Jennifer (also known as Jenna) Kennedy joined PBO in the beginning of Fall in 2008 as a Box Office Systems Administrator and is now Box Office Manager. What is that you ask? Jenna’s responsibilities include database management, ticketing management and reporting, customer service and ticketing sales. Opera was introduced to Jenna as a small child by her late father who blasted Luciano Pavarotti throughout the house before there was surround sound. Jenna’s interests span from Asian-themed art & design to relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Palm Beach. She dislikes frogs and flying but loves a soft smooth sounding melody especially from the 80’s!

Christina (affectionately called Xtina) joined our Box Office in the Spring of 2009 and took over Group Sales in the Summer of 2010. She is the youngest member of our team and her friendly personality makes her perfect for assisting our patrons on a daily basis. Born and raised in South Florida, she enjoys the sun and warm summer weather. She has 3 adorable Dachshunds: Lily, Lucy, & Largo. She loves theme parks, Lady Gaga, her iPhone 4, & floral print.

If you ever have questions about tickets, seating availability, or anything else that is related to our performances, give Jenna or Christina a call and they’ll be happy to help you!

Designed to pay homage to the immigrant experience, as well as for individual achievement, the Ellis Island Medals of Honor are awarded to U.S. citizens from various ethnic backgrounds. The honorees are remarkable Americans who exemplify outstanding qualities in both their personal and professional lives, while continuing to preserve the richness of their particular heritage.

Established in 1986 by National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO), the Ellis Island Medals of Honor pay tribute to the ancestry groups that comprise America’s unique cultural mosaic.  Held each May on Ellis Island, the event is full of pageantry, grandeur and emotion.  All branches of the United States Armed Forces traditionally participate in this spectacular event.  Dancers in their native costume add to the international flavor of the celebration.  A gala dinner in the historic Great Hall on Ellis Island follows the moving ceremony.  As a grand finale, a majestic fireworks display illuminates the sky and America’s symbol of freedom, the Statue of Liberty.

Ellis Island is the gateway through which more than 12 million immigrants passed in their quest for freedom of speech, religion and economic opportunity.  Through struggle and sacrifice, these immigrants have built our nation.  The Ellis Island Medals of Honor celebrate the richness and diversity of American life, honoring not only individuals, but the pluralism and democracy that have enabled our ancestry groups to maintain their identities while becoming integral parts of the American Way of life.  Both the United States House of Representatives and Senate have officially recognized the Ellis Island Medals of Honor.  Each year’s recipients are read into the Congressional Record.  Past Medalists include six Presidents, as well as Nobel Prize winners and leaders of industry, education, the arts, sports and government.

NECO continues to support new education initiatives and cutting-edge medical research endeavors, partners with humanitarian organizations nationally and internationally, celebrates the diversity, achievements and progress of all ethnic backgrounds, promotes tolerance and cultural awareness.

The creation of NECO was based on the conviction of its founders that the diversity of the American people is what makes this nation great.  Its mission is to honor and preserve this diversity and to foster tolerance, respect and understanding among religious and ethnic groups.

NECO sponsors a broad range of programs, events, educational initiatives and materials designed to cultivate understanding among individuals and groups.

Additionally, NECO continues the commitment to the restoration and maintenance of Ellis Island, a living tribute to the courage and hope all immigrants who have built America.

Helen K. Persson graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Nursing School as a registered nurse and went on to serve as head nurse in pediatrics. She joined the Navy during World War II and served in the Navy Nurse Corps where she rose to the rank of Lt. Commander. It was indeed while stationed as a navy nurse in California that Helen’ Persson’s commanding officer heard her sing and encouraged her to audition for the San Francisco Opera Chorus, resulting in a mainstage lead role opposite Lily Pons in Delibes’ Lakmé. Her love of the arts has not abated, and she remains a staunch supporter of the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Opera and Palm Beach Opera. Palm Beach Atlantic University named a recital hall in her honor. The Helen K. Persson Recital Hall includes studios, practice space, classrooms and offices.

Her commitment to health and well-being presaged her strong support of Sloan-Kettering in New York, Good Samaritan Hospital in Palm Beach County and recently Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Florida Atlantic University College of Nursing honored her by inducting her into the university’s chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the international nursing honor society.

Helen established the eminent scholar chair in community caring at Florida Atlantic University so that all of society would benefit. Among the many awards Helen received are the Women of Distinction Award from the Beach Atlantic University, the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the National Society of Fund Raising Executives, an Honorary Degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University, and the 2010 Muse Award as Civic Leader, presented by the Palm Beach County Cultural Council.

Further to her support of arts and health institutions, Helen remains committed to Colgate University, where she and her late husband Ted have provided major support to build Persson Hall, home to three social science departments as well as the Helen K. Persson Auditorium, for which Colgate presented Helen with an honorary degree.

Congratulations to Mrs. Persson!

Dear Friend,

Welcome to Palm Beach Opera’s exciting 2013 season!

The 2013 season will focus performances during the height of the Palm Beach season creating a “festival atmosphere” over twelve weeks from mid-January to early April.  Each weekend will feature various opera performances throughout Palm Beach County. The artistic plan envisions ‘international seasons’ with a mix of operatic repertoire, musical styles, and languages to provide you with a variety of experiences.

