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Giancarlo Guerrero’s arrival as the seventh music director of the Sarasota Orchestra heralds a period of expansion.

IF YOU GO

MASTERWORKS:

SYMPHONIC DANCES

When: Nov. 7-9

Where: Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

Tickets: $39-$109

Info: Visit Sarasota Orchestra.org.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

as it coincidence that the Sarasota Orchestra revealed the architect’s renderings for the new Music Center it’s building near the intersection of Interstate 75 and Fruitville Road about a week before its new music director, Giancarlo Guerrero, conducts the monumental Masterworks program, “Symphonic Dances?”

As they used to say back in the Bard’s day, me thinks not.

Guerrero, a Grammy award-winning conductor who spent 16 seasons with the Nashville Symphony, is starting his first season as music director of the Sarasota Orchestra.

Last season, his title was music director designate. He was in and out of town, conducting the orchestra, programming future seasons and meeting with patrons, donors and members of the youth orchestra.

This season, Guerrero is really here. He and his wife sold their house in Nashville and are now fulltime Florida residents. Although he spends a great deal of time in Sarasota, Guerrero is based in Miami.

“It’s easy to get in and out of Miami. I save a lot of time. It’s golden,” explains Guerrero, who was in Chicago this summer for his first year as music director of the Grant Park Music Festival. He will also conduct concerts in Nashville, Grand Rapids, Michigan and Berlin during the coming season.

Perhaps he and his wife will buy a home in Sarasota, which he calls “a unique and special place” that’s “only a short drive from Miami.”

But for now, there’s a Music Center to be built. (They like capital letters in the arts world, and who are we to quibble?)

According to Guerrero, this experience will be life-changing — for him, the orchestra, the city of Sarasota, the state of Florida and the global music world.

“Everything has to do with the new Music Center,” the new maestro says. “Everyone is preparing for the moment when the orchestra moves into its new home. Overnight, the orchestra will become a new institution and it will change Sarasota.”

The total cost of the new Music Center will be between $375 million and $425 million. The orchestra has received a two-part gift of $60 million from an anonymous donor and a $10 million gift from Jack and Priscilla Schlegel.

During a video interview from his Miami condo, it’s apparent that Guerrero sees his role as ambassador for the new Music Center, a job he calls “main cheerleader.”

“I know what I want for this orchestra, and that requires the support of the community,” he says. “I meet with people who want to be part of the project and talk about how it impacts the community.”

Some of those conversations happen over coffee or lunch, Guerrero says, and they don’t necessarily take place in Sarasota. “There are people who may want to be part of this who are not even in Sarasota,” he says.

A native of Nicaragua who was raised in Costa Rica, Guerrero is only the seventh music director in the history of the Sarasota Orchestra, founded in 1949 as the Florida West Coast Symphony. One of those music directors, who will go unnamed, got a reputation for being an absentee conductor because they spent so much time on the road.

Guerrero shrugs off the implied criticism of a predecessor, noting that a peripatetic life is part and parcel of being a professional musician today. Nevertheless, he allows that it’s essential to “have tentacles in the community.”

Sarasota Orchestra Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero will conduct the first Masterworks concert of the season at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall from Nov. 7-9.

Despite his out-of-town engagements, Guerrero says he is firmly focused on Sarasota. This season, he will conduct six of seven Masterworks concerts (one is technically a “mini” Masterwork), two of three Discovery performances and a “sideby-side” concert of the professional orchestra and its youth arm.

The first Discoveries concert of the season, “Hidden Treasures,” took place Oct. 4 at the Sarasota Opera House and was conducted by Guerrero. Next up is the first Masterworks concert, dubbed “Symphonic Dances” because it includes Rachmaninoff’s final composition. It takes place Nov. 7-9 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

BRINGING BACK A CANCELED

PERFORMANCE

Also on the bill of “Symphonic Dances” are Tchaikovsky’s demanding Piano Concert No. 1, which will be played by guest soloist Alessio Bax, and Jennifer Higdon’s ethereal “blue cathedral.” The latter is near and dear to Guerrero’s heart because he has promoted Higdon’s works and because the piece’s performance was postponed last season.

