A few weeks ago AVA presented a concert called Operatic Masterpieces, with selections from Norma and Il trovatore, held at the Perelman Theater in the Kimmel Center.
Alum Angela Meade returned, after a triumph at the Metropolitan Opera singing the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, to try out the role of Norma before singing the complete role this summer at the Caramoor Festival. (Olivia Vote, Noah Van Niel and Angela Meade pictured)
The Norma selections were in rehearsal and going great with the cast, but problems were creeping up with Act IV of Il trovatore. Our new Russian tenor, Viktor Antipenko, was sick the whole month of January, so we knew he was not able to perform. At the last minute, or should I say last day, tenor Zach Borichevsky also was not able to sing, so there was no one to sing Manrico in the scene.
I guess I have to say that AVA has the BEST alums around! The morning of the performance tenor Jeff Halili, who lived a few blocks from AVA stepped forward and said that he would fill in for that performance. Although this is not his tenor-fach, Jeff was wonderful in the role. As it turned out he also sang the concert the following night. You can hear Jeff along with AVA alums Nina Yoshida Nelsen and Daesan No in New York Cities production of Madama Butterfly in March and April.
There’s one concert left the following Tuesday, and all are hoping that Zach would be better by that evening, but that wasn’t the case. It was our luck on Monday that alum Michael Fabiano stopped into AVA, back home from his triumphal debut at the Metropolitan Opera in Stiffelio (more on that in a future blog!) When he heard that there was a chance that Zach was not going to be able to sing, he volunteered his “tenor” services, mentioning that Il trovatore is one of his favorite operas by Verdi. Show night comes and the audience is treated to a second alum singing the role of Manrico.
AVA is blessed to have such wonderful alums that will come to the rescue of a concert. You can see many more alums return for AVA 75th gala concert – BrAVA Philadelphia! on March 31 at Verizon Hall.
The Norma selections were in rehearsal and going great with the cast, but problems were creeping up with Act IV of Il trovatore. Our new Russian tenor, Viktor Antipenko, was sick the whole month of January, so we knew he was not able to perform. At the last minute, or should I say last day, tenor Zach Borichevsky also was not able to sing, so there was no one to sing Manrico in the scene.
AVA is blessed to have such wonderful alums that will come to the rescue of a concert. You can see many more alums return for AVA 75th gala concert – BrAVA Philadelphia! on March 31 at Verizon Hall.
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