Opera Orlando Presents THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT

Opera Orlando's Opera Everlasting MainStage series comes to an end in just one week's time as Donizetti's comedic and heartwarming The Daughter of the Regiment opens in Steinmetz Hall at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. This original production promises to be an incredibly fun night of theater with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra in the pit and dancers from the Orlando Ballet joining a cast of spectacular singers from across the country with a special surprise guest star.

The Daughter of the Regiment includes one of the most unique roles in the opera repertoire, the Duchess of Krakenthorp. This role is typically a cameo opportunity for a local or national celebrity, and it has quite the storied history of portrayals including late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg, opera diva Kiri Te Kanawa, and Bea Arthur of The Golden Girls fame. When casting the role for this production, Opera Orlando had an obvious choice for such an iconic moment in the show: Steinmetz Hall's namesake Margery Pabst Steinmetz, local philanthropist and visionary.

"There's no time like the present," said Ms. Pabst Steinmetz. "I am beyond thrilled to be making my operatic debut, and of course, I could not think of a better place to do it than with Opera Orlando at Steinmetz Hall. It is all just surreal, and Chuck and I are thrilled to see Steinmetz Hall already making such a difference in our local arts community."

Recognized as a connector in the arts, education and health, Margery Pabst Steinmetz's career includes authoring three books, founding and owning MLP Enterprises, a leadership development firm, developing extensive resources for caregivers and seniors through her acclaimed website, MyCareGivingCoach.com, and creating The Pabst Steinmetz Foundation. By 2008, Ms. Pabst Steinmetz's first book on caregiving, Enrich Your Caregiving Journey, was published and her involvement in the community increased as she partnered with The University of Central Florida (UCF) to support and present three Arts and Wellness Symposiums. She served on the UCF Foundation and is an emeritus of that organization. Her volunteer work continues at UCF, sitting on the UCF Legacy Pointe Board and the soon to be opened teaching hospital at the Lake Nona UCF Medical Sciences Campus. Ms. Pabst Steinmetz continues to encourage collaborative initiatives in the community, including the intersections of arts and health, and education and wellness. Along with a growing national and international recognition that the arts are essential for human health, The Pabst Steinmetz Foundation, is joining The University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine to continue building quantitative research that supports the arts and community health.

Margery Pabst Steinmetz and her husband Chuck Steinmetz were early supporters of plans to bring a world-class performing arts center to Orlando. Mr. Steinmetz served as vice-chairman of the board for Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and he and his wife's philanthropy and leadership helped pave the way for the opening of Steinmetz Hall, an acoustically ideal concert hall and opera house, in 2022. Having Ms. Pabst Steinmetz in the cast of The Daughter of the Regiment, is just a very small way for Opera Orlando to say thank you for providing the community with such a stellar venue for the arts.

Celebrate Ms. Pabst Steinmetz's stage debut next Friday and Sunday, April 21 and 23, and bring the whole family to this light-hearted opera that is equal parts comedy, romance, and vocal fireworks. The Daughter of the Regiment will be sung in French with English dialogue and supertitles. Full production details can be found on Opera Orlando's website: www.OperaOrlando.org. Tickets start at just $19 through the Dr. Phillips Center's Bill & Mary Darden Box Office (445 S. Magnolia Avenue, Orlando), online at www.DrPhillipsCenter.org, or by calling (407) 839-0119, ext. 0.

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