SAVANNAH, GA – August 5, 2022 – For its tenth anniversary season, the Savannah VOICE Festival (SVF) is further extending its collaboration with community partners as well as making the vocal arts accessible to all through outreach and free events. The season includes partnerships with nonprofit organizations including Hospice Savannah, The Davenport House Museum, Asbury Memorial Church, Christ Church Episcopal, First Baptist Church and the Telfair Academy. SVF’s partnerships will also spotlight the poetic works from local youth who attend programs at the Deep Center in the “VOICES in Song,” at 5 p.m. August 9, at Christ Church, 28 Bull Street on Johnson Square. Their moving texts were set to music by composer, Jodi Goble and those songs will be premiered at this concert. Finally, Savannah Arts Academy Chorus students will participate in Michael Ching’s Alice Ryley and Anna Hunter as part of Savannah Opera’s season.
Free events include “VOICES in Sacred Song” at First Baptist Church, 223 Bull Street on Sunday, August 14 at 5 p.m. with songs of inspiration from sacred texts and comforting themes. The free Masters in VOICE series will be held at different venues throughout the Savannah area. These master classes give audiences an inside look at the preparation and performance of the operatic style of singing by renowned operatic professionals. Each of the master classes listed below will be held at 1 p.m. at either the Demere Center for Living, 6000 Business Center Drive, or the Charles H. Morris Center, 10 E Broad Street:
- Tuesday, Aug. 9 at the Demere Center for Living:
Renowned soprano, Marquita Lister joins the Festival as Quortina in the Festival’s production of Anna Hunter. As part of this special series, she shares her vast expertise with the 2022 Study Grant Artists in an exciting master class format.
- Thursday, Aug. 11 at the Charles H. Morris Center:
Co-founder and president of the Savannah VOICE Festival Sherrill Milnes offers his expertise to a new generation of singers in a master class setting.
- Friday, Aug. 12 at the Demere Center for Living:
Artistic Director of the Milnes VOICE Programs, Jorge Parodi, has conducted and coached all over the globe. See him work with the Season 10 VOICE artists as he shares his expertise. This season Maestro Parodi conducts Faust as part of Savannah Opera at the Festival.
- Wednesday, Aug. 17 at the Charles H. Morris Center:
Soprano Maria Zouves, Co-founder and president of the Savannah VOICE Festival has directed, taught, and produced events all around the world, and now brings that experience to the singers of Season 10 in this master class.
- Friday, Aug. 19 at the Charles H. Morris Center:
Legendary bass-baritone James Morris and his wife, renowned mezzo-soprano Susan Quittmeyer join forces to share their vast knowledge from decades of performances in opera, concert, recital, and recording.
“We always give back to the community as part of our mission, but this season is particularly significant as this community has given so much to us over the last decade,” said Chad Sonka, Executive Director of the Savannah VOICE Festival.
For more information about the Savannah VOICE Festival’s 10th anniversary season, visit savannahvoicefestival.org. To learn more about outreach events and initiatives, please visit savannahvoicefestival.org/outreach-education/.
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Savannah VOICE Festival is a 501(c) 3 tax exempt nonprofit arts organization in the state of Georgia. The Festival brings classical vocal excellence to the Savannah area through a two-week celebration of concerts, events and educational presentations during the month of August and throughout the year. Focusing on arts awareness and audience development in the performing arts, it offers music from opera, musical theatre and popular song. Donations are tax-deductible.
The Savannah VOICE Festival is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly. GCA is a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Beasley at 229-393-6457 or kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com, Lesley Francis at 912-429-3950 or lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com, or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).