American Spiritual Ensemble Returns to Sarasota Opera Next Month

The critically acclaimed American Spiritual Ensemble will return to the William E. Schmidt Opera Theatre at the Sarasota Opera House on Saturday, September 6th at 7pm for a one night only performance celebrating the life of William E. Schmidt. The concert will be free and open to the public.

The American Spiritual Ensemble under the direction of founder and conductor Dr. Everett McCorvey thrilled Sarasota audiences in 2010 with a program of music that ranged from spirituals to classical to Broadway and dance.

William Schmidt, who passed away on August 16th, was a successful real estate developer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He believed in helping people and the goodness of mankind. In addition to the countless organizations he supported through his foundation, he founded the William E. Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition. For over 29 years, William and his wife Casiana have supported the vocal talents of thousands of young singers from all over the United States with monetary prizes and scholarships.

"Bill and Casiana have been wonderful friends and generous supporters of Sarasota Opera ," says Richard Russell, Executive Director of Sarasota Opera. "Bill was a former member of our Board of Trustees and his cheerful presence will be greatly missed by all of us. It is fitting that the American Spiritual Ensemble, a group that Bill generously supported, performs a tribute concert to him in the theater that bears Bill's name."

Founded in 1995, the American Spiritual Ensemble's mission is to keep the American Negro Spiritual alive. Members of the ensemble have sung in theaters and opera houses around the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and abroad in Italy, Germany, Britain, Scotland, Spain, and Japan. Dr. McCorvey holds an endowed professorship in voice and is director of opera at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY. In addition to performing in venues around the world, The Spiritual Ensemble has recorded four CDs and is featured in the 2007 PBS documentary "The Spirituals."

For more information, please call the Sarasota Opera Box Office at (941) 328-1300.