OPERA CLUB
LUNCH WITH AMERICAN STARS
by Elizabeth Reifke
The Opera Club has been honored to break bread with two talented American singers at a pair of special lunch events this spring .
First , in February , we dined with soprano Olivia Boen , a native of the Chicago area . Olivia is currently making a huge splash as a member of the Staatsoper Hamburg ’ s International Opera Studio , a two-year program for young singers who have completed their musical studies and are on the brink of an international career . We were fascinated to talk with this marvelous young singer about her path to the big stage , her musical philosophy , and her hopes and dreams for the future . Olivia is not only a vibrant and eloquent speaker , but she is also an appreciative listener , which made for a highly enjoyable back-and-forth discussion at our lunch gathering .
We Opera Club members particularly enjoyed hearing about the world of the opera house from the perspective of a younger singer who is still in the early stages of her career . Olivia ’ s wonderful metaphors about sound , color , and light as well as her stories about her musicinfused life were quite unforgettable . We can hardly wait to follow her career in opera and art songs in the months and years to come .
In March , we were joined by the internationally renowned American tenor Matthew Polenzani , who was in Hamburg to sing the role of the Duca di Mantova in Rigoletto . His perspective as a professional singer with a career spanning nearly three decades made
In March , we had lunch at Tarantella with tenor Matthew Polenzani .
48 CLUBS WITHIN OUR CLUB