The Ambassadors of Opera

I've waited to write this, knowing I would have difficulty curbing my effusive praise for the amazingly talented musicians who came to Stamford to perform on April 15. In spite of their tremendous gifts, they were each so personable and so approachable, so casual about the music that they made for those of us in the audience to marvel at.

The turnout was gratifying as well, not only because it was the first concert of our season but also because we generally do not expect as many folks to show up for a voice performance. Many of us have a very negative bias towards opera; does it come from cartoons of our childhood memories of Bugs Bunny singing Wagner, or of forced attendance at the concerts of would-be divas in our local churches as we were growing up that convinced us that all opera could be was a series of shrieks that we squirmed through? Or does it come from listening to opera on television or radio with less than ideal audio fidelity that makes us think it's nothing to get excited about? There were a good number of folks who decided it was worth another listen, and they were without exception glad that they did, I believe.

It was really wonderful to hear a few open-minded individuals comment that they came to the concert accepting my promise that it would be different this time, that hearing such voices in the close confines of the Cyr Center was an entirely different experience from even a professional production in a major hall. So it was on April 15, a magnificent demonstration of the beauty of the human voice as instrument. We were surely not disappointed, and no doubt after hearing these artists there were more than a few folks in the room who are newly attuned to Opera as an art form.

This international group of artists -- Haeran Hong, Alexander Lewis, Luthando Qave and Natalia Katyukova -- were indeed ambassadors, perhaps even evangelists, for their art through the beauty of their performance, and for the notion that the collaboration of great talent across borders is worthy of our whole-hearted support. We cannot thank them enough for sharing their gifts with us and for opening our hearts and minds to the world of Opera!