The concert was billed as, “Three Tenors Plus One,” but it could have been called “The Master and His Apprentices.”
Oscar Feliu, a pioneer in the Opera Club of The Villages, led two programs Friday at St. Timothy Catholic Church. A couple of young bucks named Siyoung Chang and Devin Eatmon – along with mezzo soprano Laurie Arnold—proved that the younger generation has learned from the example of Feliu.
To see a clip from the performance, follow the link below:
The event helped mark the 20th anniversary of the Opera Club and Feliu, along with Maestro Bill Doherty and club president Gerri Piscitelli, have played major roles in its growth. All the proceeds from the concerts went to The Harold S. Schwartz Scholarship Program, which has donated over $200,000 to students over the past 18 years.
“I want you to know that I’m the only tenor to have been here for every ‘Three Tenors,’” Feliu said from the stage. “I want to thank you for your support for opera in the Villages and helping with the scholarships. Because of your support, we can help send, young talented people to school.”
Feliu was stellar throughout the concert, whether singing solo, duets, or combining with the other two tenors.
One of the early highlights came when Feliu teamed with Arnold on “Tonight,” from “West Side Story.” She wore a dark blue gown and Feliu was equally classy in his black tuxedo. They meshed tenor and soprano voices in a glorious duet.
Feliu went solo on a couple of numbers, a stirring “Granada” and “All the Things You Are.”
Then the veteran singer showed he could hold his own with the younger guys. Feliu, Chang and Eatmon joined forces on stage for booming version of “O Sole Mio” that earned a loud ovation.
Eatmon continues to grow with each performance. He’s only 19 and a few years ago earned a Schwartz scholarship. He seems destined for stardom and showed why with a dynamic version of “Bring Him Home,” from “Les Miserables.”
The young man also sang a few arias and then really hit home with a heart-tugging rendition of “Oh Danny Boy” that gave new meaning to the old song.
Chang, 23, from South Korea, is now studying with Doherty and continues to display an operatic mastery in performance. That was evident on “Una furtiva lacrima” and “The Flower Song.”
Chang has one of those traditional operatic tenor voices that just captivates. He is a musical technician but also radiates emotional impact in performance.
The same could be said for Laurie Arnold who more than held her own with the tenors who surrounded her.
St. Timothy’s ornate altar was the perfect setting for Arnold’s hymn, “It’s Well with My Soul.”
This has been a time of change for Arnold. She lives in Wyoming and is building a new house. “But I had to come back here to sing with Oscar and Bill (Doherty),” she said.
“I do have to say I find myself singing more hymns lately,” Arnold said. “I’ve been going through a lot of changes and sometimes I wonder about things, but God always delivers. I have no doubt that God has something good in store for me.”
The audience appreciated the efforts of all the singers and so did Gerri Piscitelli of the Opera Club. “This is such a great event for us,” she said. “It shows the overwhelming support for opera in The Villages.”
She added that the club had 15 members in 1994 but now has 287 members. The first prize scholarship has grown from $500 to $12,000.
“I think Devin Eatmon is a wonderful example of how our scholarships can help young people,” Piscitelli said. “He is an amazing talent with a great future.”
She also praised Siyoung Chang, “what a wonderful voice” and Lauri Arnold, “she’s so special and came all the way from Wyoming to be with us.”
Doherty and Feliu are also working to reestablish the “International Exchange Program” for scholarship winners to spend time studying in Italy, she said.
Everyone seemed moved by the concert but Arnold had another reason to be happy singing with the three tenors.
“I always wanted to be a ‘plus one,’” she said.
