando Varela "Addio, fiorito asil" from Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini..... Devin Eatmon "Una furtiva lagrima" from L'elisir d'amore by Donizetti...............Pavel Suliandziga "You Raise Me Up" by Rolf Lovland.............................................. Fernando Varela "Quando m’en vo" from La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini................Ashley Thunder "Kuda kuda vi udalilis" from Eugen Onegin by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky..... Devin Eatmon "O Colombina" from Pagliacci by Leoncavallo..............................Pavel Suliandziga "Bring Him Home" from Les Mis by Claude-Michel Schönberg.... Fernando Varela "Vissi d’arte" from Tosca by Giacomo Puccini.................................Ashley Thunder "The Prayer" by Harry Warren............................... Ashley Thunder, Devin Eatmon & Fernando Varela INTERMISSION Part II "La donna e mobile" from Rigoletto by Verdi........Devin Eatmon, Pavel Suliandziga & Fernando Varela "Caruso" by Lucio Dalla................................................................ Fernando Varela "Parlami d’amore Mariu" by Bixio.................................................Pavel Suliandziga "Core 'ngrato" by Salvatore Cardillo................................................ Devin Eatmon "Art Is Calling For Me" from The Enchantress by Victor Herbert.....Ashley Thunder "Time To Say Goodbye" by Sartori.......................Ashley Thunder, Fernando Varela "Stranger In Paradise" from Kismet by Alexander Borodin.............Pavel Suliandziga "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz" by Franz Lehár..................................... Devin Eatmon "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz by Harold Arlen....Ashley Thunder "Nessun Dorma" from Turandot by Puccini.......... Ashley Thunder, Devin Eatmon, Pavel Suliandziga & Fernando Varela
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ABOUT THE OPERA CLUB The Opera Club of the Villages was established in 1997 to present live performances to Villagers and establish a music scholarship program to honor the founder of the Villages, Harold Schwartz. Since it’s inception over $550,000 in scholarship money has been awarded to local students in Marion ,Lake and Sumter counties who aspire to pursue a career in Music. More information is available at: www.operaclubofthevillages.com
WE ARE THE OPERA CLUB We are proud to announce that this is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Harold Schwartz Music Scholarship Program. Over the years, our winner have met with great success. Many have returned to Central Florida to become Band Directors at The Villages® Charter High School, Leesburg High School, Tavares High School, Mt. Dora High School. Some are vocal instructors, members of Opera Companies, celebrated pianists, instrumentalist - we are so blessed and happy that we encouraged these aspiring musicians with financial support helping them to realize their dreams. The Opera Club of The Villages was established to present live musical performances, operas, and concerts to Villagers. Meetings are held the fourth Thursday of each month at Laurel Manor Recreation Center from September through May. In 1997, the Opera Club established the Harold S. Schwartz Music Scholarship Program to honor the founder of The Villages. The goal was to encourage and support students who plan to pursue a career in music by awarding scholarships to applicants in Marion, Lake and Sumter Counties. Since its inception, over $587,479 in scholarship money has been awarded to 89 students. Our yearly awards range from $28,000 to $56,000 awarded in 2021. Our major source of income is our "Three Tenors Plus One" concert presented at The Sharon® Performing Arts Center. During the school year, our Scholarship Committee sends applications to all schools in the tri-county area. Students applying must be graduating seniors with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. They must be planning to major or minor in music education or performance in college. The student must complete the application and submit it with two letters of recommendation. Scholarship auditions are adjudicated by professional judges. Last year, due to COVID restrictions, the auditions were online. The students were sent instructions on how to make cell phone videos of their auditions. The 352-751-7799