After Milton rampaged through Sarasota on Oct. 9, 2024, and flooding closed down the Van Wezel until the new year, the Masterworks concert, “Going Places,” was moved to the Sarasota Opera House on Nov. 7-9. It was originally to have been conducted by Rune Bergmann, who stepped aside after Guerrero was named music director designate in August 2024.

“Blue cathedral is very personal to me,” Guerrero says. “I’ve championed Jennifer over many years. The piece is dedicated to her brother, who was a clarinet player who died of melanoma. She was a flute player. One of the most moving parts is the voice of clarinet ascending.”

The orchestral composition creates a celestial mood with instruments such as Chinese reflex bells and glass-filled crystal glasses, which produce a ringing sound when they are tapped. Guerrero says that “blue cathedral” will include a “show and tell” to help the audience understand what is happening. Guerrero also has a personal con-

nection to Bax, since both made their New York Philharmonic debut in October 2021 with a concert called “Brahms and the Schumanns.” He calls Bax’s performance of Tchaikovsky in the upcoming Masterworks concert “a happy accident,” since they share a love of the Russian composer’s works.

Part of what a music director does involves tapping their contacts to find artists who will perform selected works two or three years from now. For a concert, Guerrero estimates that he spends 10% of his time conducting and the other 90% studying.

With the recent departure of Jeffrey Kahane as music director of the Sarasota Music Festival, Guerrero says he will be involved in planning the festival, which he describes as “one of the great jewels of Sarasota.”

A summer program of the Sarasota Orchestra, the Sarasota Music Festival has been bringing together internationally recognized faculty members and pre-professional musicians, known as fellows, for 61 years.

Besides the Music Center, nothing is more important to Guerrero than the upcoming side-by-side concert on Feb. 22 by the Sarasota Orchestra and the Youth Philharmonic, the most advanced of the eight Sarasota Youth Orchestras.

“I came into music through a youth orchestra,” Guerrero explains.

“Music education is close to my heart. The Music Center is not just a symphony hall; it’s a campus for youth education.”

The maestro says that playing in his first side-by-side concert was instrumental in his decision to pursue a career as a musician. “It was a great education to watch the hard work, discipline and sacrifice of the orchestra. It confirmed that this what I wanted to do in my life,” he says.

The adults in the Sarasota Orchestra and members of the Youth Philharmonic will spend an entire weekend together, Guerrero says, preparing for the concert featuring Borodin’s Polovtzian Dance No. 17 and Hanson’s Symphony No. 2.

“We’ll be rehearsing, talking between rehearsals, sharing pizzas and then coming in and playing this concert,” Guerrero says. This is the future of classical music.”

It sounds like a lot will be riding on those pizzas.

FSU/Asolo Conservatory brings

Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’ to life

Kate Hamill’s play features students in their second year of a three-year master’s program.

MARTY FUGATE

CONTRIBUTOR

The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training is a proving ground for young actors. “Emma,” Kate Hamill’s brisk, witty stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel, is its latest challenge. For the conservatory’s faculty, it’s more than a classic story. It’s a teaching tool for second-year student actors who have already learned a lot in the classroom.

The conservatory’s first-year training provided them with an actor’s toolbox. It’s packed with a range of theatrical techniques. But whatever the means, characterbased storytelling is always the goal. The students have learned how their

characters move, talk and think. They’ve also refined their ensemble work and know how to empower a director’s storytelling vision. Theoretically.

This year, no more theory. They’re going on stage. And putting their skills to work before a live audience.

What happens when acting gets real? To find out, we spoke with Marcus Denard Johnson, the conservatory’s director, and Ariel Bock, the play’s director.

A 2008 graduate of FSU/Asolo Conservatory, Johnson became director in September after serving as interim director while his predecessor, Andrei Malaev-Babel, was on sabbatical.

