hitting the high notes BY DICKIE ANDERSON

hitting the high notes

BY DICKIE ANDERSON • PHOTOS BY LILLY SHEETZ

When Covid restrictions drew them to Amelia Island, three aspiring opera singers started Amelia Island Opera to create performing opportunities for themselves and others.

Amelia Island Opera Company is new to the island and joins an extraordinary selection of premium-level live entertainment, which includes the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, the Amelia Island Jazz Festival, and two outstanding community theaters, Amelia Community Theatre and the Amelia Musical Playhouse.

When three talented opera singers found themselves grounded by the Covid pandemic, they made their way to Amelia Island. Their careers demanded constant travel, but when the pandemic hit, they needed to create a home base. Each ended up on Amelia Island. Little did the trio know that they would soon form an opera company, which is now in its second season.

Robyn Marie Lamp, a Florida-based soprano, was in Boston. The day after the final dress rehearsal for her role in Bellini’s Norma with the Boston Lyric Opera, the entire cast received a phone call from the company that the production was canceled. She quickly left for Florida and a home with her mother. Reinventing herself, she performed socially-distanced concerts, live streams, and even sang from her porch in a neighborhood community event during Covid.

John Tibbetts was well on his way to realize his dream of singing opera, Broadway, and in choirs across the country.

He was looking forward to back-to-back contracts with the Sarasota Opera Company and Palm Beach Opera. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Victoria Isernia, was in New York appearing with local performance companies, teaching voice, and who was preparing to perform in the Utah Festival – Opera and Musical Theatre. John scooped up Victoria and headed for Amelia Island and his mother.

The two quickly found jobs on the island. John is a familiar face at Centre Street’s Ciao restaurant and Jimmy John’s. Victoria might be seen at Talbots. The two also teach piano and voice lessons. A true romantic, John proposed to Victoria at Ciao, where he is a singing waiter. All three founders of Amelia Opera sing in the choir of the Amelia Plantation Chapel.

The three agree that COVID delivered an unanticipated opportunity. Responding to community interest, they scheduled their first joint performance at Amelia Plantation Chapel in August 2021. They delivered a little bit of Broadway and a little bit of classical opera and thoroughly charmed their audience. More recently, Amelia Island Opera chose to feature John and Victoria in a two-day Valentine’s Day concert series (Story and Song and the Amelia Plantation Chapel). Popular continued on next page romantic songs from Broadway classics got their audiences in a romantic mood.

The founders will coordinate the newly formed Amelia Island Opera company while pursuing their careers. Back on the road, John and Victoria will be performing at the Utah Festival – Opera & Musical Theatre this summer. The two will play challenging roles in operas that include Bizet’s Carmen, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Mozart’s The Magic Flute. John will be featured as the baritone soloist for Carl Orff’s famous cantata, Carmina Burana.

Robyn’s upcoming performances include singing the title role in Tosca for Gulfshore Opera, Mozart’s Requiem with the Palm Beach Symphony, and soprano solos in Verdi’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall with the Masterwork Chorus in October.

Several island events are planned. “Seeing the community so passionately support us during our concert series fuels our desire to continue to offer creative programming,” says John.

Amelia Island Opera is dedicated to bringing high-quality music to the greater Amelia Island community. The organization is positioned to begin planning fuller seasons, with talks of community-involved arts programming and even a full opera production.

For more information on tickets or the group, visit ameliaislandopera.org or their social media under the handle @ameliaislandopera.