LIBRETTO
SARASOTA YOUTH OPERA
Celebrating 40 Years
BY RICHARD RUSSELL, GENERAL DIRECTOR
While Sarasota Opera has always prided itself on the quality of our mainstage performances, the commitment to education has been just as an important part of our mission. This season we mark the 40th anniversary of the Sarasota Youth Opera, the innovative program that has been one of our proudest achievements and which has made Sarasota Opera one of the country’s leaders in arts education.
The effort began in the fall of 1984, with the formation of the Children’s Opera Companies. Young people in Sarasota, Bradenton, and Venice were introduced to the basics of opera, with nearly 100 members coming together to sing in a concert in the Opera House. In 1986 we began presenting operas for young people to sing, which would become an annual event. The young people in the program would also participate in our mainstage productions. Over the years members could be heard in such operas as Carmen, La bohème, and Pagliacci,
all of which include an important part for a children’s chorus.
Now known as Sarasota Youth Opera, the program is the most comprehensive in the country. Young people from ages 8 to 18 participate in a year-round schedule of activities. When the school year commences in August, they begin rehearsals for their fall Youth Opera production. At the same time, they learn the rudiments of singing and stagecraft. When a youth chorus is needed in the Winter, they begin those rehearsals while preparing for choral performances in the community. In June, the Youth Opera summer camp is an immersive experience that includes singing, learning about the creation of opera, getting first-hand backstage experience, and exploring the multitude of skills it takes to put on an opera.
The annual production of a youth opera has led Sarasota Opera to seek out new works, to fill a dearth of material for young voices to sing. Since 1989 six
new operas have been commissioned by the company. Sarasota Youth Opera’s commission of Little Nemo in Slumberland by Daron Hagen and J.D. McClatchy inspired the “Opera for All Voices” program in which a consortium of companies, led by Santa Fe Opera and including Sarasota Opera, have commissioned several works to add to the Youth Opera repertoire. This season’s production of The Hobbit by Dean Burry (first produced in 2008), is one of four operas that received their World or American premiere by Sarasota Youth Opera.
Including young people in the life of the opera company has been an important goal of artistic director Victor DeRenzi and the Sarasota Opera staff. One of the objectives is to instill a life-long love of opera in the members and by seeing it firsthand and close-up, many of these young people now have a unique perspective on the art form. A few singers in the program have gone on to professional careers in opera and have been heard on opera stages around the world. Others have turned their love of opera into other careers in the arts with professional roles in arts companies around the country.
Photo: Deb Hesser
SARASOTA YOUTH OPERA
The Hobbit
BY STAGE DIRECTOR, MARTHA COLLINS
Icertainly sympathized with the main character, Bilbo Baggins, the first time I directed The Hobbit for the Youth Opera back in 2008. I have always loved the opportunity to lose myself in a good story but had never been drawn much to tales that live in a world of fantasy or science fiction. So, my first venture into Tolkien’s world of hobbits, dwarves, wizards, goblins, Wargs, and the like was indeed altogether unexpected! What I found was a tale that our singers loved; one that inspired them to lose themselves in the story; one with imaginative characters and situations that brought them out of their shells and built confidence; and one that has a lot of action to keep them on their toes!! And, believe me, they in turn kept me on mine!!
Whenever people inquire about the challenge of a stage director moving the crowds in an opera like Carmen or Nabucco, I often find myself responding: “Once you have choreographed some 70 members of Youth Opera in the ‘Fight of Five Armies at the end of The Hobbit, everything else is easy!’ I well remember how much sleep I lost imagining our full Youth Opera on stage in the final climactic fight, all timed to music, with weapons in hand, and in front of an orchestra pit! What could go wrong?!? But what a thrill when it all went right!
Many elements besides the fantastical story make this a perfect choice of opera for our program. Most notably, in
This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected. ~ J. R. Tolkien
the opera, there are 27 named roles of varying lengths and difficulty which gives so many of our members a chance to shine and grow in artistry and confidence. The composer, Dean Burry, also keeps the chorus a very active and vital part of the story so it is a rewarding challenge for all the performers.