As Johnson and Bock see it, their second-year students are in for a wild ride. It’s going to be life-chang-

INSIDE THE FSU/ASOLO CONSERVATORY

FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training offers a three-year program that leads to a master’s of fine arts. First-year acting students build foundations in acting, voice and movement. The conservatory uses the Demidov technique — an actor training method that cultivates authentically spontaneous response.

Nikolai Demidov was a celebrated Russian actor and director. His actor training method emphasizes spontaneity over self-control. It encourages actors to cultivate a state of “creative being,” and let their emotions and physical expression flow freely in the moment.

Actors learn to release tension, silence the inner critic and get in touch with subconscious impulses. The goal is to exist truthfully within each scene — and let genuine emotion and behavior naturally flow without conscious effort.

Second-year students begin applying their classroom lessons on stage. Conservatory Director Marcus Denard Johnson says that they “start making their own choices.”

Third-year students shift from training to professional practice. They’ll tour Florida schools with “Shakespeare 45,” an educational showcase of the Bard’s greatest hits. After that, they’ll perform alongside theatrical professionals in Asolo Rep’s mainstage season.

Classroom lessons in voice, movement and intimacy coordination continue simultaneously. “At that point,” Johnson says, “they’re functioning as professionals. They’re spreading their wings — and we’re there to guide them.”

ing. And they won’t be the same when it’s over.

Conservatory training is learning by doing. In their second year, students will still be learning in the classroom. But they’re also doing — on stage. Their rehearsals and performances for the four conservatory plays in the 2025-26 season are all part of the curriculum.

“Emma” is their first big lesson. And it’s not abstract.

“The conservatory program is absolutely hands-on,” Bock says. “Our students work closely with voice, movement and acting faculty. I’ll share rehearsal notes, and they’ll adjust their exercises accordingly. That’s how professional companies operate.”

Faculty instructors offer one-onone feedback throughout rehearsals. Patricia Delorey fine-tunes speech and dialect; Jason Paul Tate refines movement; Jonathan Epstein offers insights into acting and characterization; other specialists give their input.

“The classroom feeds the stage, and the stage feeds back into the classroom,” Johnson says. “It’s a rotating ecosystem.”

Second-year students have already learned a lot. They’ll now put their dialect, voice and movement skills to work bringing Austen’s story to the stage. And they’ll learn a lot more.

MATCHMAKING ENDS IN DISASTER

The play “Emma” keeps the novel’s heart while picking up the pace. Its heroine, Emma Woodhouse, is a clever but self-satisfied young woman in early 19th-century England who fancies herself a skilled matchmaker. Overly confident in her social insight, she meddles in the romantic lives of her friends and neighbors with disastrous results.

Austen’s characters aren’t lost in Hamill’s theatrical translation. A river of subtext runs through her play. The characters are all individuals. But they don’t always speak their minds. They’re posing. They’re hiding. And that’s tough to play.

“Austen’s work is full of irony and subtlety,” Bock admits. “Our students have to dig below the surface to find out who they are.”

Johnson agrees. “Every character has an inner life — even in silence. Acting is about impulse and listening. Your character’s inner life isn’t something you think up — it happens when you’re fully engaged with your partner. That’s how we achieve authenticity.”

That authenticity colors outside the lines of period costume dramas — and overturns the prissy clichés of Regency adaptations. (The uptight, phonybaloney conventions that “Saturday Night Live” loved to mock.)

“People in the past weren’t always repressed,” Bock says. “Their emotional lives were as messy and complicated as ours.” How will 21stcentury acting students convey that — and make it seem natural?

“Trusting that you’re enough,” she says. “That’s key.”

IF YOU GO

‘EMMA’ When: Nov. 7-23

Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $15-$30

Info: Visit AsoloRep.org/ Conservatory

What about Austen’s language?

“Much of the play’s dialogue comes directly from Jane Austen,” Bock says. “It’s not Shakespeare or Moliere, but it has that same richness of speech — it’s classic and contemporary all at once.”

