MORE Opera presents Verdi's "IL TROVATORE" in concert to benefit Most Precious Blood Church in NYC

Oct. 3, 2011 - PRLog -- The Manhattan Opera Repertory Ensemble (MORE Opera) will present a gala benefit concert performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera IL TROVATORE on Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 7:30 PM at The Church of the Most Precious Blood, 109 Mulberry Street at Canal Street in Little Italy.  The semi-staged performance will be sung in Italian, and stars Mark Franko-Filipasic as Manrico, Cheryl Warfield as Leonora, Charles Karel as Count di Luna, and Marie Michalopoulos as Azucena, and the MORE Opera Chorus, conducted by Wei-En Hsu from the piano.  Come hear the expressive vocal qualities of some of New York's finest talent in this production.

Tickets for the benefit are $30 and can be purchased at the door or in advance by contacting the ADVANCE box office at 212-252-2512 (voice mail) or advancearts2012@gmail.com. Proceeds go to the church’s building fund and to the fledgling opera company.

The Church of the Most Precious Blood in Little Italy began by Vatican decree in 1888, to establish a National Parish for the sole purpose of serving the rapidly growing number of Italian immigrants to New York.  The church serves in recognition of the many talents and accomplishments of people of Italian heritage and is the center for the annual San Gennaro Feast.

MORE Opera was established in 2000 to provide professional level and artistically satisfying opera performances to the public at affordable prices. MORE Opera is a division of ADVANCE – The Association for the Development of Vocal Artistry and Neighborhood Cultural Enrichment, a community-based, 501(c) 3, not-for-profit vocal arts organization, setting new standards in musical programming and arts education in New York City.  

In the opera, a crazed gypsy woman seeks vengeance for her mother’s death by abducting a baby boy from a noble family in 15th Century Spain.  Years later, two suitors pursue Leonora, a beautiful noblewoman. Unbeknownst to the rivals, they are long lost brothers. Leonora intervenes to save the life of the man she loves to no avail; his brother has him executed, thus providing the retribution sought by the gypsy.

# # #

Manhattan Opera Repertory Ensemble provides professional level & artistically satisfying opera performances to the public at affordable prices, setting new standards in musical programming and arts education in New York City. New York needs MORE Opera!