Opera Orlando Presents 2nd Annual Gala, THE GUILDED AGE ON THE GUILDED STAGE

Throw on your flapper dress or grab your Charlie Chaplin hat and cane and enjoy the revelry of a party not soon to be forgotten. Opera Orlando is pulling out all the stops to make sure that this year's Gala will be one of, if not the single most enjoyable and spectacular event happening this year in Orlando.

Hosted by legendary baritone Sherrill Milnes, the party gets started with four opera stars from across the globe performing some of opera's greatest hits from Carmen to Lucia to Rigoletto. They will be accompanied by the incomparable Robin Stamper on the piano.

Combine this with a silent auction, a live auction, a sit-down dinner, special guest appearances from the Roaring 20's, and a video tribute to our guest of honor John Ruggieri, the founder of Sundance Marketing Solutions, who has contributed immeasurably toward assuring a great future for opera in Central Florida.

"John (Ruggieri) has been a miracle man for Opera Orlando and is a Renaissance Man even in today's world," said John Wettach, president of the company's Board of Directors. "This is a great opportunity for us and the community to put a spotlight on this wonderful human being."

Opera Orlando holds all of its main-stage productions in the Dr. Phillips Center and is headed to Steinmetz Hall when it opens in 2020. This makes the Center's DeVos Family Room the perfect venue.

"We love the Dr. Philips Center and are completely at home there," said Wettach. "We know we can throw a party there like no one can in Orlando and that's exactly what we intend to do.

Add one of the greatest opera singers of all time, Sherrill Milnes as our host, and this event is headed for some very special rarefied air.

And yes... this is a Formal, Black Tie happening but don't forget to pay homage to the Roaring Twenties for your choice of attire.

John Ruggieri has utilized his Wharton MBA to build and sell successful companies. Bringing a strong financial and analytical background to the SunDance partnership, he and his wife Audrey saw the potential in what was a fine art publisher when they bought SunDance in 2004. His concern for the environment led him to work on a PhD in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Florida. In the Central Florida community, Ruggieri has been stalwart supporter of arts and culture and numbers Opera Orlando as one of his greatest passions.

Sherrill Milnes is universally acclaimed as the foremost operatic baritone of his generation. He sang over 650 performances at the Met, where he was honored with sixteen new productions, seven opening nights, and ten national telecasts. He is the winner of three Grammy Awards and in 2008 he received the Opera News Award for Distinguished Achievement. With his wife, Maria Zouves, he co-founded and runs the Sherrill Milnes VOICE Programs: VOIC Experience Foundation and the Savannah VOICE Festival.

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