Tomorrow's Opera Stars to Appear at Colby-Sawyer
It was a "Hollywood" moment, and it happened here in the Upper Valley last summer during Opera North's production of “La bohème” at the Lebanon Opera House.
When the lead tenor suddenly fell ill, his understudy, Jeff Gwaltney, a member of the company's Young Artists program, took the stage on opening night and wowed the audience, receiving an enthusiastic standing ovation. Other Young Artists have built on such success at Opera North to become future opera stars, most notably baritone Nathan Gunn, a favorite at New York's Metropolitan Opera.
On July 23 you will have the opportunity to see and hear tomorrow's opera stars as Opera North's Young Artists showcase their talent in an evening of operatic masterpieces at the Sawyer Fine Arts Center theatre at Colby-Sawyer College in New London. The benefit performance starts at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a dessert reception to meet the artists.
Proceeds will be shared by the Young Artists program and the AIL scholarship fund, which each year supports a deserving Colby-Sawyer junior with a financial grant. Since its start in 1984, Opera North's Young Artists program has become widely recognized for its ability to find and train young talent. Last summer, Jeff was among 27 singers and three piano/vocal coaches who were selected from more than 1,000 applicants. ~ Morris Edwards
Click the video above to see and hear Jeff's performance of the popular aria, “Che gelida manina,” from last summer's “La bohème."