This fusion of past and present defines both “Emma” and the Asolo Conservatory program itself.

The training is rooted in centuries of acting tradition — and devoted to the story being told right now on stage.

For Bock, self-discovery is the play’s central theme. “The play’s about learning to see others clearly — and finding yourself in the process,” she says. “Emma’s journey mirrors their journey.”

SPONSORS: Lexus

Sarasota,

NEIL BERG’S

Image courtesy of Jason Paul Tate

Jacqueline Morales, Alan Kim and Corrie Owens star in Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel, “Emma,” which runs at FSU/Asolo Conservatory from Nov. 7-23.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

‘LUCKY STIFF’

7 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. $39-$59 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Based on the humorous murder mystery, “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo,” Florida Studio Theatre’s “Lucky Stiff” tells the story of an English shoe salesman whose $6 million inheritance depends on passing off a recently embalmed body as his live uncle, who was murdered while on vacation in Monte Carlo. What could go wrong?

Directed by Ben Liebert. Runs through Dec. 28.

‘PURLIE’

7:30 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $54 for adults; $24 for students 25 and younger and active military Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.

In this WBTT production of the rollicking Broadway play by Ossie Davis, Raleigh Mosely II stars as a Black preacher who returns to his

home in the Jim Crow South to save his community church. Patrons will see and hear such local favorites as Jannie Jones, Chris Caswell, Patric Robinson and Jazzmin Carson, as well as WBTT newcomers Cody Farkas and Marcey Green. Runs through Nov. 9.

‘MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA’

7:30 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St. $5-$44 Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.

In Christian St. Croix’s haunting play, Remy (Jon Gentry), a gay Black widower, bonds with his late husband’s straight, white teenage son Pup (Tyler Geva) over scary monster flicks. But the cozy domestic scene gets disrupted when ghastly cinematic creatures seemingly escape the silver screen. Runs through Dec. 7.

‘FEELING GOOD’

7:30 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $18-$42 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

The latest musical revue created by Rebecca Hopkins and Richard Hopkins, “Feeling Good” pays tribute to contemporary crooners like Michael Bublé and Bette Midler. A dynamic trio — Haley K.

Clay, Andrew Leggieri and Russell Mernagh — makes its Florida Studio Theatre debut with such swingin’ hits as “Come Fly With Me,” “It Had to Be You” and “Me and Mrs. Jones.” Runs through Feb. 8.

FRIDAY

JAZZ AT TWO

2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalists Church, 3975 Fruitville Road

$15-$20 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

If you’re a fan of Gypsy Jazz in the style of Django Reinhardt, you won’t want to miss this performance of Hot Club SRQ at the weekly Jazz at Two series sponsored by Jazz Club of Sarasota. The string ensemble features Keven Aland on violin and vocals, Jon McLaughlin on guitar and Glenn Stevenson.

A TALE OF TWO

8 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court

$25 Visit WSLR.org.

Vocalist Stephanie Adlington and guitarist Aaron Lessard have attracted notice for their songs of love, betrayal and revenge, as well as for their snappy banter.

SATURDAY

RISE & SHINE SATURDAY

9 a.m. at Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Tamiami Trail Free Visit SarasotaRising.org.

The second marquee event of the sophomore edition of the Living Arts Festival Sarasota takes place all day at the Municipal Auditorium. The free family friendly jamboree includes hands-on activities, entertainment, food and arts education. Attendees are invited to come for an hour or the entire day.

VETERANS CONCERT

2 p.m. at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church, 6116 Crestwood Ave. $20; students $10; veterans free Visit LWRWindEnsemble.org.

Join the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble and Ring Sarasota, the area’s premier handbell choir, for a concert celebrating courage and sacrifice. Founded in 2019 by Joe Miller, now director emeritus, the LRWE is led by Joe Martinez, who spent 35 years as a music teacher in Miami and Sarasota.

RHINESTONE COWBOYS & NATIONAL HEROES

3 p.m. at SCF Neel Performing Arts Center, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton $35-$65 Visit ThePopsOrchestra.org.

