Event Details BACK

What better way to enjoy a summer evening than picnicking in a vineyard, sipping wine and listening to opera?  It is an evening of classic opera in a relaxed, casual setting nestled among the vines of Retzlaff Vineyards for Livermore Valley Opera’s 23rd annual Opera in the Vineyard.   Details are as follows:
 
Opera in the Vineyard
Sunday, July 19; 5pm- 8pm
Retzlaff Vineyards, 1356 South Livermore Avenue, Livermore
$40 in advance through July 8; $50 after July 8.
 
"The annual Opera in the Vineyard has become a popular community event,” says Raquel Holt, LVO founder and this year’s event co-chairperson.  “Our supporters and many come each time, enjoy the high quality of the talented opera singers, the wonderful program, and the lovely vineyard setting.”
 
This benefit event for LVO offers a chance for the community to enjoy arias from classic operas performed by professional singers in an informal setting.  It is a “bring-your-own-picnic dinner” event where guests can purchase the organically-made wines of Retzlaff Vineyards while enjoying performances by professional opera singers.
 
“It is always wonderful to see our supporters enjoy themselves in an informal, casual event as they listen to beautiful arias being performed by LVO's talented principal singers,” adds Holt.  “From their picnic baskets, our guests take out a spread of delectable culinary delights to share, and to hear the clinking of wine glasses as they happily make a toast to each other is a delight to see.  Of course, the scenic Retzlaff Vineyards is the perfect venue!  And this year, there are four singers who will entertain with solos, duets, trios, and quartets.”    
 
Arias a la carte
Once again, LVO will offer the extremely popular “Arias a la carte” portion of the program when guests have the opportunity to purchase songs from a “menu of delectable arias” for the singers to perform at the purchaser’s table or seating area.  This year’s singers are tenor Christopher Bengochea; bass Kirk Eichelberger; soprano Joyce Parry Moore, and mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz.  Accompanying the singers is pianist Chun Mei Wilson.
 
Reservations and Early Bird Savings – Sell out expected
Early bird reservations for $40 through July 8 can be made online at www.livermorevalleyopera.com, or by calling the information line at (925) 960-9210.  After July 8, the cost is $50 if space is still available as this event is expected to sell-out.  Reservations for tables of eight can be reserved in a company or family name.
 
While Retzlaff wine will be available for purchase, no outside wine is permitted.  Guests are encouraged to carpool.
 
Visit LVO’s website www.livermorevalleyopera.com  for more event information.
 
About the Performers
Christopher Bengochea (Tenor) is a prize winning international opera tenor who has been heralded as having “power, sure intonation, and fine diction that come in a package tied with a ribbon of ‘natural sound.’ He performed the title role in Idomeneo to enormous success. Jason Victor Serinus of Opera News says: “Tenor Christopher Bengochea’s dark-hued (voice)...conquered virtually every vocal hurdle Mozart set out for Idomeneo ... Bengochea’s performance was exceptional.” Other engagements included Vasco da Gama in Meyerbeer’s L’Africaine for Opera Orchestra of New York and Rodolfo in Puccini’s La bohème.  Christopher had been a Resident Artist of Opera San José, 2005-2008, where he performed Rodolfo in La bohème, the title role in Roméo et Juliette, Alfredo in La traviata, Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, the title role of Werther, the Duke in Rigoletto, and Tamino in Die Zauberflöte. Companies with which he has performed include: Opera San Jose, Atlanta Opera, Opera Idaho, Opera Canada, Center City Opera, Opera Company Brooklyn, Jarvis Conservatory, Intermountain Opera, Townsend Opera, Rimrock Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Pacific Repertory Opera, Livermore Valley Opera, West Bay Opera, Teatro Felice, Caramoor Opera, Tigulio Festival Opera, and Opera Santa Barbara.
 
Kirk Eichelberger (Bass) made his debut with Livermore Valley with the role of Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor and was recently seen as Mephistopheles in Faust with Opera Grand Rapids, Sparafucile in Rigoletto with the Vancouver Opera and Ferrando in Il Trovatore with Opera Manitoba and Festival Opera.  In recent years, he has sung Timur in Turandot and Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Other opera highlights have included Don Fernando in Fidelio with the Opera Company of Philadelphia, The Four Villains in The Tales of Hoffman with the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the title role in Le Nozze di Figaro for Opera Memphis, Alidoro in La Cenerentola for Sacramento Opera and the title role in West Bay Opera's Don Giovanni.  On the concert stage, Mr. Eichelberger has performed Mendelssohn’s Elijah with Oakland East Bay Symphony, Mozart’s and Brahm’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Kodály's Budavári Te Deum. In 1999, he received two awards, as national finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a winner of the MacAllister Awards for Opera singers.   He holds a MM in Vocal Performance from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and BM in Vocal Performance from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.  

Joyce Parry Moore (Soprano) completed her master’s studies in opera at the Boston Conservatory and sang opera and oratorio in the Boston and New York area before moving to Juneau, Alaska to work with Perseverance Theater.  Once in Alaska, she founded her own opera company, Opera to Go! that produced and toured operas to underserved areas of the state for ten years.  Moving to California, she attended seminary at the Pacific School of Religion at the Graduate Theology Union in Berkeley.  The Rev. Parry Moore was ordained an Episcopal Priest and now serves as the Rector of Saint Bartholomew’s Church in Livermore.  She makes her debut with Livermore Valley Opera in the company’s 23rd “Opera in the Vineyard” event.

Nikola Printz (Mezzo-soprano) is an emerging mezzo soprano singer-actress in the Bay Area who has sung with LVO in roles such as Mercedes in Carmen, Giovanna in Rigoletto, and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor. Other roles include the title role in Carmen with Verismo, and Erika in a concert staged version of Barbers Vanessa with West Edge Opera. Past performances include Dame Quickly in Verdi’s Falstaff, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, the Witch in Sondheim's Into the Woods, Polinesso in Handel’s Ariodante with the San Francisco Conservatory Baroque Orchestra.  She premiered the roles Artemisia and Anna in a workshop performance of Dante DeSilva's Castle Gesualdo with Opera Paralèlle under the baton of Nicole Paiement. Recently, she appeared as Dorabella in Mozart's Cosí fan tutte at the Berkeley Piano Club, and La Ciesca in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi. Nikola is also a cabaret singer and performs regularly at jazz clubs such as Yoshi's and Viracocha lounge with duo partner Ramon Fermin. She studies with Patricia Craig at the San Francisco Conservatory.

Chun Mei Wilson (Pianist/accompanist) has collaborative projects that range from recitals with double-bass to marimba to coloratura soprano. Ms. Wilson apprenticed as a prompter at San Francisco Opera and for many seasons has accompanied for Festival Opera, North Bay Opera, and Martinez Opera.  Ms. Wilson had the privilege of coaching Frederica Von Stade from 1997 until the mezzo’s Carnegie Hall farewell recital in 2010.

About LVO
Livermore Valley Opera was founded in 1992, and presents fully-staged operas in the spring and fall at the Bankhead Theater. The theater is located in Livermore in the Tri-Valley area, just 45 miles east of San Francisco. The Bankhead Theatre features excellent lines of sight and acoustics, helping the Opera to attract talented singers and stage directors.

LVO combines the talents of professional musicians, stage directors, principal singers, and designers with the dedication and practical abilities of volunteers filling such critical roles as board members, chorus, stage crew, and set builders to reach its artistic goals.

The mission of Livermore Valley Opera is to enrich the community by producing the world's best operas, and to foster the careers of talented opera singers. LVO encourages a wider appreciation of opera and the associated arts.

Livermore Valley Opera is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization.