Symphony of the Mountains Presents Verdi's "La Traviata"

Symphony of the Mountains Presents Verdi's "La Traviata"

Symphony of the Mountains, under the direction of Music Director/Conductor Cornelia Kodkani-Laemmli, will present a concert version of Verdi's well-known opera "La Traviata" on Sunday, January 24 at 3:00PM at the Toy F. Reid (Eastman) Employee Center in Kingsport. Joining the orchestra are Voices of the Mountains, Dr. W. Patrick Flannagan, Conductor, and guest artists Alexandra Wiseman, Dinyar Vania and Mark Owen Davis.

Giuseppe Verdi's three-act opera was based on the play "La Dame aux Camelias" by Alexandre Dumas and premiered in Venice in March of 1853. With Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, "La Traviata" is a tragic story of unfulfilled love. Singing the lead role of Parisian courtesan, Violetta, is soprano Alexandra Wiseman, who last appeared with Symphony of the Mountains as Mimi in "La Boheme". She received her Masters of Music degree from the University of Tennessee where she was a part of the Knoxville Opera Studio. She made her professional debut in the role of Kate Pinkerton in "Madame Butterfly" with Knoxville Opera. Tenor Dinyar Vania appears as Violetta's lover, Alfredo; Mr. Vania first appeared as Alfredo at Opera Cleveland. He has sung major roles with New York City Opera, Opera Roanoke and Knoxville Opera. Singing the role of Alfredo's father, Giorgio Germont, is baritone Mark Owen Davis. Mr. Davis is a favorite of Symphony of the Mountains audiences and serves as Director of Music Ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Kingsport. He has sung lead roles in over thirty operas throughout the United States and Europe and now specializes in the Verdi repertoire. He presides over the Master's Voice Studio in Kingsport and Abingdon. Singing supporting roles are Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, Sara Beth Kerr, Eric Hodges, Michael Rodgers, Daniel Berry, Mike Cates and Robert Campbelle.

Patrons are invited to attend the informal pre-concert chat with Ms. Kodkani-Laemmli and soloists at 3:00PM. These free, interactive conversations with the conductor and guest artists are held to enhance the audience's music experience of that evening's performance.

This concert is sponsored by Eastman Chemical Company, John and Joan Gregory, City of Kingsport, and is funded, in part, under an agreement with the Tennessee Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. Tickets prices range from $10 to $25. Group rates of $12 per ticket are available for groups of ten or more. For further information and to purchase tickets, please contact Symphony of the Mountains by telephone at 423-392-8423, by fax at 423-392-8428, by e-mail at info@symphonyofthemountains.org, online at their website http://www.symphonyofthemountains.org/ ,or in their office at the Kingsport Renaissance Center, Suite 311. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00AM to 5:00PM. Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express credit cards are accepted. The box office will open ninety minutes prior to the performance and tickets will be available at the door.

M. Zane Myers

Executive Director

Symphony of the Mountains

1200 East Center Street, Suite 311

Kingsport, TN 37660

423. 392.8426

http://exedirector@symphonyofthemountains.org