The Pops Orchestra, led by Robyn Bell, kicks off its 50th season with a tribute to the golden age of country music and a salute to veterans, featuring Nashville singer Ralph Curtis. The program showcases the music of Grand Ole Opry stars, such as George Jones, Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell and more. Continues at Riverview Performing Arts Center in Sarasota on Nov. 9 and returns to SCF Neel on Nov. 10.

OUR PICK

NEW YORK GILBERT AND SULLIVAN PLAYERS

Anyone who saw last season’s performance by the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players at the Van Wezel knows Sarasota loves pirates, especially those from Penzance. This year, NYGASP’s new artistic director, New Mexico native James Mills, brings his troupe to the Glenridge Performing Arts Center with a oneact production of “Pirates of Penzance.” Gilbert and Sullivan fans will revel in Mills’ rendition of the famous “patter” song, “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.” The concert also includes a medley of favorites from the G&S repertoire.

IF YOU GO

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8

Where: Glenridge Performing Arts Center, 7333 Scotland Way

Tickets: $40 Info: Visit GPACTix.com.

Astral Mixtape, November 20, 5:30 pm

Groundbreaking original works that combine music by Rimsky-Korsakov, Andrew Lloyd Webber and others with contemporary electronics for a uniquely exhilarating experience.

Fry Street Quartet, November 23, 4:00 pm

Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition Grand Prize winners perform Claude Debussy’s only string quartet, Source Code by Grammy Award-winning composer Jessie Montgomery, and Beethoven’s powerful Opus 130 quartet. YCA on Tour, December 9, 7:30 pm

The talent of current Young Concert Artists and esteemed YCA alumni combine for a program that includes Schubert’s poignant String Quintet in C major for two cellos.

Courtesy images

Amanda Rose, John Scalzi and Barrett Riggins star in “Lucky Stiff,” Florida Studio Theatre’s first mainstage show of the season.

BRUNDIBÁR

5 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.

$15-$30 Visit SarasotaOpera.org.

A cast of 80 to 100 young people between the ages of 8 and 18 takes the stage for Sarasota Youth Opera’s production of “Brundibár.”

The tale of resilience and hope features music by Jewish Czech composer Hans Krása and libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister. It was originally performed by children at a concentration camp during World War II. Runs through Nov. 9.

SUNDAY

‘YOU RAISE ME UP’

2 p.m. at Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Tamiami Trail $20 adults; $5 children Visit SarasotaRising.org.

The closing performance of the Living Arts Festival,“You Raise Me Up,” shines a spotlight not only on the young rising stars of art, music and performance, but on their mentors and teachers.

SUNCOAST CONCERT BAND

3 p.m. at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 3131 61st St.

$5 Visit SuncoastConcertBand.org.

Now in its 93rd season, the Suncoast Concert Band of seasoned musicians delivers a rousing tribute to our nation’s veterans. Call 941907-4123 to reserve tickets, and please be sure to dial the right number.

MONDAY

‘ANCESTRAL EDGE’

10 a.m. at The John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bayshore Road Free with $30 admission; Mondays free Visit Ringling.org.

The Ringling has recently been bringing more visibility to contemporary Native American art, first with its 2023 show, “Reclaiming Home” showcasing members of Florida tribes, and now with “Ancestral Edge” featuring nine female artists from across the U.S. Their bold multimedia works occupy the Keith D. Monda Gallery for Contemporary Art through April 2026.

MONDAY NIGHT JAZZ:

SCOTTY WRIGHT QUINTET

7:30 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $34-$39 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

Jazz singer Scotty Wright performs his debut concert at Monday Night Jazz at the Cabaret, sponsored by Jazz Club of Sarasota. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for dinner and beverage service.

TUESDAY

LEGACY X RESPONSE

10 a.m. at Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail Free Visit ArtSarasota.org.

Art Center Sarasota is marking its 100th anniversary with an exhibition exploring the legacy of the center’s artists through fresh eyes.

