Sarasota Opera Will Salute The Stars This Month

The Sarasota Opera community will gather for Salute to the Stars to celebrate and honor this season's Artists at the Sarasota Yacht Club, at 11:30 a.m., on Tuesday, March 25.

Each year, Sarasota Opera honors a number of their outstanding Artists. Guests will enjoy a gourmet lunch with new and old friends and performances by the awardees. Awards will be presented through the legacy left by a number of visionary individuals as well as the Sarasota and Manatee Opera Guilds.

Patron level reservations at $150 per person include premium seating and recognition in the event program. Standard reservations are $85 per person.

Sarasota Opera has welcomed Apprentice Artists since 1982. The program helps train singers to make the important transition from student to professional life. It functions within the aesthetic of Sarasota Opera by focusing on the standard operatic repertoire from Mozart to Puccini.

During the winter season, young singers are encouraged to give impassioned performances through vocal expression with an understanding of the meaning of the text, the poetry, and the music. They receive private coaching and attend classes, where they hone their singing and acting skills.

Apprentice Artists form the chorus and perform in all main stage productions.

Studio Artists are members of the more advanced level of Sarasota Opera's two training programs. They receive the same intense training as the apprentices, but they participate in main stage productions by performing supporting roles and covering principal roles. With many roles needing covers each season and the company's extended performance schedule, they are often called on to substitute for an indisposed Principal Artist, sometimes with little notice. Studio Artists occasionally augment the apprentice artists in choruses for larger productions.

The Studio Artists are often Sarasota Opera's musical representatives outside the Opera House. Serving Sarasota and Manatee counties, they perform in various locations. These outreach initiatives take place in schools, retirement homes, community centers, and at guild meetings as well as other locations.

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