One this is for sure, Boston Lyric Opera can achieve elegance anywhere.
Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) had two remarkable debuts for their virtual concert, A Winter’s Evening. Directed sublimely by Nathan Troop, Boston Lyric Opera’s ‘A Winter’s Evening’ not only made its virtual debut on Operabox, but soprano Gabriella Reyes also made her effervescent debut with the Boston Lyric Opera, an event which she calls “a dream come true.”
BLO’s ‘A Winter’s Evening’ continues streaming through Sunday, January 10. Click here for more information. Boston Lyric Health Task Force helped coordinate the virtual performance to meet safety standards.
Surrounded by the gorgeous grounds at Castle Hill at the Crane Estate in Ipswich, Massachusetts, Miss Massachusetts 2020 Sabrina Victor, adorned in black fur over a glittering white gown, hosted this lovely evening with warmth and poise.
Boston Lyric Opera also weaved in elements of hearth and home blending classic opera and festive classic songs as Gabriella Reyes and Sabrina Victor shared personal remembrances of holidays past. The show is the height of elegance, not only in the couture, but inside the Crane Estate’s majestic ballroom embellished with candlelight and Christmas trees.
Impressively accompanied by pianist Brett Hodgdon, Reyes, adorned in a black gown, showcased her broad range with a dynamic selection of songs that included a serene, bi-lingual version of Silent Night/Nochede Paz, passionate Quando M’en Vo from Puccini’s La Boheme, stirring Nana by Manuel De Falla, a dreamy and heartfelt When You Wish Upon a Star with lyrics by Ned Washington and music by Leigh Harline, and the inspirational classic Harold Arlen song, Over the Rainbow featuring its rarely sung introduction. Reyes masters the operatic selections, her light and powerful vocals make it all look easy.
Guitarist Zaira Meneses accompanied Reyes for a portion of the evening with a selection of songs that are meaningful to both of them including Grever’s Alma Mia and Sandoval’s Gracias a la Vita. Meneses’s vibrancy and flair, putting her entire body into her music with Reyes’s eloquence made for a stirring pair.
BLO’s ‘A Winter’s Evening’ continues on Operabox through Sunday, January 10. Click here for more information and how to subscribe to Boston Lyric Opera’s current season.