DON’T MISS

THE ORCHID SHOW 2025:

REBECCA LOUISE LAW

This year’s Orchid Show explores the theme of survival and features an immersive art installation of preserved flowers by British contemporary artist Rebecca Louise Law in The Richard and Ellen Sandor Museum of Botany & the Arts. Law’s installation is juxtaposed with a vibrant display of live orchids and other plants in the living museum’s Display Conservatory. The end result is the blurring of lines between art and nature. Runs through Dec. 7.

IF YOU GO

When: 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 8

Where: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St.

Tickets: $30; $28 online Info: Visit Selby.org.

SARTQ Artist Collective’s “Legacy x Response” is one of four exhibitions currently on display at the gallery, where artworks are for sale. The other shows are “Earthly Glyphs” by Juan Alonso-Rodriguez, Njeri Kinuthia’s “Reconstruction” and the juried exhibit, “small works.” Runs through Nov. 15.

‘COSÌ FAN TUTTE’

7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. $32 and up Visit SarasotaOpera.org.

Sarasota Opera revives fall opera this season after a hiatus of two years with Mozart’s “Così fan tutte.”

The humorous tale follows two soldiers who test the fidelity of the sisters to whom they are engaged, only to learn the brides-to-be have a few tricks up their sleeves. Runs through Nov. 15.

WEDNESDAY

‘ART DECO: THE GOLDEN AGE OF ILLUSTRATION’

10 a.m. at the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Free for museum members; $20 Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

The Sarasota Art Museum celebrates the 100th anniversary of the exposition that kicked off the Art Deco movement. More than 100 eyecatching posters from the Crouse Collection as well as industrial furniture, home furnishings and other objects loaned by the Wilsonian-Florida International University are on display. Through March 29, 2026.

RAZUMA STRING QUARTET

NOVEMBER 13, 2025 | 7:30 PM

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 2050 OAK ST, SARASOTA

Sophia Werner, violin; Emma Servadio, violin; Janice Leung, viola; Nathan Francisco, cello

Join us as we open the 2025–2026 Season with the brilliant, young Razuma String Quartet, making their Sarasota debut this November!

Via Nova Chorale finds a new way following its merger with Choral Artists

Under the leadership of Steven Phillips, the organization has emerged as Sarasota’s second-largest choral group.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

If you’re a fan of choral music, you’ve got options in Sarasota. But if you’re a snowbird or a newcomer, you might not know what they are because the names have changed.

Key Chorale remains Sarasota’s largest choral group, with about 100 singers. Led by Joseph Caulkins, it will present nearly a dozen performances in the 2025-26 season, some in tandem with other arts groups.

The second-largest group is called Via Nova Chorale. In June, it merged with Choral Artists of Sarasota, following the retirement of Artistic Director Joseph Holt after 16 years. Via Nova Chorale was previously known as Musica Sacra but changed its name after Steven Philips was named artistic director in 2024. With the recent merger, Via Nova Chorale now has about 50 singers. It will perform four concerts this season, which it has dubbed “Finding a new way together.” (Via Nova means “new way” in Italian.)

Following the reorganization of Sarasota’s choral music scene, there are two main organizations led by men whose first names are Joseph and Steven. This is a great relief to those who had trouble keeping track of the two men called Joe who led Key Chorale and Choral Artists. Some newbies confused the two groups themselves.

The first concert of Via Nova’s 2025-26 season is called “Living This Moment in Time.” With music by Handel, Jerome Kern and Bob Dylan, the eclectic program aims to inspire the audience to respect the past, embrace the present and envision a compassionate future.

For Phillips, who is deeply rooted in religious tradition, these are not hollow platitudes.

All of Via Nova’s concerts this season will take place at First Presbyterian Church, where Phillips is direc-

IF YOU GO

‘LIVING THIS MOMENT IN TIME’

When: Nov. 7

Where: First Presbyterian Church, 2050 Oak St. Tickets: $40; students $10

Info: Visit ViaNovaChorale.org.

tor of music, a position he has held for nearly a decade.

