Vocal Stars Shine in Opera Musicale

The winners from Opera at Florham (OAF)’s recent Vocal Competition will be featured at their Spring Musicale, Sunday May 21, 2017 at 2PM. The winners are Alexandra Nowakowski, soprano (first prize); Natalie Naudus, mezzo-Soprano; and Andrew Paulus, baritone, both finalists with Mary Pinto, Accompanist. The program will include arias by Rossini from Barber of Seville, Gounod’s Faust, Massenet’s Werther, Barber’s Vanessa, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Massenet’s Manon, Strauss’ trio from Die Fledermaus, and others. Alexandra Nowakowski, soprano, currently a third year resident artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, also won 1st prize at the April’s Gerda Lissner Foundation Vocal Competition and a district winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Andrew Paulson, a baritone from Great Falls, VA, will be featured as Jim in Opera Maine’s An American Dream, Bello in La Fanciulla del west, Starveling in a Midsummer Night’s Dream and Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with Virginia Opera. Natalie Naudus, mezzo-soprano, recent engagements include Mistress Quickly in Falstaff, Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Mercedes, Carmen, Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd, Mere Marie in Dialogues des Carmelites, and more. Accompanying the vocalists on piano is Mary Pinto, co-artistic director and vocal coach, has worked with major America Opera companies for the past 25 years and she maintains a private coaching studio in New Jersey and New York City. Stephen De Maio, co-artistic director and narrator, is President of the Gerda Lissner Foundation. He also serves as Administrative and Artistic Director of several other New York City Music Foundations. Funding has been made possible in part by funds from the Morris Arts Council through the New Jersey State Council of the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Tickets are $30 for regular admission; $25 for seniors; students $5 (up to 22 years); children under 12 years free. Special rates are available for groups of 10 or more at $20 per person. Tickets can be purchased at the door on the day of the event or safely online with PayPal at www.operaatflorham.org or can be ordered by calling 973-443-8620. Checks can be mailed to Opera at Florham, P.O. Box 343, Convent Station, NJ, 07961. Light refreshments will be served at intermission 2017 marks the 35th Anniversary for Opera at Florham, in residence at Fairleigh Dickinson University at the Florham Campus, located at 285 Madison Ave., Madison, NJ 07940. For more information, visit OAF online at www.operaatflorham.org.