Burry also understands young performers well. He composes in a way that is inventive, theatrical, and challenging but does not overtax developing voices. In addition, his opera is filled with music and dramatic scenes that have much variety that stretches and develops their acting skills as they move between happy meadows, eerie caves, and spider-filled forests!
This opera also serves as a great recruitment tool to draw new members to join Youth Opera, as even the mere mention of the famous title generates excitement.
Our Resident Artists and we in the education department have been talking up our program and this production in all outings to schools and the community and it is gratifying to see the response. It is also rewarding that so many of the singers in this year's Summer Camp who were new to us are joining to be in Hobbit. It is also a draw for new audiences to come to see the opera!!
This opera was originally scored for piano only, but Sarasota Youth Opera commissioned the orchestration when we presented the US premiere in 2008. The scoring includes 41 different percussion instruments to be played by two percussionists. Our singers all love the variety of sounds and colors in the orchestra that inspire them dramatically and emotionally.
Photo: Rod Millington
Photo: Rod Millington
While most of the roles will be performed by our young singers, there are two adults in the cast as well. Resident Artists Jake Stamatis and Luke Harnish will take on the roles of Old Bilbo, Gandalf, and Smaug the Dragon. This opportunity to share the stage with professional singers is always an inspiration to developing performers who benefit from being able to learn from their artistry, work ethic, and collaboration.
So, to all our supporters who make possible this wonderful opportunity for these young artists in our community, I extend my heartfelt thanks! I hope to see you all at The Hobbit, and in the meantime, I leave you with a true Tolkien version of good wishes: “May the hair on your toes never fall out!”
Sarasota Youth Opera presents Dean Burry’s The Hobbit™ November 9 & 10.
In addition to appreciation of opera, participation in Sarasota Youth Opera has also helped the young singers develop other skills. Whether it is a love of foreign languages, discipline, or the collaboration that is an important part of understanding and creating an opera production, they take these lessons learned into their future educational and employment careers.
None of this would be possible without the recognition that this education is an important responsibility of an opera company. We have had the benefit of extraordinary Youth Opera staff (currently including Martha Collins, director of education; Jessé Martins, Youth Opera music director; and Cameron Maxwell, Youth Opera coordinator), but also enthusiastic participation of the opera board and staff.
Of course, the commitment of our donors to this activity has been vital. The Exchange has been a supporter of our youth programs since their inception and continues to provide an annual grant for these activities. Our important foundation sponsors like the William E. Schmidt Foundation and the Les and Carol Brualdi Foundation continue to provide additional underlying support. And there are many individual donors who recognize the importance of the work that we are doing. Education and Youth Opera funding from all these sources help defray the over $350,000 annual cost of providing these young people with this unique opportunity.
Forty years of Sarasota Youth Opera is quite an achievement, but this is not time to rest on our laurels. As fewer opportunities are available to experience opera in schools, we are committed to continuing and expanding our programming to make sure that as many young people as possible can experience the magic of opera.
Sarasota Opera’s 2024 Gala
B. Aline Blanchard and Arthur Siciliano
David and Edith Chaifetz
Katherine Benoit, Deborah Kalb, Richard Johnson, and Richard Russell
Performers from the Circus Arts Conservatory.
Q&A WITH MAESTRO VICTOR DERENZI
A Verdi Concert
INTERVIEW BY MARINA HARSS, WRITER & JOURNALIST
As many of you know, the operas of Giuseppe Verdi have a long history at Sarasota Opera. From 1989-2016, the company undertook an ambitious “Verdi Cycle,” during which all of Verdi’s operas, and their variants, as well as Verdi’s other musical compositions, were performed. Sarasota Opera is the only company in the world to have undertaken such a project, which is why Sarasota can truly be considered Verdi’s home outside of Italy. The Sarasota Opera audience is as knowledgeable and passionate about Verdi as any audience in the world.
Verdi’s music has continued to be central to the company’s identity, as it is to opera in general. During the 2024 winter season, the company performed his Luisa Miller, a tragedy full of drama and deceit set in a village in the Alps. And in the upcoming winter season, it will perform Stiffelio, an opera about the struggle between faith, love, and forgiveness.