Having access to First Presbyterian as a performance and rehearsal venue is a godsend for Via Nova because it avoids renting spaces. However, it must be acknowledged that Choral Artists’ programs, some of which were patriotic in nature, attracted a full house, especially at the Sarasota Opera House.

Earlier in his wide-ranging career, Holt served as principal pianist for 20 years at the U.S. Army Chorus in Washington, D.C., which performs for U.S. presidents, military officials and political leaders from around the world. This musical pedigree helped Choral Artists attract a fan base among active military personnel and veterans in the Sarasota area.

By contrast, Phillips has an ecclesiastical background. He grew up in a small Georgia town near Savannah, where he began playing music by ear. He earned an undergraduate degree in organ, beginning at Florida State and finishing at Covenant College, a Presbyterian institution. “When organ is your major, you do a lot of church music,” Phillips explains.

He is also a skilled improviser, which grew out of playing music by ear instead of sight reading. Later in his life, Phillips earned two master’s degrees — one in choral conducting and one in religious studies. “I considered being a minister, but my best gifts are in music,” he says.

During his musical studies, Phillips discovered jazz and fell in love.

Under the leadership of Steven Phillips, Via Nova Chorale merged with Chorale Artists of Sarasota.

With its tradition of improvisation, it allowed him to branch out from religious music and become more experimental in his musical pursuits.

“I’m a late bloomer in a way,” he says.

Phillips’ background and beliefs are reflected in Via Nova’s mission statement: “We exist to inspire new ways to be together as one human family with the power of music.”

Preserving the legacy of Choral Artists is something Phillips takes seriously. Part of the merger involved taking possession and responsibility of 46 years of recordings and hard copies of music stored in a warehouse off Bee Ridge Road. Fortunately for Phillips, there was excess space at First Presbyterian Church on Oak Street for the musical archives.

“In order to accomplish the merger, we had to take on more expense and store the recordings of 46 years of excellent choral music. That was the one thing that meant a lot to Joe (Holt),” Phillips says.

Phillips acknowledges the loss of Choral Artists’ name recognition, but hopes to build Via Nova’s brand

among music aficionados, as well as those looking for spiritual inspiration in a troubled, confusing world. He doesn’t want the choir’s church home base to deter music lovers turned off by organized religion.

“This isn’t a Presbyterian organization,” explains Phillips. “We’re open-ended in our quest of making the world better.”

This mixed bag of political and spiritual beliefs is best reflected in Via Nova’s May 1, 2026, encore performance of last year’s Jazz Mass for a New Humanity.

The program juxtaposes JudeoChristian texts with sacred scripts from other traditions as well as poetry by Maya Angelou, Wendell Berry and others.

Besides Via Nova’s chorus of 50, the concert features a jazz ensemble and vocalist Maicy Powell, whom Phillips discovered at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.

Another encore performance is Via Nova’s Celtic Christmas concert, now in its 10th year. This year’s program is presented jointly with First

SEASON AT A GLANCE

Nov. 7 “Living This Moment in Time” at First Presbyterian Church Dec. 12 “A Celtic Christmas” at First Presbyterian March 6 “Elevate! The Music of Joy” at First Presbyterian May 1 “Jazz Mass for a New Humanity” at First Presbyterian Church

Presbyterian Church Choir and The Lubben Brothers Band, the multitalented triplets whose mind-blowing command of genres and instruments has generated quite a following. Of course, no Celtic concert would be complete without the sounds of a piper, and Kevin Wiegand is happy to oblige.

Sarasota Opera’s ‘Così fan tutte’ sparkles with wit and warmth

Mozart’s comedic opera marks the revival of a fall production at the company.

Sarasota Opera opened its fall season Oct. 31 with a spirited and finely balanced “Così¨ fan tutte,” conducted by Victor DeRenzi and directed by Stephanie Sundine. Mozart’s comedy of fidelity — a farce that has endured — proved both witty and deeply human.

