Board Chair and event honoree, Judy Waranch, poses with Maryland Opera Artistic Director, James Harp, at the Passion at the Pendry program, which took place in February 2020. Photo courtesy of Maryland Opera.
Maryland Opera Artistic Director, James Harp, leads programs honoring the legacies of three generous and dedicated women .
Baltimore, MD (February 17, 2022) – Maryland Opera will honor three magnificent women who have been instrumental in keeping opera alive in Baltimore with three “Founders Concerts” on March 13, April 24, and May 15, 2022 all at 3:00 p.m.
These 90-minute concerts will be presented from large, beautiful venues in the greater Baltimore area and feature artists of international acclaim joined by guest instrumentalists performing favorites from the operatic canon. Each concert will be followed by a small outdoor reception, weather permitting. Attendees will be required to present proof of vaccination along with their tickets to gain entry. Masks will also be required.
The March 13 concert honors Loretta Lee Ver Valen and will be presented at Grace United Methodist Church in North Baltimore. Loretta was the founder of the Baltimore Opera Guild, a patron and chairwoman of the Baltimore Opera Vocal Competition, and left a significant endowment to the opera effort in Baltimore that continues to support our programming. The program will feature soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra, tenor Kirk Dougherty, and baritone, Luis Ledesma.
The April 24 concert honors Hilda Perl Goodwin and will be presented at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation in Pikesville. Hilda was a long-time piano teacher in the Peabody Preparatory and influenced several generations of Baltimore musicians. As Maryland Opera was starting up, she left a generous gift which served as the seed money for the new arts organization. The program will feature soprano Helena Brown, tenor Andrew Bidlack, and mezzo-soprano Chrystal Williams.
The May 15 concert honors Judith Waranch and will be presented at Beth El Congregation in Pikesville. Judy, the President of Maryland Opera, is a Baltimore attorney and opera lover whose constant efforts over the past 4 years, especially during such challenging times, have allowed Maryland Opera to continue our vision of opera in our community. The program will feature soprano Elizabeth Caballero, tenor, John Pickle, and baritone Timothy Mix.
“I am personally grateful to be able to present these concerts as a means of showing gratitude to these women who have shown extraordinary belief in the cause of opera in our community. All three woman have been or are a valued part of my life, and I hold them in my heart as great friends. Through hard work, generosity, and sacrifice they have led the way, by great example, to enable us and the audiences of the future to enjoy the noble and immortal art form of opera. These concerts, featuring notable artists and iconic operatic repertoire, will be a celebration of the past, the present and the future of Maryland Opera!”
Tickets are $25 and are available on Maryland Opera’s website, or by calling 484-678-6041, and at the door on the day of the performance. Each venue has ample free parking available. For more information, click here.
COMPLETE EVENT DETAILS
The program will be accompanied on piano by Maryland Opera Artistic Director, James Harp, and a small ensemble of guest instrumentalists. Repertoire will be listed on the Maryland Opera website and announced at the event with description by James Harp.
Founders Concert Honoring Loretta Lee Ver Valen
Sunday, March 13, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.
Grace United Methodist Church
5407 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21210
Amy Shoremount-Obra, soprano
Kirk Dougherty, tenor
Luis Ledesma, baritone
Founders Concert Honoring Hilda Perl Goodwin
Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.
Baltimore Hebrew Congregation
7401 Park Heights Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21208
Helena Brown, soprano
Andrew Bidlack, tenor
Chrystal Williams, mezzo-soprano
Founders Concert Honoring Judith Waranch
Sunday, May 15, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.
Beth El Congregation
8101 Park Heights Avenue
Pikesville, MD 21208
Elizabeth Caballero, soprano
John Pickle, tenor
Timothy Mix, baritone
About Maryland Opera
Maryland Opera offers quality opera performances, innovative artistry, support for social awareness, and change, education and outreach programming, commitment to underserved communities, and a vehicle for talented young vocalists to follow their dreams. Maryland Opera builds on Baltimore’s century-old opera tradition that garnered critical acclaim for grand productions that featured opera’s greatest celebrities.
Maryland Opera is passionately invested in bringing the excitement and beauty of live opera—traditional programming as well as innovative and modern approaches—to diverse audiences, including historically underserved audiences throughout Maryland. They do so through numerous outreach programs, including Opera-to-Go, Opera Cares, and Opera Camp.
