2019 Gala: Paris Is Always A Good Idea
Berets abounded and everyone was getting an Ei-ffel when Santa Barbara Choral Society hosted its annual gala Springtime in Paris at the Rockwood Woman’s Club. The fun French-themed fête, co-chaired by president Karen Williams and Debra Stewart, attracted 120 guests and raised $60,000 for the popular group.
Before dinner, catered by Via Maestra 42, veteran artistic director Jo Anne Wasserman, with David Potter at piano, conducted Le Grand Concert de la Musique, featuring section leaders, including baritone Tyler Reece singing Reynaldo Hahn’s A Chloris, soprano Naomi Merer with Du Gai Soleil from Jules Massenet’s Werther, and mezzo soprano Kelly Guerra with a spirited Habenera from Georges Bizet’s Carmen.
Chorus member Brooks Firestone conducted the auction, which suitably enough, included a vacation in Paris, a seven-day trip to Mexico, and the chance to pick up the baton and conduct the choir in Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus at the Lobero in December.
Among the melee of musical mavens, dancing to the music of the Idiomatiques, were Todd and Allyson Aldrich, Diane Dodds Reichert, Kostis Protopapas, Stefan and Christine Riesenfeld, Marylove Thralls, Val Noronha, Patricia Gregory, Kate Firestone, Bart Francis, Norris Goss, Tom LePlay, Kate Rees, Margo Callis, Brian and Giselle McDermott, and Joann Younger.
(Back row) Brooks Firestone, Gisele McDermott, Bob Lally, John Cochrane, (front row) Mary Cochrane, Brian McDermott, Kate Firestone, and Tom LePley (photo by Priscilla)
Santa Barbara Choral Society gala committee: Val Noronha, Kate Rees, Karen Williams, Debra Stewart, Margo Callis, and Bart Francis (photo by Priscilla)
Bidders and winners Cindy and Sid Anderson, Margo Callis, and John Cochrane (photo by Priscilla)
American baritone, Ralph Cato has travelled the world extensively, telling stories in song with his warm, clarion baritone voice.
Tenor, Benjamin Brecher has performed over fifty operatic roles with many of the world’s most prestigious opera companies, specializing in the high lying lyric tenor repertoire. He has performed 16 roles with New York City Opera alone. Career highlights include performances with Opera Orchestra of New York, L’Opera de Nice, Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, L’Opera de Montreal, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, among many others. His orchestral solo repertoire includes Mozart, Handel, Orff, Bach, Haydn, as well as many performances of Britten. In 2000 he began performing the great Irish Tenor songs in a concert produced for him entitled A Celtic Celebration, Twenty years later, the show has become a North American hit with performances with 45 Symphonies in North America. Ben continues his discography having added his twelfth recording in 2016 Forgotten Liszt, with pianist Robert Koenig, and will record a new release in 2022 entitled “Three Centuries of Thomas Moore” including the music of Britten, Berlioz, and Sarah Gibson on MSR Classics. He is a Professor of Voice at University of California Santa Barbara, where he has served as the Head of Voice.
Tracy Van Fleet is pleased to return to the Santa Barbara Choral Society. As a soloist, she has performed with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Lüneburg Symphony in Germany, Orquesta Filarmónica de Boca del Río in Mexico, Pasadena Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Los Angeles Bach Festival, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, Colorado Philharmonic, USC Symphony and Chorus, and others. She has had many appearances with the Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Opera Pacific, San Diego Opera and Opera Colorado.
Born and raised in Southern California, April Amante is a versatile soprano with expertise and facility in repertoire spanning from early music to contemporary musical theater.