Verdi Chorus Stars In SONGS OF FANTASY February 1

The 37th season of the Verdi Chorus continues with the Fox Singers , presented by the Verdi Chorus and the Sahm Family Foundation, in Songs of Fantasy for one night only at the First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica on February 1, at 7:30pm. Led by Founding Artistic Director Anne Marie Ketchum, the Fox Singers comprise the professional ensemble of the Verdi Chorus, which is the only choral group in Southern California that focuses primarily on the dramatic and diverse music for opera chorus. This program, devoted to all things fantastical, will feature enchanting arias, duets and ensembles from the world of opera, as well as beloved songs from the canon of mid-century American musical theater, including Mozart's The Magic Flute, Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore, Bernstein's Peter Pan and Candide, and more!

The Fox Singers demonstrate the mission of the Verdi Chorus to provide performance opportunities to young professional singers, and these fifteen highly promising singers, named in memory of long-time Chorus and Board member Walter Fox, not only serve as section leaders and rehearsal coaches for the Verdi Chorus, but also have opportunities to perform as featured singers in performances, and perform on occasion independently of the full Chorus. They are: sopranos Sarah Salazar, Kelly O'Shea and Megan McDonald; mezzo-sopranos Charlotte Bash, Ariana Stultz and Judy Tran; tenors Joseph Gárate, Daniel Brennan, Elias Berezin, and Fernando Ruiz; baritones Mauricio Palma ll and Andrew Walker; and basses Esteban Rivas, DeJuan Carlos and Raed Saade.

The Fox Singers have been presented at several venues in Southern California including the Annenberg Beach House, The Broad Stage, the Huntington Library, and the Nixon Library.

Director Anne Marie Ketchum says, " It's so exciting to be presenting the Fox singers in their latest concert after last spring's highly successful Love is Timeless. The Fox Singers are a very special group of exceptionally talented young professional singers. As the Founding Artistic Director of the Verdi Chorus, it is so important to me to not only nurture and foster the love of opera for both the community and the Verdi Chorus as a whole, but to also curate the next generation of operatic professionals. This time, we are exploring songs of fantasy, a subject which has produced some of the greatest music from the worlds of both opera and musical theater. This genre has also produced some of the most iconic roles, from Mozart's Papageno and Papagena to Bernstein's Candide and Cunegonde. This is such a wonderful thing for both our audience and the Fox Singers themselves, who have the opportunity to develop and perform a variety of these unforgettable operatic and musical roles that will very likely be part of their future performance careers."

Songs of Fantasy will be presented one night only on Saturday, February 1 at 7:30 pm at the First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica, located at 1008 11th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90403.

Tickets are available for purchase at www.verdichorus.org or by calling (800) 838-3006. Priority seating is available for $40, general admission is $30, seniors are $25, and students aged 25 and under with a valid ID are $10.

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