This fall, however, the company presents a concert of arias, duets, and ensembles from a range of Verdi Operas, nine in all, spanning most of Verdi’s career. The earliest is I Lombardi alla prima crociata (1843), the latest, Aida (1871). In between, there will be moments from such beloved works as Rigoletto (1851), La traviata (1853),
and Don Carlos (1867). It will offer the audience new perspectives on his music.
Recently, Maestro DeRenzi spoke about what can be gained from performing Verdi in concert, why he chose these particular works, and how Verdi wrote different music for his characters, depending on the situation they were living through.
What is the advantage of a concert devoted to the music of Verdi?
When you focus on a single opera, you’re focusing on everything around that opera, and how it fits into the life and time of the composer. But with a concert, you’re looking at that composer over a much longer period of time, in this case from the 1840’s to the 1870’s. You can see and hear connections, but you can also see how Verdi wrote for different characters in different situations. He didn’t write the same way for an Egyptian general (as in Aida) as he did for a Parisian courtesan (La traviata) or King Philip II of Spain (Don Carlos).
Why did you choose these particular operas?
There are some familiar arias and duets, but I tried to find works that aren’t often done in concert form. Like the duet from Rigoletto that ends the concert, “Piangi,
fanciulla,” for Rigoletto and his daughter Gilda. It’s one of the great moments in Verdi opera, but it’s not something that is usually performed outside the context of the opera. And “Ella giammai m’amò,” from Don Carlo. The man who sings it was perhaps the most important leader in the world at the time, King Philip II of Spain, but he feels the same things we do. To me, Don Carlo is one of the first works of Verismo, an opera about real people. The characters in that opera, although they are aristocrats, feel the same loves and disappointments we all experience.
And what about a lesser-known piece like the trio from I Lombardi alla prima crociata “Qual voluttà trascorrere”?
People often say that Verdi had a special ability to convey the stories of fatherdaughter relationships because he lost his wife and two children very early on in his life. But more importantly, in my opinion, is that he often wrote scenes in his operas about a character who is dying and another character who is holding on to them, saying “Please don’t leave me, don’t go.” That’s what this trio is about. You have that in La traviata, La forza del destino, I masnadieri, and elsewhere. And the first time this happened in a Verdi opera was in I Lombardi
“Tardo per gl’anni e tremulo,” from Attila, is a very different kind of piece, a big patriotic moment in an opera about Attila the Hun and his desire to conquer Rome. You’ve selected a duet sung by Ezio, a Roman General, and Attila.
Verdi was very active in the movement for Italian unification and liberation from the Austrian Empire in the nineteenth century. This opera was a product of that feeling. In the duet, Ezio tells Attila, “You can have the universe, but leave me Italy.” That idea was very meaningful to Verdi, and one that people could understand at the time it was written. One of the reasons Verdi became so popular was that he was a man of his time. If these emotions applied only to Italy in the 1800s they would have little meaning to us today, but Verdi strongly believed countries and individuals should control their own destinies.
How do you go about selecting singers for a concert like this?
I like having singers who are new to us, as well as singers who have been with us for a while, perhaps singing repertoire they have not performed before. I think it’s important in opera to have people working together who have different levels of experience. Virginia Mims, for example, has been a Resident Artist and Studio Artist with Sarasota Opera. She will make her début in a mainstage production in Le nozze di Figaro during the Winter Opera Festival. She’s relatively new to us. And so is Victor Starsky, who sang Don José in Carmen last season and will be in Stiffelio next season. This is a chance for our audience to become more familiar with these singers. On the other hand, Young Bok Kim has been singing with us for twenty years; he has sung everything from the Commendatore in Don Giovanni to Attila. But he has never sung the aria he will be performing here, “Ella giammai
m’amò,” from Don Carlo. This is a chance to see a new side of him. We also have two very different Verdi sopranos, Virginia Mims and Rochelle Bard; you need that in order to hear two very different kinds of Verdi roles. Mims will sing an excerpt from La traviata, and Bard will sing the more dramatic “Pace, pace mio Dio,” from La forza del destino
What do you hope the audience will take away from the concert, besides the pleasure of hearing some very beautiful, very beautifullysung music?
I hope the audience will take away a new perspective on a composer who worked over a very long period of time, longer than any other opera composer, and who continued to grow and change until the very end of his life. In that, I believe he is unique.
