Daniel Rodriguez to Be Featured in Orchestral Concert with The Riverside Opera Co.

The Riverside Opera Company (ROC), under the direction of Maestro Alan Aurelia, presents: "A Musical Feast" Daniel Rodriguez and the Sopranos

a performance that includes operatic favorites and more. ROC city-wide audition winners Sopranos, Emma McDermott, Elissa Pfaender and Abigail Raiford in duets and solos.

Riverside Opera Company's "A Musical Feast" is Saturday November 3rd at 8 pm at St Teresa's Church 1634 Victory Blvd Staten Island NY. This program is Free for Students and Children Tickets. All others tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. To purchase visit: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3618550
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The program includes:

Prelude 3rd Act of Lohengrin; Dich teure Halle from Act of Lohengrin ;Der Holle Rache from the Magic Flute; Quando men vo from La Boheme.; Nessun Dorma from Turandot; Puccini and O Soave Fancuilla from La Boheme.

The audience also enjoys performance of popular songs from Sondheim/Bernstein's West Side Story including Somewhere from West Side Story and I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady followed by Over the Rainbow, Into the Fire, The Prayer and New York New York all accompanied by a full orchestra.

The 22 year old Riverside Opera Company is based on Staten Island in New York City. It performs fully and semi-staged productions with full orchestra conducted by Maestro Alan Aurelia, who has conducted in Italy as well as in the U.S. Its singers are winners of open public auditions, held in New York City.

About the performers:

Tenor Daniel Rodriguez, the Brooklyn born, now-retired police officer, helped bring the country an uplifting spirit of promise and hope with his stirring rendition of "God Bless America" after the 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attack. His formal voice training began early, with Daniel's first recital in Carnegie Hall at age 16. Singing has been his lifelong passion, however it didn't always pay the bills. He worked at a series of jobs until joining the NYPD at age 30, where he became known as "The Singing Policeman".

On September 11, 2001, Officer Rodriguez was driving to work when the first plane hit the World Trade Center. Arriving at the site as a first-responder, he witnessed the destruction of both towers, nearly losing his own life. At "Prayer for America" in Yankee Stadium his inspirational voice gave hope and strength to a grieving nation. His music career had turned into a calling.

Daniel's philanthropic and patriotic efforts have been recognized with numerous honors, such as the USO Lifetime Achievement Award, the DAR Medal of Patriotism and others. Now known as "America's Beloved Tenor", he continues to uplift and inspire in performances for his chosen charities, at high profile events, and concert halls around the world.

Soprano Emma McDermott made her Italian debut as Floria Tosca with Mythos Opera in Catania last month. Her upcoming performances include the Wesendonck Lieder with the Arts Club of Washington D.C. and Sieglinde in excerpts from Die Walküre with the Met Opera Guild. Other roles and scenes performed include Cio-cio-san, Desdemona, Mimi, Marguerite, Fiordiligi, Pamina, the High Priestess and Aida (Aida,) Amelia (Un ballo in maschera,) Le Prince Charmant (Cendrillon,) Mme. de Tourvel (The Dangerous Liaisons,) Liza (Pikovaya Dama,) Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors,) Mother (Hansel and Gretel,) Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro,) Elisetta (Il matrimonio segreto,) Silvia (Zanetto.) She has participated in the Georg Solti Accademia di Bel Canto in Castilgione della Pescaia, Italy; American Institute for Musical Studies in Graz, Austria; Orfeo International Music Festival in Vipiteno, Italy; La Musica Lirica festival in Novafeltria, Italy; and the Bethesda Summer Music Festival in Maryland. Emma is a native of California and received her master's degree in piano and vocal performance from George Mason University in 2013, and a professional studies certificate from Manhattan School of Music in 2016.

Soprano Elissa Pfaender is a dynamic artist whose experience allows her to successfully perform a variety of repertoire. Ms. Pfaender received her Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College, and her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at Oberlin Conservatory. While at WCC and Oberlin, Ms. Pfaender sang a variety of roles such as Madame Lidoine, Zweite Dame, Arminda, Female Chorus, among others.

Soprano Abigail Raiford was born and raised in New York City, and spent much of her life in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Tulsa under the tutelage of her mother, Judith Pannill Raiford. A lover of Mozart, Ms. Raiford's most performed roles have been the Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte) and Despina (Cosi fan tutte). Other roles she has enjoyed performing include Rose Maurrant (Street Scene), First Lady (Die Zauberflöte), Anicasia (La Dolorosa), and Yum-Yum (The Mikado). Currently, Ms. Raiford is pursuing her Master of Music in Voice at the Mannes School of Music as a student of Amy Burton.