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The Villages
Friday, March 29, 2024

Fernando and wife bring story of ‘Amore’ to series of concerts at The Sharon

This love story reads like a fairy tale about a handsome, young singer who met a beautiful single mom. They had little in common until they discovered a mutual passion — music. Eventually, the musical bond became an ongoing romantic interlude that led to marriage, children and a chance for international singing stardom.

Susan and Fernando after the show.
Susan and Fernando after the show.

This fairy tale is reality because nearly 15 years after they met in The Villages, Fernando Varela and Susan Williams Varela are still making beautiful music together and still very much in love.
That was obvious Wednesday night during the Valentine concert, “Amore,” in the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center. Four more shows are scheduled for 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, with special guests: pianist William Joseph and violinist Caroline Campbell.
Music and love are a splendid formula for the marriage of Fernando and Susan. And you could almost feel the romance seeping from the stage to the speakers to the people in the Sharon’s seats.

“It’s a choice to love,” a drained but effervescent Susan Varela said after one of the most entertaining and powerful concerts of the year. “We are very open with our lives and we work hard to keep everything in balance.”

“We love each other,” Fernando said. “That’s why this was a very special night.”

One of the early numbers was a duet on the tender “Perhaps Love,” by John Denver. It seemed to sum up the Varelas’ relationship with these lyrics:  “If I should live forever, and all my dreams come true/My memories of love will be of you.”

The stage set itself was a domineering part of the concert.

Fernando and Susan stood on a platform that featured two ramps on each side, rising near the top of the stage. The ramps had multi-colored lights, that looked like lanterns, on each side. Dozens of other lights were hanging from the top of the stage and bathed the singers – at various times — in a glowing mist of blue, yellow, red, pink and aqua. Near the top of the stage was a walkway, with a huge video screen behind it.

Fernando and Susan Varela share a tender moment on The Sharon stage.
Fernando and Susan Varela share a tender moment on The Sharon stage.

The glitzy set was stunning, but Fernando and Susan represent something more basic: a shared love and exquisite harmony. Their vocal artistry was on display in styles ranging from opera to pop to spiritual to rock and roll. On this night, Fernando seemed a cross between Pavarotti and Journey’s Steve Perry. Susan, on the other hand, was singing soft soprano on classical numbers but then had a jumping and jiving transformation into a jazzy scat singer on others.

Fernando would add some zest to a standard like “It Had to Be You” and Susan would surprise with a swinging, cool cover of Bobby Darin’s “Beyond the Sea.”

Fernando went back to Frankie Valli on a rambunctious “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and then paid tribute to Lionel Richie with “Three Times A Lady,” giving the song a kind of soulful operatic flavor.

It’s that pop/classical crossover sound that has placed Fernando on the threshold of worldwide stardom. His new album has a European release in April for a German record company under the giant Universal Music Group.  A  new single is due out next month.

The CD was recorded at the Beatles’ hometown London studio of Abbey Road and has big breakthrough written all over it.

Fernando Varela hits the high notes.
Fernando Varela hits the high notes.

He previewed some of the songs from the CD, including a Spanish version of “All By Myself,” written by Eric Carmen and once recorded by Celine Dion. He brought out the spirit and sound of Julio Iglesias on another CD track, “Embrace Me.”

This is a momentous time for Fernando, but what about Susan? She is a success in her own right, performing at Walt Disney World and singing on ESPN and stages throughout the country.

“When Fernando and I first met 15 years ago, we were very competitive,” Susan said. “We kept trying to top each other. Look what he’s doing now!”

Susan asked hubby to leave the stage this way: “Hey superstar, get off the stage,” sounding like Alice shouting at Ralph Kramden in “The Honeymooners.”

One of the great things about Fernando and Susan is their sense of humor. These two constantly kid each other and Susan decided to have some fun at his expense.

“I’m getting sick of always being asked the question: ‘What are you doing now?’  I figured out an answer. What I do is love the people who are difficult to love,” she said with a smile that almost looked like a smirk. “I’m dedicating this next song to my tidal wave.”

Of course it was a love song and, later on, Susan and Fernando gave each other a smooch on the lips at center stage.

“So many good things have happened to us this year and we wanted to share it with all of you in The Villages who mean so much to both of us,” Fernando said. “I’ve been able to sing all over the world but when I come back here, it’s like home.”

Villagers Jim and Nancy Broz are longtime fans of Fernando and Susan.
Villagers Jim and Nancy Broz are longtime fans of Fernando and Susan.

Villagers Jim and Nancy Broz have been fans for nearly a decade.

“We’ve seen Fernando from the early days and he always had a great voice,” Jim Broz said. “Now, he has a great stage presence and has really matured as an artist. But don’t forget Susan. She was tremendous tonight and I loved it when she did the scat singing.”

Also impressive was pianist William Joseph, who has worked with such artists as Josh Groban, Barbra Streisand and Kenny G. His youthful, energetic style added some punch to the music but he also showed a masterful classical style.

Caroline Campbell, at times, plays the violin the way Jimi Hendrix played guitar. She would rip into numbers, racing across the stage at a breakneck pace. I almost expected her to pour lighter fluid on a violin and burn it during a cover of “Foxy Lady.”

Actually, Campbell is a brilliant classical violinist. She played a few classical numbers but really captured the audience with “My Heart Will Go On.”

William Joseph, left, Fernando and Susan Varela with Caroline Campbell take a bow
William Joseph, left, Fernando and Susan Varela with Caroline Campbell take a bow

Still, the night belonged to Fernando and Susan.

He seemed inspired on a reverent “You Raise Me Up” and really brought down the house with a rocking, explosive cover of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and you could hear women screaming in the audience.

Then he and Susan came back for an encore, finishing with an emotional, “The Prayer.”

“This was Susan’s first time to perform at The Sharon,” Fernando said after the show. “She loved it and the best part is we were up there together.”

That’s the way love is.

Fernando and Susan Varela earn applause in The Sharon spotlight.
Fernando and Susan Varela earn applause in The Sharon spotlight.

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