CONCERT: The Music of Giuseppe Verdi, November 15 & 17, 2024
2024-25 Signature Events
RESERVE TODAY!
Sarasota Opera Food & Wine Festival
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 1 PM
Sarasota Opera House
VIP $100 Per PersonEarly Access at 12:30PM
$75 Per Person/$85 at the Door
Moonlight & Melodies:
Dinner with Verdi in Parma
Friday, November 8, 2024, 6:30 PM
Sarasota Opera House Courtyard
$225 Per Person/Limited Seating
SARASOTA OPERA GALA: A Night in Seville
Friday, January 31, 2025
Reception at 6 PM
The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota Grand Ballroom
Per Person and Sponsorship Levels
Moonlight & Melodies: Mozart’s Viennese Feast
Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 6:30 PM
Sarasota Opera House Courtyard
$225 Per Person/Limited Seating
Salute to the Stars
Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 11:30 AM
Sarasota Yacht Club Per Person Levels
$85 | $150
Opening Night
Pre-Performance Dinners
Sage Restaurant | Private Event Room 5 PM Cocktails | 6 PM Dinner
$200 Per Person
Saturday, February 15, 2025Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci
Saturday, February 22, 2025The Barber of Seville
Saturday, March 8, 2025The Marriage of Figaro*
*4:30 PM Cocktails | 5 PM Dinner to accommodate early curtain
Saturday, March 15, 2025 - Stiffelio
For questions or to make your reservations, please contact: SOAEvents@SarasotaOpera.org, or contact Davis Wolfe at (941) 366-8450, Ext. 813.
2024-25 SEASON CALENDAR
2024-25 SEASON CALENDAR
2024-25 SEASON CALENDAR
rusticana/ Pagliacci 7:30 PM The Marriage of Figaro 7:00 PM The Barber of Seville 7:30 PM Stiffelio 7:30 PM The Marriage of Figaro 1:30 PM Stiffelio 7:30 PM Cavalleria rusticana/ Pagliacci***
HOSTS WANTED!
2024-25 Mini Event From Around The World
We are grateful to live in such a welcoming and supportive community! At Sarasota Opera, we especially love meeting new people and helping to form new friendships and special experiences.
You can help us in this endeavor by considering hosting a Mini Event during the coming year.
How Mini Events Work:
• Consider hosting a small Mini Event with a special theme – be it a sit-down dinner in a beautiful setting, an informative experience, a unique adventure, or any number of creative ideas you might consider or partner with friends to create.
• To help spark ideas, we have made the theme this year Mini Events from Around the World!
• Contact Melissa Voigt or Karen Misantone at Sarasota Opera to discuss your ideas, timeframe, maximum number of guests, and price per person.
• After the date and theme are set, your event will be listed with the other Mini-Events for the Sarasota Opera Development staff to take reservations and guest payments.
• Your contribution will include the expenses associated with the event, so that all the proceeds go to Sarasota Opera, AND you will receive a tax-deduction for your costs. (Save your receipts!)
Do not hesitate to contact us at (941) 366-8450 and speak with Melissa Voigt at ext. 581 or Karen Misantone, ext. 416 with any hosting ideas or questions.
Opera Guilds
The Guilds of Sarasota Opera offer many opportunities to learn more about opera and to meet like-minded opera lovers. The Manatee Opera Guild and Sarasota Opera Guild both provide social activities paired with educational opportunities where Sarasota Opera staff and volunteers discuss the operas featured each season.
Becoming a Guild member is a great way to support Sarasota Opera! Both Guilds provide significant support to general operating costs and the nationally acclaimed Sarasota Youth Opera. In addition, both Guilds provide financial awards to select artists and Sarasota Youth Opera.
Visit SarasotaOpera.org/opera-guilds to learn how you can join these vibrant communities!
Staff Updates
BRENDA TAMM has been with Sarasota Opera since 2015. She first served as the assistant to Richard Russell and then moved into the Development Department in 2016. Brenda was recently named Patron Giving and Operations Manager, overseeing STAR and Youth Opera giving programs and the training and technical needs of the development staff. In her previous work, she was the office manager for a real estate developer and entrepreneur. A Florida native, Brenda was raised in Daytona Beach and moved to Sarasota in 2001. She and her partner, Todd, enjoy taking in the rich culture that Sarasota has to offer; and she volunteers at Selby Botanical Gardens.
