Feature: ROSE KINGSLEY: THE DIVA AND THE ASTRONAUT FAIRY TALES DO COME TRUE to be performed at Summerlin Performing Arts Center

Opera diva Rose Kingsley now shares her operatic training, 4-octave range singing jazz around the world. She is making a stop in Las Vegas performing The Diva and The Astronaut Fairy Tales Do Come True at the Summerlin Library on Nov. 7.

Rose will take the audience on a journey of her life from her early childhood when Rose demonstrated both an interest and talent in dance and music as well as space exploration. When the Mercury Seven Astronauts were introduced to the world, Alan Shepard caught Rose's attention and made her feel as if she had known him in another time and place. It was through a chance meeting that they met that developed into a friendship.

When her parents saw her dance around the living room at the age of 3, they knew she had talent and started taking her to dance lessons. But, as Rose recalls, she would not dance but would sit and cry. After a few more times, her parents stopped. A year later, Rose was ready for dance classes and demonstrated talent as a ballerina. Rose continued her ballet training and attended the American Academy for Dramatic Arts in New York City.

"While watching television, I saw a program about the Metropolitan Opera, the Lincoln Center, and the new production of Anthony and Cleopatra. The show was looking for singers, dancers, and actors. I knew I could sing, dance and act, so I decided to audition," she explains.

At the age of 15, Rose wrote a letter to the Metropolitan Opera about herself, and two months later, she received a phone call asking her to come to the opera the next day about a role in the show. Rose was a sophomore in high school and asked her parents. After they verified that it was a legitimate offer, Rose auditioned. That is how her opera career began, debuting in the Lincoln Center in La bohème at the age of 22. Rose would perform on Broadway as Corletta in Phantom of the Opera, but she had to choose between musical theater and the opera and quit the Broadway show.

"Opera became my love and my life, becoming part of my soul," Rose says. "I loved ballet, but I knew that career could be very short, and I wanted to sing opera." She continued her journey as a diva performing in major opera houses worldwide.

Later in her career, Rose was offered a professorship in the California State East Bay college system, and she taught voice. She would then open The Opera Institute of California in San Jose, teaching hundreds of students, eventually merging the school with Chapman University in Palm Springs.

While dating the man who would become her second husband, they attended a jazz performance at Vicky's of Santa Fe in Indian Wells, California. A friend of Rose was performing there and brought Rose to the stage to perform a jazz song. Rose discovered a new passion and a different career.

Her rich, sultry voice resonates with jazz, telling the story of the songs. Rose's performance will tap into the intimate side of her artistry touching the heart and soul of the song resonating with the audience. After her debut at Birdland Jazz Club in New York City, Rose was dubbed by New York Music Critics as "the female Sinatra."

"I love jazz since I can do anything I want with my voice and interpretation. It is all about the lyrics," she explains. "I am more of a singing actress than a singer."

She has performed with such greats including Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Peter Nero, Vic Damone, John Denver, Connie Francis, Kathryn Grayson, Kaye Ballard, and Carol Channing.

Rose has also sung for three US Presidents, George HW Bush, Gerald Ford, William Jefferson Clinton, And Vice President Dan Quayle, including a Command Performance for HRH Prince Charles. She was also a special guest artist at the 30th Anniversary Gala of The First Man In Space, Admiral Alan Shepard.

Fans can enjoy Rose's two CDs, This is my Life Simply Rose and A Diva's tribute to Johnny Mercer, available by clicking here.

Bob Corwin, who worked as a conductor for over 20 years for jazz great Johnny Mercer, and other jazz greats, will accompany Rose.

Rose Kingsley, accompanied by Bob Corwin, will perform The Diva and The Astronaut Fairy Tales Do Come True at the Summerlin Performing Arts Center, 1771 Inner Circle Drive, 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 7. For more info about Rose, visit rosekingsley.com. For tickets, click here.

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