Meistersinger Caranza and Soprano Emily Stokes Headline Enrico Caruso Room, 6/12

Internationally renowned Meistersinger Caranza and soprano Emily Stokes will be the headliners this coming Tuesday, June 12, at 8 PM in the Enrico Caruso Room at Little Italy's legendary Grotta Azzurra Ristorante, located at 177 Mulberry Street on the corner of Broome Street. Ms. Stokes, who is the winner of the Teaneck Cabaret Competition this past Memorial Day, is replacing the previously scheduled soprano Michelle Trovato, who had to drop out because of illness.

There is a $20 cover charge and no minimum. The Enrico Caruso Room opens at 7 PM for those who wish to dine. The performance begins at 8:00 PM. Ms. Stokes and Caranza will be supported on the keyboard by David Schaefer. Reservations are suggested by calling Grotta Azzurra at 212-925-8775.

Emily Stokes, a native of Louisiana, is a singer, actor, dancer, voiceover artist, and Zumba instructor. She made her NYC debut as Hippolyta and Cobweb in the Queens Shakespeare production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Previously, she made her Atlanta debut with the Atlanta Lyric Theatre as Marian the Librarian in their production of The Music Man. Stokes graduated from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music with her Masters of Music in Vocal Performance and a minor in Theatre.

While attending IU, Stokes studied voice with Brian Horne and performed the role of Maria in IU Opera Theatre's 2010 production of West Side Story. During this production she had the honor of working with New York Broadway Dance Center's Josh Bergasse, and internationally distinguished artistic director, conductor and pianist Rob Fisher. Her other collegiate credits included: Buffy Brenner in IU'scollegiate premiere of William Bolcom's A Wedding, a Caroler in She Loves Me, Soprano in the revival of the one-act pastiche opera Il Pesceballo, a summer collaborative project with the Jacobs School of Music and the IU Folklore and Ethnomusicology department, and Fairy in Massenet's Cendrillon. In addition to acting, she studied various dance styles with Tony award nominated and Emmy award winning choreographer George Pinney and adjunct professor and industry professional, Stephanie Lynge. In addition, Stokes performed frequently with the Columbus, IN Philharmonic Orchestra and attended the Charley Creek Vocal Workshop led by renowned baritone Timothy Noble and Indiana University Vocal Chair, Mary Ann Hart. Stokes also won the Donald Felton Memorial Award in the 2010 National Society of Arts & Letters Competition in Voice.

Prior to her studies at IU, Stokes portrayed many characters while completing her BM in Voice under the direction of Scharmal Schrock at Southeastern Louisiana University. She also worked with the Tulane Summer Lyric and originated the role of Inez Comilla in The Star Theatre's production of The Ungrammatical Parrot. She also attended the Daniel Ferro Vocal Program in Greve-in-Chianti. There she enjoyed performing in multiple concerts throughout Tuscany as well as working with Janis Harper-Smith, Bruno Rigacci, Robert Kopelson, and Juilliard Emeritus, Daniel Ferro.

Caranzais an American tenor and "Meistersinger" – a performer who must sing at least four genres of music equally well in at least three languages. Caranza sings 10 genres in five languages and, indeed, hisrepertoire goes from the rock 'n roll songs of Elvis and others, all the way through to pop, Broadway, Neapolitan and German songs, and Italian and German opera. The Connecticut native, born Patric Hale, studied and lived in Europe for 27 years, performing across the continent and other parts of the world at concerts, music festivals, corporate parties and other musical events. When he returned to the States, he reunited with the man who took him to his first opera in Berlin, Richard Hogrefe of Boston, a Wagnerian tenor, with whom he continued his studies. It was Hogrefe who described his voice as a wonderful cross between the operatic voice of Caruso and the popular voice of Mario Lanza, and that's how "Caranza" was born. In recent years, Caranzahas sung at many concerts, charity events, and private and corporate events throughout the USA, as well as returning to Europe on numerous occasions. In July 2006 he was a winner at the NY Mario Lanza Competition and has been the featured singer at the Mario Lanza Society of New York's annual luncheon ever since. In 2007, he sang the National Anthem at an event in Connecticut in honor and presence of former President Bill Clinton, whose comment afterwards was simply "Wow!"

The Enrico Caruso Room also features a weekly Thursday Open Mic Opera Night where singers perform two musical pieces each. The Thursday Open Mic Opera Nights are seeking up to ten singers each week who can sign up on arriving at the venue. At the end of each month, one male and one female Open Mic singer will be engaged to sing at a future Tuesday Night Opera performance where they each will be paid $200/night.

The music performances at the Enrico Caruso Room are being presented by Mort and Ray Productions and LS Communications.

The room has been "redecorated" in honor of the great Enrico Caruso, the Italian-born tenor who ruled the international opera world in the early 20th century. The walls feature framed authentic collectibles, including vintage photos, old acetate music discs and records, caricatures drawn by Caruso himself and other memorabilia, donated by Cav. Uff. Aldo Mancusi, founder and curator of the Enrico Caruso Museum in Brooklyn. Grotta Azzurra was one of Caruso's favorite restaurants. He would often come down with friends after a performance at the Metropolitan Opera to dine in what is now the Enrico Caruso Room. And more often than not, he would end this enjoyable and relaxing evening by singing for the pleasure of the other diners.

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