DAVIS WOLFE
moved from Portland, Oregon, where he was born and raised, to join the Opera development team as a Patron Giving Associate. He brings with him several years of experience in the performing arts field, most recently working as a house manager for the Porland 5 Center for the Arts, helping to present opera, theater, dance, comedy and music and previously working at the Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Willamette University Theater. Davis is an avid music listener, loves swimming in the sea and traveling. Davis is passionate about the arts and excited to have joined the fantastic Sarasota Opera development team, supporting fundraising efforts at the individual giving level.
KAREN MISANTONE
has recently joined the Development Department at the Sarasota Opera as the Leadership Giving Officer, working with the Opera’s highlevel donors. She has over two decades of local nonprofit experience with The Circus Arts Conservatory, the Child Protection Center, and Asolo Repertory Theatre. She also has a background in college instruction. Karen received her M.A in Sociology from the University of South Florida and her B.A. in Sociology and English Literature from St. Lawrence University in New York. Karen, her husband, and two daughters are proud to call Sarasota home and are continuously amazed by everything the fantastic local arts community has to offer.
M ELISSA
VOIGT, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
In 2000 Melissa Voigt joined Sarasota Opera. During her tenure, she led the completion of the $20 million capital campaign that funded the renovation of the historic Sarasota Opera House. In 2009 she served as Chief Development Officer for the Girl Scouts of Southwest Florida. Between 2013 to 2020, she served as Director of Development for Child Protection Center and the Van Wezel Foundation, and then as Executive Director of the Ear Research Foundation. In 2021 she returned to Sarasota Opera as Senior Development Officer and moved into Director of the Development Department this past June.
Originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Melissa has enjoyed 31 years in Sarasota where she raised her two boys. She earned an English degree from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg and a master’s in Organizational Management online. She lovingly supports her husband Kevin’s musical endeavors. They are both active members of Church of the Palms.
TRAVIS ROGERS
is originally from New York, where his love for theatre and the arts began at a very early age. Having access to Radio City Music Hall, The Metropolitan Opera House, the New York Philharmonic, or to a Broadway show, he knew that working in the arts is where he wanted to be. Currently he has over 20 years of experience in the performing arts field. Upon graduating and moving to Florida, Travis was the Patron Service Manager for the Manatee Players Riverfront Theatre and for the Manatee Performing Arts Center in Bradenton. In 2015, he accepted a position with the Sarasota Opera as the Assistant Manager of Patron Services and has recently moved into the position of Patron Services Manager Travis and the Box Office Staff look forward to assisting you with your ticketing needs.
At Your Service!
The Development Staff is here to answer questions about giving levels and benefits and take reservations to our Signature Events.
Our office’s main number is (941) 366-8450. Positions, extensions and emails for each member of the staff are listed below.
Feel free to reach out to any of us. And thank you for your support of Sarasota Opera!
PATRON TIER DONORS ($50 to $4,999) to all areas, including STAR and Youth Opera
Brenda Tamm Ext. 250 btamm@sarasotaopera.org
Davis Wolfe Ext. 231 dwolfe@sarasotaopera.org
LEADERSHIP TIER DONORS ($5,000+) to all areas, including Co-Producer, Youth Opera and Artistic Achievement Fund
Melissa Voigt Ext. 581 mvoigt@sarasotaopera.org
Karen Misantone Ext. 416 kmisantone@sarasotaopera.org
PLANNED GIVING AND KRETZMER LEGACY SOCIETY
Stacy Ridenour Ext. 246 sridenour@sarasotaopera.org
Volunteer with Us!
Do you have a passion for opera? Are you a Sarasota Opera fan who wants to be more involved backstage, in the theater, or in the offices? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, Sarasota Opera wants you!
Members of the Sarasota Opera corps of volunteers are highly valued individuals who are essential to the day-to-day functions of our opera company. Whether in the administration offices, costume shop, front of house, or working as an usher, driver, or in production, Sarasota Opera has a spot for you!
If you are interested in volunteering for Sarasota Opera, visit SarasotaOpera.org/Volunteers to complete an application form.
