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PRESS RELEASE - May 2008
The Gingerbread Players of St. Luke's Church
and Park & Bark Opera present
Libretti & Spaghetti
~Italian Opera for All~
at Saint Luke's Church, Forest Hills, on Sunday, June 8th at 3pm
The Gingerbread Players of Saint Luke's Church
and Park & Bark Opera will present a musical dish filled with Italian
opera arias and traditional Neapolitan songs to satisfy the hungry musical
appetites of Italian opera lovers in Forest Hills, NY.
The concert will feature professional opera
vocalists tenor, Jason Robinette and soprano, Mim Paquin, with additional
guest opera vocalists: sopranos Nicole Lee Aiossa and Angela Adragna,
bass Jorge Ocasio and mezzo-soprano Julia Spanja with piano accompanist
James Lubrano.
Paquin & Robinette created a more traditional
program filled with beloved Italian opera arias and other traditional
audience favorites. It is an Italian musical feast for the ears; a light
first course followed by meatier second- all with a sweet ending! Featured
musical courses include music from Donizetti's "L'elisir d'amore",
Mozart's "Le nozze di Figaro", "Cosi fan tutte",
and "Don Giovanni"; Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci". Lastly,
what would an Italian musical program be without Verdi, Rossini and
Puccini? Featuring songs from "Falstaff", "Nabucco",
"Rigoletto", "Il Barbieri Di Siviglia", "La
Boheme", "Manon Lescaut", "Tosca", "Gianni
Schicci" and "Turandot".
This presentation is Park & Bark Opera's
second annual fundraiser for St. Luke's Church in Forest Hills, NY and
is presented by The Gingerbread Players of St. Luke's Church.
Park & Bark Opera was established in
2005 by Jason Robinette as another way of providing artistic outreach
to various communities in New York City and surrounding metro area.
Park & Bark Opera proudly presents this program as a way of saying
thank you to St. Luke's Church of Forest Hills for their contributions
that support the community and the musical artist of all denominations
within that community.
St. Luke's Church has developed well earned
reputation as being the best hidden secret of Queens. Each Sunday during
the year, St. Luke's provides the community with Sunday morning services
that includes prepared choral and organ music programs. In addition,
the Gingerbread Players of St. Luke's church present fall and spring
shows that for over the past 30 years have become a staple in the community
of Forest Hills. St. Luke's church also hosts several musical concerts
in their Wings of Song series which at any time may include musical
presentations by pianists, vocalists, violinists and more.
Saint Luke's Church is located at 85 Greenway
South in Forest Hills, Queens. The suggested donation is $10, $8 for
seniors and students. For reservations and information, call St. Luke's
Church 718-268-7772, or visit www.gingerbreadplayers.org. For more information
on Park & Bark Opera visit: www.parkandbarkopera.com.
Contacts: Louise Guinther, 212-769-7082;
e-mail: ltg@operanews.com
Date: June 8, 2008
REVIEW ST. LUKE'S CHOIR SOLOISTS THRILLED
AUDIENCE IN JUNE 3rd CONCERT
Sunday, June 3 marked the last appearance
of the St. Luke's choir until September, but there was more to come
from the choir's brilliant tenor and soprano soloists, Jason Robinette
and MaryAnne (Mim) Paquin. Their concert, "With Love, From There
To Hear...love songs from around the world," took place that same
afternoon at 3:00 in the parish hall. Accompanied by Michael C. Haigler
and ably supported by guest vocalists Jeremy J. Moore, Laura Green,
Loren Silber, Todd Elliott and St. Luke's own David Friedman, Jason
and MaryAnne presented a program of classical, semi-classical and popular
songs celebrating the agony and ecstasy of love, at the end of which
a large enthusiastic audience gave these talented young artists a standing
ovation.
-Louise
Guinther, The Bellringer, St. Luke's Church June 2007
PRESS RELEASE
May 2007: The Gingerbread Players and Park
& Bark Opera present:
With Love From There, To Hear
…love songs from around the world
at Saint Luke's Church, Forest Hills,
on Sunday, June 3rd
The Gingerbread Players of Saint Luke's Church
and Park & Bark Opera will present an afternoon of love, heartache,
longing and hope as found in a universal heart expressed in the voices
of tenor Jason Robinette and soprano Mim Paquin.
Providing musical direction for this heartfelt
journey through song, is maestro Michael Haigler. Also featured is a
supporting ensemble of guest vocalists Laura Green, Loren Silber, Todd
Elliott, Jeremy J. Moore, and David Friedman. Narrators Andrew Dinin
and Joyce Egginton join this ensemble by threading each song with stories
and translations.
Paquin & Robinette created a musical
program filled with operatic, operetta and musical theatre songs without
relying on a core program of traditional pieces. The more presentational
style for voice is being tossed aside to allow for fully acted musical
interpretations without fancy dress and tie restrictions. The songs
throughout the program are based on a storyline of love and hope. The
music featured is from some of the world's most well loved composers
and is set around the world: Leadville, Colorado; Sicily, Italy; Russia;
Cornwall, England; Japan; Siam; Gaza, Egypt and of course New York City.
Love is: lost in Kurt Weill's "Dearest
Mama"; scorned in Pietro Mascagni's "Voi Lo Sapete";
hopeful in Leonard Bernstein's "Something's Coming" and "Make
Our Garden Grow"; fortunate in Bernstein's "Lucky to Be Me";
dreamt of in Lucy Simon's "Lily's Eyes" and Roger & Hammerstein's
"I Have Dreamed"; jovial in "Shall We Dance"; and
joyously reflective in Lerner & Low's "I Could Have Danced
All Night". Love speaks to the sun and moon in Gilbert and Sullivan's
"The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze", Antonin Dvorak's "Rusalka",
Samuel Barber's "Sure On This Shining Night". Love plans to
travel in Kurt Weill's "When We Go Away Together", Gilbert
& Sullivan's "Stay Fredric Stay" & "Leave Me
Not to Pine Alone" and love regrets in Giacommo Pucini's "Addio,
fiorito assil". For a more complete program listing of songs, cast
and bios visit www.gingerbreadplayers.org.
Jason Robinette and Mim Paquin are the featured
Sunday vocalists at St. Luke's church and are engaged to be married
September 29th 2007 at St. Luke's Church - a musical program of love
seemed fitting for this, their first recital together.
Saint Luke's Church is located at 85 Greenway
South in Forest Hills, Queens. The suggested donation is $10, $8 for
seniors and students. For reservations and information, call St. Luke's
Church 718-268-7772, or visit www.gingerbreadplayers.org. For more information
on Park & Bark Opera visit: www.parkandbarkopera.com.
Contacts: Louise Guinther, 212-769-7082;
e-mail: ltg@operanews.com
Date: June 3, 2007
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