Events

Opera in the Park

An Anual Downtown Affair

For the third edition of Opera in Bayfront Park, February 28, Magic City Opera has in store a fabulous show!

First, some insider information. Soprano Rebekah Diaz-Fandrei is taking over the leadership of Magic City Opera. Founder and former director Graham Frandrei, her husband, indicated. “I will still be with the company, working more behind the scenes for the foreseeable future, so it will still be a family affair.”

Rebekah Diaz-Fandrei studied with Mimi Lerner at Carnegie-Mellon University and Maitland Peters at the Manhattan School of Music. Her resume includes performances of L’Italiana in Algeri, The Rape of Lucretia, Hansel ünd Gretel, West Side Story, and South Pacific. Ms. Diaz Fandrei has also been an educator, both introducing Opera to children and a college professor.

Rebekah Diaz-Fandrei was also selected as one of only three women for a national, elite mentorship program with Opera America.

Klezmer Company Orchestra, under the direction of Aaron Kula, performs “Carried Away” from Leonard Bernstein’s concert version of “On the Town.” Featuring vocalists Neil Nelson and Rebekah Diaz-Fandrei.

The third edition of Opera in Bayfront Park will feature Opera, Broadway favorites, and Zarzuela.

Zarzuela?

An inquisitive gentleman asked: Zarzuela, is that a succulent dish? No, zarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes. The sung part incorporates operatic and popular song, as well as dance.

The gentleman’s confusion might have come from Zarzuela’s etymology. Some believe the word derives from a Royal hunting lodge, the Palacio de la Zarzuela near Madrid. Allegedly, this type of entertainment was first presented to the court. The palace was named after “La Zarzuela” because of the profusion of brambles that grew there, and so the festivities held within the walls became known as “Zarzuelas”. And one might be forgiven for inferring that along with the music, recitation and dance some of the game was served.

Now, language is hardly an adequate means to explain music. So, here is a scene from the famous zarzuela Dolores:

Sample from the zarzuela “Dolores.” (5 minutes.) Courtesy of TV Cultura, Spain.)

“We are coming up on our third annual Opera in the Park, which is quite exciting. I am thrilled that we have the opportunity to keep serving the downtown public, and we hope to have an even bigger showing this year,” said Rebekah Diaz. “Our incredible cast will perform favorites that our audiences have come to love. It will feature pieces from Carmen, The Barber of Seville, South Pacific, The Phantom of the Opera, and more.”

And added: “This year, we’ve brought back fan favorites such as Tenor Martin Nusspaumer and Mezzo Soprano, Shanna Nolan Gundry, and have also found some amazing guest artists Miami is sure to love — Puerto Rican Soprano, Camille Ortiz, and Baritone Paul La Rosa.”

So, make sure you gather friends and family for great performances under the stars. February 28, 6:30 PM. at the Tina Hills Pavilion in Bayfront Park. It’s free. It’s a downtown tradition. It’s a neighborhood thing.

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