JOIN US IN BRINGING THE MAGIC OF OPERA TO LIFE!
Are you passionate about the arts and eager to make a difference in your community? Sarasota Opera is seeking enthusiastic volunteers to join our team and help us continue our mission of delivering exceptional opera experiences.
WHY VOLUNTEER WITH US?
• Be Part of Something Special: Contribute to the cultural richness of our community and support a beloved institution.
• Meet Fellow Arts Enthusiasts: Connect with like-minded individuals who share your love for the opera and the performing arts.
• Gain Unique Experiences: Enjoy behind-the-scenes access and learn about various aspects of opera production and theater management.
• Enhance Your Skills: Develop valuable skills in areas such as event coordination, customer service, and more.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:
• Front-of-House Support: Assist with ticketing, ushering, and guest services during performances.
• Event Assistance: Help with special events, fundraisers, and community outreach programs.
• Administrative Tasks: Support our office with data entry, mailings, and other essential functions.
• Technical Support: Aid with set-up, sound, lighting, and other technical aspects of productions.
For more information, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Jo Ann Whitehead at jwhitehead@sarasotaopera.org or call 941-366-8450 ext. 516.
Thank you for your interest in supporting Sarasota Opera. We look forward to working with you!
REQUIREMENTS:
• A passion for the arts and a commitment to our mission.
• Good communication skills and a friendly, professional demeanor.
• Availability during performance times and special events (scheduling flexibility appreciated).
• No prior experience necessary—just a willingness to learn and contribute!
HOW TO GET INVOLVED:
If you’re ready to be a part of our vibrant team and help us continue to bring outstanding opera performances to our community, we’d love to hear from you!
TO APPLY:
1. Fill out our volunteer application form by visiting SarasotaOpera.org/Volunteers.
2. Interview with our Volunteer Coordinator.
3. Start making a difference!
Planned Giving
BY STACY RIDENOUR, DONOR RELATIONS OFFICER
This Libretto newsletter is a benefit exclusively for our donors so that you have inside knowledge about the opera company you support. We very much appreciate your loyalty and your love of opera.
Would you like to help ensure that generations to come can enjoy opera as you have? You can make this happen with a small provision or with something more significant, and there may be tax advantages!
Did you know?...
1) Making the opera one of the beneficiaries of your IRA is a simple thing to do, taking less than 5 minutes! Heirs must pay income taxes on inherited IRAs, receiving much less of the value than the opera would.
2) Not sure what to do with your home or condo when you pass? With very few exceptions, Sarasota Opera would be happy to receive such a gift which you can make by including this intention in your Will.
3) Would you like to sell an asset that has appreciated substantially (such as rental property) and invest the proceeds or use the funds to cover other personal costs but are concerned about how to manage the capital gains taxes? A Charitable Remainder Unitrust (CRUT) may be your solution. With a CRUT, you receive an annual percentage payment of the value of the trust, which is
based on the entire sales proceeds undiminished by capital gains taxes. You pay a portion of the deferred capital gains taxes over time as you receive each trust payment. A CRUT is a significant method to leave a major gift to Sarasota Opera consisting almost entirely of federal capital gains taxes otherwise lost to the IRS!
4) A federal law known as the SECURE Act encourages you to withdraw up to $50,000 income-tax free from your IRA if the funds are used to acquire a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). A CGA pays you an annuity for life and the remainder passes to charity. You receive an income tax deduction when you buy the CGA. Some clever donors even use the annual annuity payment to fulfil some or all of their Sarasota Opera annual giving pledge (another income tax deduction)!
5) The estate tax exemption is scheduled to decrease in 2026 from $12.92M back to $5M (adjusted for inflation). It is definitely time to review your overall estate plan and make sure you are taking advantage of the historically high estate tax exemption.
6) People of all ages and all walks of life put off getting their Wills in order. If you do not have a Will, it can be costly and cause unnecessary stress and strain for family and friends to sort out your estate and your wishes. A Will does not need to be complicated, but having one is the courteous thing to do.
QUESTIONS ABOUT LEGACY GIVING?
Contact Stacy Ridenour, Donors Relations Officer (941) 366-8450, Ext. 246 sridenour@sarasotaopera.org
Contact Stacy Ridenour at: sridenour@sarasotaopera.org or (941) 366-8450, Ext. 246 for more information about planned giving or respond to one of our upcoming mailings or emails.