Unified by the theme of “seduction and scandal,” the 2013 season will be anchored by three fully-staged mainstage opera productions at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. The season will begin with Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata in January, followed by Gioachino Rossini’s La Cenerentola in February, and conclude with Richard Strauss’ Salome in March.

The mainstage season will be augmented by a staged production of Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw featuring Palm Beach Opera’s Young Artists in a new collaboration with the Lynn University Conservatory of Music at their new state-of-the-art Wold Performing Arts Center in Boca Raton. Other planned events include a free outdoor opera-in-concert at the Meyer Amphitheater in downtown West Palm Beach, One Opera in One Hour performances at CityPlace, and a Gala Recital in Palm Beach that will be a highlight of the social season.

Thank you for your continued patronage and I look forward to seeing you at the Opera!

Sincerely,

Daniel Biaggi,
General Director

LEARN MORE AND SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Well, our next production of Lucia di Lammermoor is about as traditional as you can get.  But that doesn’t mean that it is stodgy or boring.  ”This production is different than Romeo and Juliet in that it is traditional and has historical voracity,” says Palm Beach Opera Director of Production Greg Hirsch. “This production is artistically relevant, although it is not new, and really captures the essence of the Scottish countryside which plays a huge part in the plot.”

Check out some exclusive production photos:

ALL TICKETS ARE ONLY $25!

DENYCE GRAVES-MONTGOMERY IN RECITAL

Friday, March 16, 2012 at 8:00 PM
Broward Center for the Performing Arts

Use code PBO and get 10% off tickets!

One of today’s most exciting vocal stars, Denyce Graves has performed across all four continents in the world’s famed opera houses and concert halls. Her expressive and rich vocalism, elegant stage presence and exciting theatrical performances have led to worldwide popular and critical acclaim. USA Today identifies her as “An operatic superstar of the 21st Century,” and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution proclaims “If the human voice has the power to move you, you will be touched by Denyce Graves.” Denyce is joined by Louis Salemno on piano.

Buy tickets here!

I traveled to Dallas on Sunday morning after our last Brundibar on Saturday night to see the matinee performance of Lucia di Lammermoor, with Elena Mosuc in the title role and Bryan Hymel singing Edgardo. I don’t have any ambition to be a reviewer, and so I will only write about reconnecting with singers who have a history either with Palm Beach Opera or through personal connection with me, rather than addressing their singing in detail. Bryan has come a long way since singing Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly at the Palm Beach Opera while he was still at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, and sounded wonderful. It was great to catch up with him and his lovely wife Irini after the performance at the Donor Reception, to which Artistic Director Jonathan Pell graciously invited me. I had hoped Bryan might sing at our Gala concerts in January, but Irini is making her Covent Garden debut during the same weekend, and understandably, Bryan elected to be by Irini’s side for this important moment in her career – even more so, since he will then be singing the Prince in Rusalka at ROH at Covent Garden in February. We’ll just have to find another occasion to get him back to Palm Beach Opera!

It was also nice to hear bass Jordan Bisch again, this time in the role of Raimondo, who I’d first heard while he was still a member of the Lindemann Young Artist Program at the Metropolitan Opera, as well as Scott Quienn, who was a winner of the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition several years ago, and who is currently a member at the Houston Grand Opera Young Artist Program.

The last 10 days were fascinating at Palm Beach Opera, mainly due to our performances of Hans Krasa’s opera Brundibar.  Ela Stein Weissberger, who sang the role of the cat 55 times while at the concentration camp in Terezin, came to Palm Beach to address both the kids in the opera, as well as the audience. What an extraordinary lady! A spirit of unbreakable determination to have her story and her Brundibar experience told, but also filled with compassion and love for her fellow human beings. Watching the Young Singers of the Palm Beaches as well as the Lynn University Conservatory of Music students respond to Ela in rehearsals and after the performances at the Kravis Center has been a highlight in my recent past.

The production came into existence through a wonderful collaboration between Palm Beach Opera and the above-mentioned three organizations, fueled by InSIGHT through Education, who raised the funds.  A truly moving and inspirational 2 weeks of rehearsals and performances, with few dry eyes in the hall!

SIT IN THE GOOD SEATS FOR ONLY $30

Valid performances:
MADAMA BUTTERFLY
Friday, December 16, 2011 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 7:30 PM

ROMEO AND JULIET
Friday, February 24, 2012 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 7:30 PM

LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Friday, March 23, 2012 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 7:30 PM

USE CODE: 50YEARS

This offer is only available October 11-13, 2011 online at pbopera.org and is not valid on prior purchases, premium seating, balcony seating, Sunday matinee performances, or tickets to Golden Jubilee: 50th Anniversary Gala Concert.

Arts Garage is a multi-disciplinary cultural hub for visual artists, musicians, performers, film presenters and arts educators. The mission of the Arts Garage is to collaborate with emerging artists and cultural innovators to facilitate an exchange of art and ideas and to present cutting-edge, interdisciplinary performances and exhibitions.

Palm Beach Opera will be performing there this season as well, so stay tuned for more information about what we will be doing.

This Sunday (September 18) Arts Garage will be hosting “From Berlin to Broadway: Cabaret of Kurt Weill” featuring Broadway star Edwin Cahill (who also happened to sing at Palm Beach Opera’s “Midsummer Serenade” event two years ago) and international opera singer Julia Kogan.

(click to enlarge the poster)

Check out the concert and let us know what you thought of it!