GULFSHORE OPERA PARTNERS WITH INNOVATION HOTEL

GULFSHORE OPERA PARTNERS WITH INNOVATION HOTEL (on Naples Arthrex campus) for Songs of Love

Gulfshore Opera is excited to try out a new “clean air” venue for its Valentines theme concert on February 13. GO Professional Artists in Residence will present an evening of favorite love songs and scenes from opera to Broadway at the Innovation Hotel’s Grand Atrium.“ The space looks like a giant terrarium and has state of the art, hospital grade air scrubbers. It’s perfect for an intimate and romantic event in these challenging times” explains General Director, Steffanie Pearce. Couples and Small groups will be able to move about or find a giant fern covered nook to settle in while enjoying timeless favorites like “And This is My Beloved” from Kismet, “Tonight” from West Side Story, and “If I Loved You” from Carousel.  Your ticket includes a glass of champagne and passed hors d’oeuvres.

The quartet of singers includes returning favorite soprano, Robyn Marie Lamp, mezzo and GO Diva member Daniela Magura, Palm Beach Opera tenor Derrek Stark and Opera Tampa baritone Jean Carlos Rodriguez accompanied on the piano by residence conductor and pianist, Brian Holman.

The Innovation Hotel grand atrium is a three story glass covered tropical garden. It and all the facilities at Arthrex utilize Synexis microbial reduction technology that creates a safe level of hydrogen peroxide gas, which allows for the natural and continuous reduction of microbial contamination in occupied spaces, minimizing the presence of viruses, bacteria and mold in the air and on surfaces.

Gulfshore Opera is committed to keeping our patrons safe. Touchless check-in will be utilized, including mobile or electronic tickets. Masks are required for all indoor locations. There will be limited and staggered seating to allow for social distancing. To reduce crowding, the concerts are one hour without intermission. The theater will be sanitized before each performance in addition to hand sanitizer at each entrance.

MORE ABOUT THE ARTISTS: interviews available upon request

“Soprano Robyn Marie Lamp’s 2020 – 2021 season was shaping up to be an exciting one before COVID-19 halted public performances globally. She was looking forward to a role debut as Tosca, a debut with Palm Beach Symphony, and multiple Verdi Messa da Requiems, one being in New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall. The 2019 – 2020 season found Ms. Lamp appearing as Clotilde and covering the title role in Bellini’s Norma with Boston Lyric Opera as an Emerging Artist and appearing as the soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra. She also returned to Gulfshore Opera to sing an all Puccini concert and in September 2019 portrayed the title role in Puccini’s Suor Angelica with South Florida’s Opera Fusion.

In her 2018 – 2019, Ms. Lamp made her Carnegie Hall debut singing the soprano solo in Ralph Vaughan-Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem with Mid-America Productions. That season she also sang three Verdi Messa da Requiems, one of which she sang with only hours’ notice, as she filled in for an ailing soprano with the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. Of her Verdi, one reviewer wrote, “Robyn Lamp has a radiant soprano voice which she handles with great expertise and ease. She plucked bell-like high As, Bs, and Cs out of some celestial sphere, always interpreting the text with deep-felt emotion; her interpretation of the line “I am made to tremble and fear” was truly affecting.” She also won an Encouragement Award in the prestigious Rising Stars Vocal Competition at Vero Beach Opera and has been a two-time Regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

Dominican born baritone, Jean Carlos Rodriguez, is known for his colorful resonant voice and charismatic stage presence. Mr. Rodriguez made his professional operatic debut with Opera Tampa in 2017 as “Count Paris” in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette; that same year he portrayed the role of “Vidal Hernando” in Torraba’sLuisa Fernanda and the title role in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro with the Savannah Voice Festival as well as “Fiorello” and “Ufficiale” in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Tampa in 2018.  In 2019, Mr. Rodriguez returned to Opera Tampa as “Schaunard” in Puccini’s La bohème and in the role of “Escamillo” in Bizet’s Carmenin February 2020. In 2019, Mr. Rodriguez was a finalist for the Gina D’Angelo Voice Competition and in January 2020, he made his Carnegie Hall debut as a finalist in the “Getting to Carnegie” competition.

