official airline of Chelsea Opera

spotlight FALL 2007PO Box 277 ~ Old Chelsea Station, New York NY 10011 ChelseaOpera@aol.com www.ChelseaOpera.org

DON GIOVANNI

James Shaffran (Masetto) with Joseph Diaz, Jon Ellis,Peter Madsen and Noah Devin Dopkins - Don Giovanni,May 2006. photo credit: Jared Flood

THE BETTINA BARUCHFOUNDATION RENEWS FUNDING

After our successful 2006 Amahl project, theBettina Baruch Foundation followed up witha new $5,000 grant for the 2007-2008season. Trustee Robert C. Edmonds wrote,“I canvassed the board and we are 100%behind your work.” We couldn’t be happierand plan to expand and personalize ouroutreach to twenty-five 6th, 7th and 8th

graders at Bx206 participating in an afterschool program run by Good ShepherdServices. Chelsea Opera companymembers will present 3 one-hour classes tointroduce the basic elements of opera inpreparation for the students’ attendance ata performance of Gianni Schicchi.

Join the Bettina Baruch Foundation asone of our treasured supporters by sendingyour gift to Chelsea Opera - PO Box 277,Old Chelsea Station, New York NY10011. Or visit www.NYCharities.org tomake a secured on-line credit carddonation.

Donations are tax deductible to the fullest extentallowed by law. Chelsea Opera, a 501(c)(3) non-profit,is registered with the New York State Charities Bureau.

CHELSEA OPERA JOINSCHELSEA CULTURALPARTNERSHIP

Chelsea Opera joined CCP, founded in2003, as its 21st member. A unique culturaland small business marketing collaboration,CCP will promote the Chelsea district's richcultural and entertainment life to locals andtourists. Other members include The Joyce(Dance) Theater, The Rubin Museum ofHimalayan Art, The Atlantic TheaterCompany, and many profit and nonprofit artgalleries. We look forward to beinginvolved with like-minded arts organizationsfor our mutual benefit. To learn more, visitwww.DestinationChelsea.org.

FOCUS ON VOLUNTEERSDeborah Stone, a native New Yorker,studied ballet at the Metropolitan OperaSchool. Her dance career has been variedand rewarding, and includes being one of thefew women in the LA cast of La Cage AuxFolles. Deb has since become a regularactor, dancer and ensemble singer,appearing in four operas; Amahl (twice),Pagliacci and Don Giovanni. “My mostmemorable experience was playing a majorpart in the commedia dell’arte portion ofPagliacci. Simply being in the same roomwith wonderful principal singers and hearingthem sing is extraordinary. And everyonehas been an exceptional human being.”

David Bell (tenor) was a much-welcomedaddition to last year’s Amahl ensemble. This

summer, ChelseaOpera joinedDavid at the 92nd

Street Y where hewas the leadcounselor for theYaffa Arts Camp.Chelsea Operapresented a scene

from Don Giovanni and involved the“campers” as the scene’s villagers. He hassince volunteered to serve as a consultanton our educational outreach project withGood Shepherd Services.

Lucille Gruber recently volunteered asChelsea Opera’s very own and muchneeded grants writer. She studied music,completing her DMM at Cleveland Instituteof Music and Case Western ReserveUniversity. As a successful harpsichordist,she has given recitals in New York,nationally and in Europe. Her path also ledher in another direction. Living in Cleveland,she spent the last 21 years as an artsadministrator, creative artist/producer, andgrants writer while continuing her ownperformance career. Retirement brought herback to NYC. Following our first meeting,Lucille wrote: “I am excited by the potentialof your young company. I came awayfeeling as if there was already a kinship interms of values, style and artistic goals. Ihope my words will have the magic to locateand unlock the treasure that the companyneeds to grow.”

Jessie Puccini, living in Southern California,has offered her services as a graphic artistand web designer. She has spent thesummer redesigning our website and it looksfabulous. “My personal style is sophisticated

and contemporary, while portraying thenarrative, message and emotion that thepiece commands.” See her wonderfulwork at www.ChelseaOpera.org.Oh…and although she is not related toGiacomo Puccini, she tells us herhusband is, distantly!

GIANNI SCHICCHI - A WORDFROM DIRECTOR LAURA ALLEY

“Since Puccini had an undeniable ‘flairfor the dramatic’ and was successful atit, he only wrote one comedy. Hence,Gianni Schicchi could be considered hiscomic masterpiece. This delightful one-act from Il Trittico, set in 13th centuryFlorence, pits the greedy, snobbyrelatives of the deceased Buoso Donatiagainst one of the greatest con artists ofall time: Gianni Schicchi. He outsmartsthem in grand lyric fashion, securing hisown future and that of his daughterLauretta and future son-in-law,Rinuccio.” Tickets are now on sale!

COMING: 2007-2008 SEASONQuartet San Francisco appears in

concert, presented by Chelsea Opera, onSunday, October 21 at 7PM at Christ and

St. Stephen’s Church, 120 West 69thStreet (Broadway/Columbus Ave.) offering

selections from their new CD, “WhirledChamber Music.” QSF plays a genre of

string chamber literature which gathers itsmaterial from popular music elements of

recent decades while maintaining theintegrity and spirit of traditional chamber

music. All proceeds from this performancewill benefit Chelsea Opera.

October 21, 2007

November 8-10, 2007

May 14-17, 2008 order tickets on-line today www.TheaterMania.com 1-866-811-4111