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WE ARE THE OPERA CLUB Judges reviewed the recordings and recorded their rankings. The deliberations were through a ZOOM conference. This year 4 Scholarships will be awarded: $12,000, $10,000, $8,000 and $6,000. Three Encouragement awards of $1,000 gifts will be awarded. The Oscar Feliu Award is given annually to a student at The Villages Charter High School who consistently demonstrated outstanding contributions to and participation in the music program. The $3,000 award is in memory of Oscar Feliu, one of the founders of the Opera Club.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gerri Piscitelli, President/Program Chair Geri Dempsey, Vice President Ann Forester, Recording Secretary Joanne Kells-Murphy-Membership Dave Harrold, Treasurer Pearl Kosa, Corresponding Secretary Gigi Letrende, - Raffle /Sunshine Marty Taylor, Scholarship Chairman Marlene Croft & Rosalie Locke - Hospitality Roy Ullrich - Newsletter William Peck - Webmaster Mary Boczkowski/Director at Large Connie Connor Archivist Bill Doherty - Advisor
The Opera Club of the Villages is a 501©3 Corporation Mailing address: PO Box 1228, The Villages ,FL 32158
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BIOGRAPHIES BILL DOHERTY Bill Doherty is a pianist, conductor, composer and singer. As a singer, Mr. Doherty has performed 14 leading roles in opera productions throughout the United States and Europe including the Mohawk Valley Opera (NY) and the Tri-Cities Opera (NY), and was mentored by the legendary soprano Licia Albanese (Metropolitan Opera, La Scala). As a pianist, composer and conductor, Mr. Doherty conducted members of the Central Florida Lyric Opera and the St. Timothy Choir in a special Mass of Thanksgiving at the Vatican for Pope Benedict XVI and in concerts in an around Rome, Italy in 2012. In 2014, he presented the world premiere of his original composition Missa di Requiem in Jerusalem. Most recently, he returned to the Vatican to conduct and perform the European premiere of his Missa di Requiem at St. Ignazio Basilica in Rome, Italy and at the Vatican for the closing Mass of the Jubilee Year of Mercy at the request of Pope Francis. He has conducted and accompanied extensively in opera for over 20 years, collaborating with some of the world’s greatest operatic stars including the legendary Licia Albanese and serving as accompanist to world-renowned Metropolitan Opera sopranos Deborah Voigt, Molly Fillmore and Susan Neves. Mr. Doherty is also one of the nation's leading voice coaches and operates a teaching studio in both Florida and New York City. An internationally recognized teacher and workshop clinician, Bill Doherty has conducted Master Classes in opera and voice at universities and conservatories throughout the world, including Marymount Manhattan College NYC, and the Conservatoire Leo Delibes, Ville de Clichy-La-Garenne, France, among others. His interviews and performances have been broadcast on PBS, CBS, and NBC. He has also appeared on various talk shows including the Late Show with David Letterman. Year after year, for the past eighteen years, Mr. Doherty has served as adjudicator for the Licia AlbanesePuccini Foundation’s International Vocal Competition in New York City and has also performed as an accompanist for the Foundation’s Gala concert at Lincoln Center, NY. He also is adjudicator for the prestigious Gerda Lissner International Opera Competition, NYC. He is Founder and General Director of the Central Florida Lyric Opera, Inc. His work has been recognized and commended by both former Florida Governor Charlie Crist and former United States President George W. Bush. Mr. Doherty is the Director of Music at St. Timothy Catholic Church in the Villages, FL. Among his many other honors and awards, Mr. Doherty is the recipient of the New York State Council on the Arts Humanities Award and his signature has been immortalized on the Muro di Alassio in Alassio, Italy.