Hailed by Opera News for his “handsome sound,” and described as a “standout” by the Wall Street Journal, tenor Derrek Stark, is quickly establishing a reputation as an elegant performer. In 2020 Mr. Stark reprised the role of Rodolfo in La bohème with the Imperial Symphony Orchestra, made a role debut as Percy in Baltimore Concert Opera’s Anna Bolena, and was slated to reprise the role of Alfredo in La traviata with Inland Northwest Opera (COVID19) and to make his debut as the tenor soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra (COVID19). In 2021, he looks forward to reprising the title role in Idomeneo with Opera Fuoco.

In 2019, Mr. Stark made his international debut with Opernhaus Zürich as the Italian Tenor in Der Rosenkavalier and returned to Palm Beach Opera as Alfredo in La traviata. Past role credits include: Giasone in Medea in Corinto, The Governor in Candide, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Arturo in La straniera, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, and Fenton in Falstaff.

Mr. Stark has won 2nd place in the Giulio Gari International Voice Competition, and 3rd place in the Opera Columbus Cooper-Bing Competition. He is a 2018 Sullivan Foundation Grant Winner and a Bel Canto Vocal Scholarship recipient.

Stark worked as a young artist at Santa Fe Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Bel Canto at Caramoor. He holds a B.M. from Mansfield University, PA, and an M.M. from The Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University.

Daniela Magura is a German-American mezzo-soprano who is home from New York where she completed both her Masters of Music and Bachelors of Music at Mannes College of Music, The New School. She was a Young Artist with The Chautauqua Opera Company this season, which put together its first ever Virtual Season. Her recent operatic credits include performances of The Fox in Portman’s The Little Prince with the Savannah Voice Festival, Flora in Verdi’s La Traviata with the Northern Lights Music Festival, as Olga in Mannes Opera’s Eugene Onegin, as

Dorabella in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutti at Opera America and as an ensemble member in Mannes Opera’s The Rake’s Progress. Daniela is an avid recitalist, and is a new member of the GO Divas.

American conductor Brian Holman is an accomplished pianist. Brian has appeared with a singers across a broad musical spectrum: Nelly Miricioiu, Laquita Mitchell, AprileMillo, Stella Zambalis, Francisco Casanova, Hans-Pieter Herman, John Mac Master, James Valenti, Lester Lynch, Daniel Borowski, NiniCáffaro, Dawn Padmore, Kofo the Wonderman. Brian has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, Salle Cortot, Teatro Nacional de Santo Domingo, Feinstein’s 54 Below, MGM Grand Detroit, Casino du Liban, The Duplex, Don’t Tell Mama, The Rainbow Room, the UN, and has been featured on international radio and television (WQXR, Classic FM, Sirius XM, Esimora Cultural RAC Colombia, Alhurra, LBCI, Tele- Occidente Sicilia).

As a conductor, Brian has performed on five continents to great acclaim. He is Music Director of New Rochelle Opera and Associate Conductor of Modus Opera Orchestra. Recent credits: World Premiere of Larry Delinger’sShadowLight (Marble City Opera), Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opera Orlando), Le nozze di Figaro (Inland Northwest Opera), La Traviata, La Bohème (New Rochelle Opera), Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi, La Cenerentola (Red River Lyric Opera), Amelia Lost (Cleveland Opera Theater, Marble City Opera), Rape of Lucretia (New Camerata Opera). Festivals: Harare International Festival of the Arts, Mediterranean Opera Festival, Film Fest Tucson. Orchestras: Orlando Philharmonic, Lebanese Philharmonic, Spokane Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Tucson Pops, Baroque2000 Chamber Orchestra Durban. Assistant Conductor: New York City Opera, Opera Africa, Treasure Coast Opera, Montclair State University Opera.

Songs of Love

February 13 – 7:30pm

Innovation Hotel, Naples
Tickets: Starting at $75

Full event details below. For more information or questions, contact Michelle Westley at 239-529-3925 or michelle@gulfshoreopera.org.

About Gulfshore Opera

Your regional opera company serving three counties, Gulfshore Opera presents the highest quality of opera theater and vocal music performances while maximizing accessibility for diverse audiences of all ages. Gulfshore Opera was founded with core values of a community based creative collaboration. The company also promotes community well-being through musical education programs. Its mission is to make opera accessible to the general public by maintaining affordable ticket prices, and a wide range of performance experiences suitable for diverse audiences.