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 Northeast Florida's Repertory Opera Company |
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Read About Our OriginsOur first
production in January of 2000 - An Evening of Opera, a program of
arias and ensembles in concert form. Our first
fully-staged opera - Amahl and the Night Visitors by First Coast Opera began as the vision of soprano Barbara Norris and her husband Anthony Fast, known to his radio audience as the host of "Treasures from Captain Classics' Collection" on WFCF, Flagler College radio. They arrived in St. Augustine in 1998 and found many opportunities for Barbara to sing, but NO OPERA! On Valentine's Day 1999, Barbara and accompanist Shannon McKay gave a recital in the "swimming pool" of the Lightner Museum, a concert that was well attended and well received, suggesting that an audience existed for what Barbara wanted to offer. In the fall of the same year, Barbara invited singers she had become acquainted with from singing in the St. Augustine Community Chorus' presentation of the Mozart Requiem in May, to join her in a concert of opera. All expressed interest in the idea, but few had experience with opera. This would not be staged and costumed, but performed in concert dress, with performers using music as needed. As rehearsals progressed, the singers found they really enjoyed the experience and expressed dismay that the concert was to be only one night, so a second night was added. On January 14 & 15 of 2000 audiences in the Flagler Room, a grand Victorian ballroom in the main building of Flagler College, were treated to a wonderful concert of arias and ensembles in An Evening of Opera. Their enthusiastic reception spurred Norris and Fast to undertake the incorporation of the group as First Coast Opera. Papers were filed and in February, the group's charter was accepted by the state of Florida. In the fall, the group was granted not-for-profit status from the IRS. In August of the same year, First Coast Opera presented a second concert of arias and ensembles, but this time fully staged and costumed but with minimal set, in the magical ambience of the Alcazar Antique Mall of the Lightner Museum. Voices of Love played to sold out audiences and they were requested to hold over the show for a second weekend, which was impossible due to key singers' commitments elsewhere. Next came a benefit concert in October, again in
the Lightner - Singers'
Choice: A Bare Bones Benefit featured a broader range of music,
from opera to Broadway and a country song. The benefit proved successful
in providing needed funds for the December presentation of Amahl
and the Night Visitors. June brought the much acclaimed and enjoyed Broadway program: The Lighter Side of First Coast Opera, a benefit concert to raise funds for the fall production of The Magic Flute. A second benefit, Mozart and More, was presented in August with four principal singers of Flute: Jamison Walker, Jacqueline Quirk, David Stork and Barbara Norris. Both concerts were held in the unique ambience of the Lightner's Swimming Pool. The company's most ambitious production was almost cancelled. The Magic Flute, scheduled for September 15 and 16, went forward as the result of a decision that terrorists would not be allowed to disrupt flow of life more than was required for safety. Barbara's mentor, Ron DeFesi, came from NY on September 10 to sing the role of Sarastro. The show was dually dedicated to him and to Lynne Irene Morris, Barbara's daughter's best friend who died on the 101st floor of Tower One of the World Trade Center. In spite of terrorists and a tropical storm the knocked out electrical power for many hours, The Magic Flute was presented to an enthusiastic and surprisingly large audience for both performances. The beloved fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel, was presented in December of the same year. For more information, click the links below for details of each year of FCO history:
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