On Sunday, November 8 at 3:00 PM, the Christina Rovics Vocal Studio in Bethel will present a concert of songs, duets and arias to benefit the Danbury Music Centre located at 256 Main Street. The program, Christina Rovics & Friends, will showcase soprano Christina Rovics, plus five additional accomplished vocalists from Danbury, Ridgefield, Brookfield, Southbury and Bethel. The singers will present a diverse program of art songs, duets and arias by such master composers as Debussy, Richard Strauss, Verdi, Puccini, Gershwin, Schumann and Schubert. Christina’s husband, Howard Rovics, will accompany all at the piano.
“This concert will provide an opportunity for our area community to hear some of the finest classical performers from our local region,” stated Christina Rovics. “In the intimate setting of the lovely Marian Anderson Hall of the Danbury Music Centre, audience members will be able to meet each artist personally and experience the exciting synergy of talented people who love and admire each other’s artistry, and are singing together simply for the joy of it.”
Christina and Howard Rovics have appeared in numerous recitals since 1985, presenting vocal masterworks and premiering original works by Howard Rovics and other composers. They have five CDs to their credit including one of the few recordings of the famed Emily Dickinson Songs of Aaron Copland. The Rovics opened the Christina Rovics Vocal Studio in Danbury in 1989, and moved into their current home/studio in 2004 in Bethel. Over the years, they have developed friendships and working relationships with many accomplished musical artists in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York.
The performers on November 8th will include Nancy Brant of Ridgefield, Cheryl Hill of Danbury, Victoria Chiera of Brookfield, Michael Trnik of Bethel, Perry Price of Danbury , Gordon Jones of Southbury and Clarinetist Ann Howell of Brewster N.Y.
Soprano Cheryl Hill was recently a featured soloist with the Danbury Community Orchestra. In 1999, she shared a joint recital with Christina Rovics at the Danbury Music Centre. That same year, she released her CD, “Operatic Ovations”, and Christina Rovics’ produced her CD, “A Song Recital”.
Victoria Chiera, a recent graduate of WestConn, studied continuously with Rovics for eight years. While a sophomore in college, she won the opportunity to study and perform in Italy, a nationwide competition awarded to only 50 singers in the United States. Currently she is preparing for graduate school and is on the threshold of launching a professional singing career.
Perry Price, tenor, has enjoyed an enviable career with a variety of opera companies including the San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Munich's Theater am Gartnerplatz, National Theater Sao Carlo in Lisbon, The Rome Opera, La Fenice in Venice, the Canadian Opera in Canada, and many other companies throughout Europe and North America. Presently, he is the Director of the New England Vocal Studio and Music Director/Conductor of the new, Hillhouse Opera Company in New Haven, Connecticut.
Michael Trnik, baritone, a protege of Mr. Price, has become a much sought after operatic soloist in the New York/New Haven area. In October 2008 he sang the role of Don Giovanni in Mozart’s opera. He also appeared as the Count in the Marriage of Figaro in two different productions, and is currently active in the world of independent opera companies in the New York metropolitan area and New Haven.
The Sunday, November 8th concert will begin at 3:00 PM at the Danbury Music Centre at 256 Main Street. Suggested donations are $10/person, $5/students and seniors, and will be sold at the door on November 8th. The Christina Rovics Vocal Studio provides private vocal instruction in Broadway, Classical and Opera. To learn more visit http://www.christinarovics.com, call 203-744-5841, or email to crovics@snet.net.
