Indianapolis Opera 50th Anniversary Legacy Gala – Courtesy of Denis Ryan Kelly, Jr. Used with permission.
It is not a stretch to proclaim that the Indianapolis Opera 50th Anniversary Legacy Gala, in partnership with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, led by Maestro Alfred Savia, was a once in a lifetime experience. Held Saturday, at the Hilbert Circle Theatre, the event also featured guest conductor Jim Caraher, fifteen artists from IO’s past, its resident artists and the Indianapolis Opera Chorus.
Indianapolis Opera 50th Anniversary Legacy Gala – Courtesy of Denis Ryan Kelly, Jr. Used with permission.
All worthy of note, the fifteen prestigious guest artists, some of them Hoosiers, performed with IO throughout its history included Angela Brown, Keith Buhl, Jim Cornelison, Jane Dutton, Kristen Gunlogson, Jeffrey Hartman, Amy Johnson, Robert McFarland, Eric McKeever, Daniel Narducci, Laura Petersen, Kevin Short, Gregory Turay and Gran Wilson. The guest ISO artists who also performed were Ryan Henry, Luisana Rivas, Ella Torres and Will Upham.The sum of all this prodigious talent and training was the source of the previously stated concert’s singularity, not to mention scope and scale of the production.
The ISO, led by Savia whose impressive opera conducting credits are extensive, produced a luxuriant and richness of sound that enhanced the exquisite musicale quality of the concert. Their participation along with the professional singers in the IO chorus was key to the high quality of the guest artist’s thrilling, often breathtaking performances. The entire multimedia event was not only truly a significant work of art but simply some of the finest entertainment I have ever witnessed on any stage.
Indianapolis Opera 50th Anniversary Legacy Gala – Courtesy of Denis Ryan Kelly, Jr. Used with permission.
Though not credited in the program —based on my Own the Aisle with Tom Alvarez podcast interview with Alfred Salvia prior to the concert, I learned that he and David Starkey, IO’s intrepid, visionary General Manager and CEO, collaborated on its concept and execution.
The overall caliber of the guest artists was so extraordinary, it is impossible to single out any one vocalist, but I can certainly point out several of my favorite performances. They included that of baritone Robert MacFarland, opera superstar, who opened the concert with “Si Puo” from I Pagliacci,” followed by tenor Greg Turay, soprano Laura Pedersen, and IO guest artists and chorus in “Libiamo” from La Traviata and Indy’s beloved diva Angela Brown, soprano who showed comic flair as she captivated alongside tenor Jim Cornelison in “Ah, quegli ochhi” Duet from Tosca.
Following intermission, Brown returned to stunningly perform “Triumphal March” from Aida, the title role of which she sang in her debut at the MET and which shot her to fame. Capturing my attention as well was Pederson in a fetching interpretation of “Quando M’en vo” (Musetta’s Waltz) from La Boheme. Another highlight was the performance of bass baritone Kevin Short a crowd-pleaser in his moving rendition of “Ol Man River” Showboat. The so called Five Tenors, consisting of Keith Buhl, Jim Cornelison, Jeffrey Hartman, Greg Turay and Gran Wilson were delightful in their take on “Nessun dorma” from Turandot, which was the concert’s lighthearted finale.
Indianapolis Opera 50th Anniversary Legacy Gala – Courtesy of Denis Ryan Kelly, Jr. Used with permission.
With reference to the IO’s future and looking ahead to the next 50 years the encore song was Leonard Bernstein’s “Make Your Garden Grow,” from Candide which featured Ryan Henry, Luisana Rives, Ella Torres, Will Upham, the entire company and the IO chorus. It was a stirring conclusion to a celebration of not only the legacy of one of Indianapolis’s most enduring arts institutions but also a fitting tribute to its world class artistic produce and brand.
For information about the Indianapolis Opera visit indyopera.org.
