Saturday, November 21st at 4 PM
JP Concerts presents Bel Canto, an Afternoon of Opera, featuring soprano Elisabeth Gondek, pianist Scott Nicholas and countertenor Yaacov Zamir. JP Concerts tickets are $10 general admission at the door.
Gondek has performed the roles of Countess Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, Laurentia in The Beautiful Bridegroom, the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors and Casilda in The Gondoliers. In addition she has performed with Nth Stage Productions and with North of Boston Arts Center. She has been a frequent soloist with St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, the College of the Holy Cross Chapel Choir, Salisbury Lyric Opera, and St. John's Church. She received her Bachelor of Music in Education and Performance from Anna Maria College, where she performed extensively. Currently she teaches music at Here We Grow Pre-School in Auburn and runs a vocal studio at The Joy of Music Program in Worcester. Some of her upcoming engagements include the role of Amalia in She Loves Me, and the role of Peep-Bo in The Mikado. She will also be joining the Chorus for Riverside Theatre's production of Cosi fan tutte in spring 2010.
Nicholas has performed extensively in recital in Europe, Bermuda, Latin America and throughout the United States. Locally, he has performed with the Borromeo String Quartet, the New England Chamber Ensemble, the US Air Force Chamber Winds and has been heard on WGBH Boston and WBUR Boston. Nicholas currently plays for the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, The Boston Secession, the Concord Women's Chorus and is rehearsal and recording pianist for EC Schirmer's Philovox Ensemble (presenting newly composed works). Scott Nicholas has played for the Minnesota Opera, Suffolk University/Boston Lyric Opera's Contemporary Music Theater Project, the Leontyne Price Vocal Arts Competition and has directed opera and music theater at numerous institutions in the Boston area. Nicholas is currently on the faculty of Emerson College and Suffolk University where he teaches piano and coaches opera and music theater.
Zamir has performed as a countertenor since 1983, mostly in recital, chamber music and oratorio, but his repertoire has included the roles of Mercure in Rameau's Platee, the Handelian heroes Rinaldo, Ruggiero and Oronte, in Handel's Rinaldo, Alcina and Riccardo Primo, and the Pirate and Evil One in Schoenfield's The Merchant and the Pauper. This performance marks his reprisal of operatic repertoire after a decade-long hiatus.