Florentine Opera Announces Summer Community Performance Schedule

The Florentine Opera Company is pleased to announce the dates and locations of their summer community performances. These free events will provide audiences with the opportunity to experience opera all summer long at various locations in the Milwaukee area. The performances will feature the artists of the Florentine Opera's Summer Residency Program, who are set to perform a wide variety of music over the coming months.

DATES AND LOCATIONS

• Wednesday, June 13 - 7 pm, Colectivo on Humboldt
• Thursday, June 14 - 7 pm, Colectivo at the Lake
• Sunday, June 24 - 2 pm, Estabrook Beer Garden
• Thursday, June 28 - 7 pm, Colectivo at the Lake
• Friday, June 29 - 5:30 pm, Kenosha Pennoyer Park
• Thursday, July 12 - 7 pm, Colectivo at the Lake
• Sunday, June 22 - 2 pm, Estabrook Beer Garden
• Wednesday, July 25 - 7 pm, Colectivo in Mequon
• Thursday, July 26 - 7 pm, Colectivo at the Lake

The Summer Residency artists will also perform at two @ The Center Series concerts, which will be held at the Wayne & Kristine Lueders Florentine Opera Center in Riverwest (926 E. Burleigh Street).

• Opera's Greatest Hits - June 22 and 23, 7:30 pm
• Broadway and the Great American Songbook - July 27 and 28, 7:30 pm

Tickets for the @ The Center Series concerts are $25 and will go on sale through the Florentine Opera Box Office on April 4.

THE ARTISTS
In its second year, the Florentine Opera's Summer Residency Program features singers who have been selected through a competitive audition process. Throughout the summer, these young singers will receive expert coaching while living on-site in Riverwest and performing at the summer community events listed above.

Nicole Heinen (Soprano) - Ms. Heinen, a Wisconsin native, is noted for her "sparkling voice" and "deft hand at verbal and physical comedy" (The Isthmus). She holds a Bachelor's degree in Music in Vocal Performance from the Eastman School of Music and a Master's degree in Music in Vocal Performance from UW-Madison. Recently, she has played Mademoiselle Silberklang in Der Schauspieldirektor, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte and Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring. She has toured with Opera for the Young as Adina in their production of Elixir of Love and participated with them in the Ravinia Festival.

Briana Moynihan (Mezzo-soprano) - Ms. Moynihan, holding a Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, is a seasoned performer and artist. In the past, she has portrayed the roles of Hermia in Midsummer Night's Dream, the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, the Chief Elder in The Giver and more. Briana has also won numerous competitions, including the Metropolitan Opera National Council North Dakota District Competition, among others. Ms. Moynihan will continue with the Florentine as a Baumgartner Studio Artist for the 2018-2019 season.

Nicholas Huff (tenor) - The talented Mr. Huff has successfully taken on many roles, most recently as Joseph Treat in Victoria Bond's opera Mrs. President, which was also his debut at the Rochester Lyric Opera. He has performed numerous roles with the Toronto Summer Opera Workshop, Carthage College Student Opera and the Eastman Opera Theater, where he created a role as Niño Polilla in No se culpe a nadie, in both the world and international premieres. Mr. Huff is also active in concert and oratorio work. Recently, he performed as a soloist in Mozart's Requiem with the New York State Ballet, and he has twice been a soloist in Handel's Messiah with the Waukegan Symphony Orchestra.

Stephen Hobe (Baritone) - Mr. Hobe, a performer in both opera and musical theater, has flourished in classical and crossover repertoire in his hometown of Chicago. Most recently, he performed as Silvio in Pagliacci at Main Street Opera, and he has also taken on other impressive roles, such as Sid in Albert Herring, John Proctor in The Crucible and Kauz in The Homecoming. Mr. Hobe has performed regionally with Music Theater Works, Main Street Opera, NewMoon Theatre, Towle Theatre, Chicago Summer Opera, North Park University, as well as internationally with La Musica Lirica in Novafeltria, Italy.

The Florentine Opera Company's productions reflect the highest musical and theatrical standards, while supporting community and educational programs. As a leader in Wisconsin's art community and the nation's sixth-oldest opera company, the Florentine Opera seeks to establish a significant presence in the cultural, educational and civic life of the state of Wisconsin and beyond. The Florentine provides vital arts education experiences for children, nurtures new audiences, and expands cultural horizons for the next generation. The Florentine Opera is a cornerstone member organization of the United Performing Arts Fund and receives funds from Milwaukee County and the State of Wisconsin (with support from the National Endowment for the Arts), as well as corporations, foundations and individuals. The Florentine Opera Company is an organizational member of OPERA America.

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