The soaring vocals of live operatic arrangements don’t often make their way to New Hampshire’s capital city. So for those music lovers out there, take note of Piccola Opera’s two performances of Operatastic on Friday and Saturday at the Concord City Auditorium.
The show will be a selection of operatic scenes. Pieces range from Giacomo Carissimi’s Baroque “Vittoria mio core” and Henry Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas to several classical Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart pieces from Cossi fan tutte, Le Nozzedi Figaro and The Magic Flute. Romantic time period selections include Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata and Charles Gounod’s Faust to the more modern Engelbert Humperdinck Hansel & Gretel.
“It represents a nice selection of some very well-known operas,” said Ashley Therrien, the development coordinator for Piccola and a performer in the show. “It also offers a wide range of time periods.”
The cast features about 15 performers from three divisions. There are youth performers who are about age 13 to 18. There are emerging professionals, in their 20s and 30s, who are post-education but not performing at the high-level opera houses, yet. Then, there are community members, who are adults up to age 70. There will also be four dancers from Londonderry Dance Academy.
Katie Proulx of Manchester, a dance instructor at Londonderry Dance Academy and other schools, is among the members of the Operatastic cast. She said the beauty of the group is that members all come from different backgrounds.
Emily Adams of Nashua, who both sings as a mezzo-soprano and plays piano accompaniment in the show, said opera is much more accessible when you can see it up close.
A smaller venue, like the Concord City Auditorium, is a common thing in Europe, said Matt Kasnetz of Nashua, who has been involved with opera programs in New Hampshire for some 30 years.
“We make opera work in the Granite State,” said Grant Hodgkins of Hudson, a tenor appearing for the first time with Piccola.
Piccola Opera was founded just three years ago, but has connections to older programs Just Love to Sing and Operafest! of N.H. through its founders and directors, Jane Cormier and Carlos Martinez.
Piccola’s aim, like that of its predecessors, is to educate and entertain with opera. It offers programs for youth to become introduced to the style and opportunities for aspiring opera singers to hone their craft. For several years, it’s held an Opera Idol competition, which brings together more than 40 young singers in the fall to vie for cash and prizes.
Operatastic will be held Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium. Tickets are $18 or $15 for seniors and children. For more information, visit piccolaopera.net.