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BIOGRAPHIES FERNANDO VARELA The story behind Fernando Varela begins and ends with a voice. A voice that tells the tale of a breathtaking tenor whose spirit and determination have defied the odds. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Fernando moved to Florida at the age of eight, and while he always loved music, it was not until the age of seventeen that he discovered the impressive talent he had within him. Fernando trained with opera's renowned classical icons and tours worldwide with Grammy Award-Winning producer David Foster and is featured on David Foster's recently released all-new PBS Special. He has also performed amongst legendary superstars, including Lionel Richie, Sarah Brightman, Babyface, Gladys Knight, Peter Cetera, Neil Diamond, Benny Andersson, Seal, Jewel, The Beach Boys, Steven Tyler, Josh Groban, and Chaka Kahn. 2019 saw Fernando as special guest performer at The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, honoring Gloria and Emilio Estefan and celebrating Julio Iglesias on The Grammy Salute to Legends. Varela is signed with Universal Music Group and released his debut album Vivere in March 2017, accompanied by his debut PBS Special,"Coming Home". Fernando has also founded the dynamic powerhouse trio, The Serenad3 (The Serenade), featuring Varela alongside world-renowned singers Craig Irvin & Devin Eatmon. The group emerged as a sign of hope amidst a pandemic, collaborating with David Foster, Gloria Estefan, Pia Toscano, and many more. Fernando Varela sets the standard for what true musicianship is all about, combining a unique voice and an engaging passion that lights up the stage. DEVIN EATMON Hailed for his "heroic high notes," Devin M. Eatmon is a full lyric operatic tenor from Ocala, FL. His performance history includes working with the Central Florida Lyric Opera, Chelsea Opera, Opera in the Ozarks, Aspen Music Festival, Opera Colorado, soon to be Opera Orlando, as well as the St. Petersburg Opera Company. With both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Voice Performance from Florida State University; Devin studied under the tutelage of former San Francisco Opera staring baritone, David Okerlund. Some of Devin’s most notable collegiate roles include, George Villiers in the Scholastic Premier of Carlisle Floyd’s, Prince of Players, Rodolfo in Giacomo Puccini's, La bohème, Curley in Floyd's, Of Mice and Men, and Edgar Aubrey in Heinrich Marschner’s German Romantic opera, Der Vampyr. In the musical theater realm, Devin’s recent performances include playing the role of, Nicely Nicely Johnson in Victory Productions’ production of Guys And Dolls. Devin is currently living in 8
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BIOGRAPHIES Orlando, FL and is looking forward to future endeavors with The Serenad3 as well as his solo operatic career. ASHLEY THUNDER Ashley Thunder began her studies with Maestro, Mario Laurenti in 2013. A native of Supino, Italy, Maestro Laurenti trained with Riccardo Stracciari, performed for many years with Martha Graham and produced operas with Robert Merrill, Roberta Peters, Anna Moffo et al. Ashley's continues her professional studies with distinguished international "Tosca", Stella Zambolis and nationally acclaimed Christopher Holloway. Ashley brings an athletic talent and strength to the stage to provide impactful electrifying performances. Critics acclaim; "Ashley Thunder is a true talent", "She touches everyone with her voice and spirit." You can currently find Ashley performing soprano solos and roles with the Anna Maria Concert Chorus and Orchestra, Central Florida Lyric Opera, Dusseldorf Lyric Opera and the St.Petersburg Opera. Her favorite roles include Frasquita in Carmen, Countess Almaviva in Le Nozze Di Figaro, The Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors. PAVEL SULIANDZIGA A master’s graduate of the Russian Academy of Music in 2015, tenor Pavel Suliandziga just completed his professional studies diploma at the Mannes College of Music. His roles include Trike and Lensky in Eugene Onegin with the Russian Academy of Music, Tamino with RAM in collaboration with ESMUC in Barcelona, Spain, Peter Quint (The Turn of the Screw), Nemorino (Jerusalem Opera, Opera in Williamsburg), Almaviva in Barber of Seville, Remendado in Carmen, Arlecchino in Pagliacci with Opera in Williamsburg, Messenger in Rubinstein’s Demon with Bard SummerScape Festival Ferrando with Mannes College of Music. Pavel was also a solo performer in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the RAM Orchestra. He was the first-place winner in 2013 and 2014 with AADGT in New York, performing in Carnegie Hall, thirdprize winner in the Bella Voce competition in Moscow, third-prize winner in the Talents of the World International Competition and the Finalist of Licia-Albenese competition and Giulio Gari competition. He was also a participant in the Vianden Festival in Luxembourg, IVAI summer program in New York and CVAI summer program in Montreal in 2016.
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COMING SOON
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Music & Lyrics by Mark Hollmann Book & Lyrics by Greg Kotis
URINETOWN THE MUSICAL
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