4 Thursday, June 22, 2017 Island Beat Hawaii Tribune-Herald faculty members soprano Jennifer McGregor, Moniz (a tenor), soprano Jennifer Tung and Val Underwood, who is the festival’s artistic director. “In the past, this program has mostly featured voice faculty members, but this year we have such an incredible number of professional fellows joining us, we decided to feature them, too,” Moniz says. “You will also get to see these same fellows in the cast of ‘Don Giovanni,’ another HPAF production later this summer.” The professional fellows performing in this year’s “Opera on the Rocks” include soprano Christine Lyons, baritone Evan Bravos, bass-baritone Derrell Acon, bass-baritone Paul Grosvenor and tenor Matthew Kelly. Kicking off the evening of song and drink is the aptly titled “The Drinking Song,” from “The Student Prince,” sung by Moniz, Acon, Kelly, Bravos and Grosvenor. “’The Drinking Song’ is a tune people would know if they heard it,” Moniz says. “It was originally a movie made famous by Mario Lanza.” Moniz has performed in the full stage production of this operetta twice, most recently with Opera Grand Rapids in Michigan. Moniz, who serves as coordinator of vocal studies at Millikin University in Illinois, has performed in more than 80 operas, concerts and musical theater productions. “(‘The Student Prince’) is a staple of the repertoire,” he says. “It’s a mix between musical theater and opera. The operetta is set in Heidelberg, Germany, and this song is about a bunch of college-age men enjoying the camaraderie and fraternity-type atmosphere. We try to take the different pieces and see what type of drinks fit and give the audience that immersive experience. So, we might recommend a German beer to drink with this song.” The second act closes with “Libiamo” from Giuseppe Verdi’s “La traviata,” a scene in which guests at a big party toast with champagne flutes, so one might venture to guess a glass of bubbly will fit nicely. Opera has been growing in popularity through the years — no longer just entertainment for the elite upper class. People generally are familiar with a few famous arias, such as the laughed-until-hecried clown in “Pagliacci” or “Habanera” from “Carmen,” Freeman says. And, in recent years “Nessun Dorma” has been heard on shows such as “America’s Got Talent” and on YouTube, sung by Aretha Franklin and performed live on ukulele by Jake Shimabukuro. “I’m a big fan of these types of events because I think they help us break the ice and make opera not such a distant art form,” says HPAF professional fellow Bravos, who is joining the festival for the first time and also will play the lead role in “Don Giovanni” in July. “The opera house is not as stuffy as it once was. The art form has been evolving for its own survival. Events like this concert make opera accessible to people of all backgrounds. And who doesn’t like music and drinking?” Bravos, 29, a native of Chicago, says he has sung opera in all sorts of places beyond the opera house stage, including libraries, bars, museums and wineries. The “Opera on the Rocks” event will be a wonderful drinking “opera-tunity,” he jokes. “It’s opera out of context and I think it’s awesome,” he says. “It’s healthy for the art form and for us as singers. It’s where high culture meets popular culture. And I think people will be surprised at how much they enjoy themselves.” One of the four pieces Bravos will perform is “O vin dissipe la tristesse” from “Hamlet.” “It basically translates to ‘Oh wine, dissipate my sorrows,’ I want to get drunk and forget about my problems,” he explains. “It’s Hamlet with his buddies. He’s very contemplative and brooding.” Bravos sings a little tune, (one that I recognize), then explains another song, “Votre Toast” from “Carmen,” the toreador song, is a crowd-pleaser — with lyrics that narrate through a bull fight and the moment in the opera when a love triangle begins. “There are a number of pieces on the program this year that are in English, but for those not in English, we always give a little background on the piece before we perform it,” Moniz says. “For someone who might not be sure about opera, this event is an opportunity to come and enjoy an operatic buffet. It’s one of our most popular events. We are always trying to reach new audiences and introduce them to new genres of music.” “Let’s kick off the evening and raise our glasses to drink to another season of HPAF on the island,” Moniz says. The “Opera on the Rocks” performances are made possible through a donation by Carol and Clive Davies. Tickets for the Hilo performance are $30 ($35 the day of performance) and $50 for the Hapuna show. Seating is limited; drinks and pupus are available for purchase. HPAF also is offering a 3-for-1 Hilo discount package to attend “Opera on the Rocks” July 2, “Don Giovanni” July 14 and “The Mikado” July 21 at the Palace Theater for $55. This price is only good through HPAF. To order tickets, visit HawaiiPerformingArts- Festival.org or call 333- 7378. Or, for the Palace Theater show, call the box office at 934- 7010. A complete schedule of 2017 festival performances is available at the festival website. Email Katie Young Yamanaka at BIVHawaii@ gmail.com. OPERA From page 2 Photo courtesy of Opera Grand Rapids Justin John Moniz as the Prince in Romberg’s “The Student Prince.”
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