The instigator of the intrigue is the sly philosopher Don Alfonso (Jake Stamatis), whose wager on the women’s constancy drives the plot. His appealing, well-grounded voice, slick persuasion and unflappable confidence anchored the chaos he cynically unleashes.

The sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella, sung by Hanna Brammer and Olivia Vote, shared a felicitous blend of tone and an authentic sisterly rapport. Portraying their undying fidelity to Guglielmo and Ferrando with conviction, they each commanded their characters with a sure voice suited to their role.

Their strapping fiancés were portrayed by tenor Luke Norvell (Ferrando) and baritone Filippo Fontana (Guglielmo). Not only were their voices easily up to the demands of Mozart’s score, their acting and comedic senses convinced the audience of their ardent desire.

First, the young men are sent off to battle, or so they say. The women are too distraught to say goodbye, but manage to sing an exquisitely tender trio with Don Alfonso.

Brammer’s soprano floated effortlessly above Vote’s warm mezzo. Here and in other early ensemble pairings, we could feel the singers settle into the pace of the music, after a momentary wobble.

Almost immediately, the men

IF YOU GO ‘COSÌ FAN TUTTE’ When: 7:30 p.m. Runs through Nov. 15

Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.

Tickets: $32 and up

Info: Visit SarasotaOpera.org

return as flamboyant “Turks,” and the farce charges into full bloom as they try to woo the sisters.

Fontana’s Guglielmo paired attractively with Vote’s more impulsive Dorabella, his lyric baritone both charming and sincere. Vote’s voice is the more earthy of the two ladies, but she has an equal flexibility for coloratura.

Virginia Mims was a delight as Despina, the clever maid with a mischievous glint and bright, agile soprano. She earned the evening’s biggest laugh when disguised as a quack doctor she proceeds to cure the Turks of their fake poisoning with a giant “Mesmer’s stone.”

All of this and more in Act I left Act II lacking intense action and energy. There was disappointment then rueful acceptance as both men and women faced their regrets. But in the final sextet, as deception melts into forgiveness, the ensemble’s unity captured Mozart’s timeless balance of wit, tenderness and truth.

Under DeRenzi’s direction, the Sarasota Orchestra played with warmth and precision, and Sundine’s staging kept the humor brisk but humane. Nearly always delivering perfection was the production team: David Gordon (set design), Howard Tsvi Kaplan (costumes), Ken Yunker (lighting) and Sue Schaefer (hair and makeup).

“Così fan tutte” at Sarasota Opera glowed with musical polish and a generous spirit, with Mozart’s laughter shining through every phrase.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2025

Saturday, Nov. 1, at Sarasota Memorial’s West

Parking Garage rooftop | Benefiting Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation

Free from hurricane interruptions this season, the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation held one of its signature events, Rock the Roof, as scheduled on Nov. 1.

Benefiting women and children’s services at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, the event took place atop the hospital’s West Parking Garage.

With guests attired in flannel, denim, cowboy hats and bolo ties, DJ Eric Baal got the party started and the Florida-based band, Iconic Country, headlined and kept guests rocking in their boots.

With Melissa Wright Perrin acting as a co-chair for all four years since the event made its resurgence, Jennifer Kucera and Heather Wrigley cochaired with her for the second time.

“We had our largest committee to date, a record turnout on the rooftop and the weather could not have been better,” Wright Perrin said. “Everyone looked wonderful, and a huge thank you goes to our amazing community, who showed up and showed out — it was truly a night to remember.”

More than 900 guests enjoyed food, libations, fun and selfies galore. The cooler air at 60 degrees was an added benefit, and guests had a little more kick in their step knowing they could sleep in with the clock falling back by an hour.

Taking place on the eve of the hospital’s official 100th birthday added to the excitement: SMH opened its doors on Nov. 2, 1925, with 32 beds. Today, it boasts 819 beds between two locations: Sarasota and Venice.

— JANET COMBS