Celebration of a New OperaThe Pinellas Opera League takes great pleasure in announcing its sponsorship of a new opera “THE BARBER OF ST. PETE” given at the Largo Culture Center on Friday, June 12, at 7 p.m. The opera is an adaption of Rossini’s masterpiece”Barber of Seville”, specially adapted and written for children by Dr. Elliott Swift of the Pinellas Opera League. Dr. Swift received his doctorate degree in Educational Theater from New York University. He has had vast experience working in stage, television and film productions in New York City, Europe, and the west coast. He also has worked in third world countries; Romania, Hungary, and India, producing programs for them. He has also presented the first American musical of "Fantasticks" to be presented in Albania. Elliott also directed the first production of "The Sound of Music"; the first American musical to be presented in English in Tripoli, Lebanon, along with Mozart's Opera Impresario.. Before the opera begins, there will be a special performance of exceptionally talented young children and teenagers. at 7 p.m. The opera will be performed under the musical direction of Maestro Mark Sforzini of the St. Petersburg Opera Company. Mark is a musician, composer, teacher, and conductor who is the artistic director of the St. Petersburg Opera Company and FloriMezzo, a professional and student chamber group. Sforzini, formerly the principal bassoonist for sixteen years with the Florida Orchestra teaches extensively and is part of the arts renaissance of downtown St. Petersburg; conducting many of his performances in the Palladium Theater. Mark is an enthusiastic organizer and advocate for the classical music, especially opera. Children from local schools have been chosen after auditioning for the chorus. Tickets are on sale at the Largo Cultural Center box office, located at 105 Central Park Dr,. Phone-727-587-6793. Adults $10, $5 for children under 12, and $25 for a group of four; (any combination of persons. The city of Largo has graciously donated the Cultural Center for the performance. There will be a free performance at l p.m. on June 12, for the three hundred camp children who will be bused by the city of Largo to introduce opera to them.
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