Solo Opera highlights multi-cultural performances for their 2024-2025 Season
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (May 24, 2024) — Solo Opera is looking forward to 2025, which will be their 25th Anniversary. For their 2024-2025 Season, the company has prepared some special multi-cultural family-friendly events. This includes an opera/outreach project called Lucinda y las Flores de la Nochebuena by Evan Mack and Joshua McGuire.
The plot of the opera stems from the Mexican folklore tale about the first poinsettia. This intimate 45-minute show will contain four performers, singing in English and Spanish, along with a chamber orchestra.
Outreach projects in 2024 will highlight the company’s multi-cultural work leading up to the opera. Sylvia Amorino, Solo Opera Executive Director, shares their vision. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are a key part of the mission of our company. And the multi-cultural Lucinda project is a perfect extension of our community goals. It can be enjoyed by all with its accessible family holiday theme, beautiful musical score, and interactive component with the audience.”
In addition, the group will also sponsor soprano, Shawnette Sulker, for Concord’s second annual Juneteenth concert. This happens on June 23, 12-4 pm, at Todos Santos Park. Look for more information on their website. You’ll also learn how you can help sponsor their season and outreach at www.SoloOpera.org.
Educational outreach projects
In preparation for this 2025 Lucinda opera, Solo Opera will spend 2024 producing free educational outreach projects to the community in connection with this opera. This includes the following.
- Concord Juneteenth (06/23/24, Todos Santos Park, 12-4pm)- Solo Opera will be sponsoring soprano, Shawnette Sulker, and pianist, Daniel Lockert, to perform on the program at the top of the event. Ms. Sulker, as you may recall, starred as their “Dora” in The Three Feathers last season. They will also be there with a Solo Opera sponsor booth with poinsettia and Juneteenth crafts for families and children, prizes, and information about their upcoming Lucinda opera.
- Creative Concord (10/06/24, time TBD) – Still in the works is an operatic pop-up event in Concord’s Todos Santos Park during Creative Concord’s weekend event. They will also highlight the Lucinda opera at this as well. More to come.
- Concord Library (12/09/24, 6:00-7:00pm) A free event for kids/families- with an emphasis on low-moderate income Latino families. The interactive event will include live music, book reading of the Mexican folklore, The Legend of the Poinsettia, by Tomie dePaola, a poinsettia craft project, and prizes. Solo Opera will be sponsoring mezzo-soprano, Leandra Ramm for the event.