Sarasota Opera does not give tax advice and encourages you to speak with your financial or tax advisor to discuss what is best for you and how to bring any of these ideas to fruition.
Thank you for reading this important information. We invite YOU to become part of the Kretzmer Legacy Society of the Sarasota Opera to ensure opera thrives!
TRIBUTES
A gift to the Sarasota Opera Tribute Fund is a beautiful way to memorialize a loved one, honor a friend, or celebrate a special occasion. A tribute card is sent to a family member or the honoree and is published in this newsletter.
IN HONOR OF THE 2024 STUDIO ARTISTS
Lynn and Steve Blackledge
IN MEMORY OF RICK ASADOURIAN
Anne Terry Brennan Davis
IN MEMORY OF EVERETT BEHRENDT
Glen Behrendt and Lenore Shapiro
Marc Behrendt
IN MEMORY OF PHILIP HALL
Andrea Ginsky
Victor DeRenzi and Stephanie Sundine
Richard Russell and Cynthia Bydlinski
IN MEMORY OF ELAYNE KALBERMAN
Sumner and Irene Bagby
Juanita Connell
Victor DeRenzi and Stephanie Sundine
Alan Grunwald
Rochelle King
David Moskowitz
Elaine Moskowitz
Kathy and Fred Pioggia
Richard Russell and Cynthia Bydlinski
Alejandro and Beth Schaffer
Eileen Simon
Russ and Margarete Wiltshire
IN HONOR OF HOWARD KAPLAN
Joel Herman and Milt Sleeter
IN HONOR OF GLORIA KICKLITER & FAMILY
Elaine MacDonald
IN MEMORY OF WALLY KRAEMER
Nichols Clark
Nada Glick
Mathew Goldtharb
IN MEMORY OF ARTHUR LEVIN
Victor DeRenzi and Stephanie Sundine
IN MEMORY OF DAVID LUCE
Manatee Opera Guild
IN MEMORY OF RONA CADER ROSENBAUM
Dr. Arthur Rosenbaum
IN MEMORY OF RUTH SHULAN
Marlene and Jeff Kossis and Ilene Shulan
IN MEMORY OF MARY ZABIN
Victor DeRenzi and Stephanie Sundine
Dr. David Granato
Richard Russell and Cynthia Bydlinski
Manatee Opera Guild
Gifts listed were received from March 2 to July 29, 2024.
To have a tribute listed, please send a contribution of $25 or more to: Sarasota Opera, Attn: Tribute Fund 61 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, FL 34236, or online at: SarasotaOpera.org/tribute-gifts.
Ricardo José Rivera as Miller and Aviva Fortunata as Luisa in Luisa Miller
Ashley Milanese as Lucia di Lammermoor
Yulan Piao as Sandrina, Hanna Brammer as Vespina, and David Walton as Filippo in L’infedeltà delusa Chelsea Laggan as Carmen. All photos by Rod Millington.
VICTOR DeRENZI Artistic Director
RICHARD RUSSELL General Director 61 North Pineapple Avenue Sarasota, FL 34236
Phone: (941) 366-8450
Fax: (941) 955-5571
Info@SarasotaOpera.org www.SarasotaOpera.org
MELISSA VOIGT Editor LAURIE DOHERTY Design
2024-25 SEASON
The Hobbit™ By Dean Burry Sarasota Youth Opera
T he Music of Giuseppe Verdi
A special concert presentation
Cavalleria rusticana By Pietro Mascagni AND Pagliacci By Ruggero Leoncavallo
The Barber of Seville By Gioachino Rossini
The Marriage of Figaro By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Stiffelio By Giuseppe Verdi SINGLE TICKETS & SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE 2024-25 SEASON ON SALE NOW BOX OFFICE HOURS:
February 1 - March 30 Daily - 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Walk-ins welcome Box Office: (941) 328-1300
E-mail: boxoffice@sarasotaopera.org
Fax the Box Office: (941) 955-5571
Online: SarasotaOpera.org
Or mail your order form to: Sarasota Opera Box Office 61 N. Pineapple Avenue Sarasota, FL 34236