Don't miss next year
Karen Whittlesey
Monday, October 8, 2007
THE KANSAS Concert Opera opened its first season with a performance of Tosca at Beach Hall Sunday afternoon. If you missed it, you missed something powerful, moving, dramatic and exciting. And something Emporia can rave about.
The KCO, founded this summer by Stanford Felix, has brought a new artistic venture to this town — indeed to eastern Kansas — that deserves recognition, encouragement and applause.
The concert opera format offers an entire opera, but without staging and costumes. This performance featured several soloists, a small chorus, pianist and percussionist. There is nothing between you and the music and lyrics, and the effect, as performed Sunday by Felix, Andrea Garritano, and Hugo Vera, among other strong voices, was one of intimacy, passion and involvement.
The KCO Web site www.kansasconcertopera.com will tell you what you need to know about the vision and mission of this nonprofit venture. Attending a performance will move you.
Watch for notices about next spring’s performance. Your heart and spirit cannot afford to miss it.