The Metropolitan Opera Guild honored legendary soprano Jessye Norman at its 80th Annual Luncheon on November 21, 2014 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. Myra Merritt was one of the forty-five distinguished guest artists invited to attend the event as one of the honored guests of the Metropolitan Opera. Ms. Merritt sang at the Met from 1980 through 1991 and was introduced as one of the artists who sang over 147 performances at the Met.
Wallace dePue, a former Barbershopper and former Professor of Music at Bowling Green State University, was the recipient of an award from the Boston Metro Opera for “Something Special,” a barbershop opera that he wrote in 1976 for the Maumee Valley, Ohio, Chapter show, directed by R. D. Mathey.
Not only were the music original compositions words and music by Wallace, but he had never written barbershop songs or arranged them, so he ran them all through the Society for guidance. He also wrote the complete libretto and lent his help as the show was put together. It was performed with the BGSU Men’s Chorus combined with the Maumee Valley Chorus.
The College of Musical Arts mourns the loss of Marjorie Conrad, friend of the college and supporter of the Conrad Art Song Competition, who passed away recently.
The Toledo Blade highlights her life.
BOWLING GREEN, O.—The holiday Festival Series performance at Bowling Green State University on Dec. 6 will live up to its name, presenting a festival of music, poetry, dance, theater and more.
The 7 p.m. concert in Kobacker Hall will feature soprano Kisma Jordan, a BGSU alumna, as soloist with the BG Philharmonia in Bach/Gounod’s “Ave Maria,” plus 200 students, faculty and community members along with some of BGSU’s top ensembles, including the University Choral Society, BGSU Wind Symphony Brass and BGSU’s Heart and Music musical theater students.
Filled with classics like “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” traditional carols and some special holiday medleys, “the concert has evolved into a holiday performance of epic proportions,” said Susan Hoekstra, director of public events for the College of Musical Arts. Hoekstra hinted there would be some surprise soloists in the Haydn “Toy Symphony,” where toys take center stage.
The award-winning Prestige Barbershop Quartet will bring their harmonies to “What Child Is This?” and the bouncy rhythms of “Sleigh Ride” will liven the pace.
Tickets can be purchased at BGSU.edu/FestivalSeries or by calling the box office at 419-372-8171.
The concert is part of a whole evening of entertainment with BGSU’s family-friendly ArtsX events across campus.
