Following a highly successful fundraiser, the Opera Club of The Villages is seeking scholarship applications from graduating seniors.
The club held its annual “Three Tenors Plus One” fundraising concert this past weekend, which President Gerri Piscitelli deemed a huge success.
“It was a fabulous night of music for attendees whose support will provide generous scholarships for our local students who aspire to pursue a musical career,” she said.
The concert featured:
- Devin Eatmon, a Villages favorite and former winner of a Harold S. Schwartz Music Scholarship. He has performed at the Aspen Music Festival and at Opera in the Ozarks and is a resident artist with the Central Florida Lyric Opera and a graduate teaching assistant at Florida State University.
- Christopher Macchio, of New York, a trained classical tenor from the Manhattan School of Music. His growing reputation has taken him to sold-out theaters in the United States and Europe.
- Fanyong Du, a lyric tenor who recently completed a world tour. He has been the recipient of many prestigious prizes, including the Licia Albanese Puccini International Opera Competition. He was educated in Russia and has performed extensively in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
- Dawn DiNome, a Villages favorite and frequent star of local theatrical productions. Her recent credits include Eva in “Evita,” Mary Magdalene in “Jesus Christ Superstar” and Ducinea in “Man of La Mancha.” In March, she’ll perform the role of Sandy in the Musical “Grease” at the Savannah Center. She also is a member of Local Vocals and the assistant musical director at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Wildwood.
The application deadline for the Harold Schwartz Scholarships is Saturday, March 7. Only the first 35 applications received will be accepted. First prize will be $12,000; second prize up to $10,000; third prize up to $8,000; and fourth prize up to $6,000. Encouragement awards of $1,000 each also will be awarded.
Auditions for the scholarships will be held Saturday, April 4 at the Sharon Morse Performing Arts Center. Applications are available through high school music teachers, guidance counselors or from the opera club. More information is available at www.operaclubofthevillages.com.
