Letter to the Editor dated September 27, 2002 in
appreciation for the concert staged by First Coast Opera to raise funds for The
Dance Company's move to St. Augustine Beach.
Editor: On behalf of The Dance Company, I
would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to all who helped make First Coast
Opera Loves The Dance Company such a wonderful event. The impressive talents
demonstrated by all the members of First Coast Opera provided an evening of
entertainment that was enjoyed by all. Anthony Fast and Barbara Norris, the
founders of FCO, have assembled a fine collection of singers from the community.
We truly appreciate the donation of time by FCO as they extend their support in
our efforts to raise funds for new dance studios at the Arts Center at St.
Augustine Beach. We would also like to thank Amy Clark at The Record for her
assistance in publicizing the event.
And of course, many thanks to the audience,
without whose continued support we could not accomplish our goals. Our move to
the beach is a big undertaking and we cannot do it alone. We are grateful for
all the encouragement we receive. We invite you to future performances of The
Dance Company to see the many talented dancers this community has to
offer.
Karen Kempler, President, Board
of Directors, The Dance Company,St. Augustine
"We
enjoyed the production and great talent assembled by you.Congratulations on a fine production.One of the best moments came in Papageno's aria when the music box ceased
to function, totally unplanned, but a great comedic moment when he strummed
since the device wouldn't turn anymore.Your contribution to the artistic life of St. Augustine and the greater
North Florida community is to
be commended.Again thanks and congratulations."
Jon
O. Carlson, DMA, Professor of Music, Director of Choral Arts, Jacksonville
University
"John and I want to tell you what an outstanding
performance your singers, musicians, and support people gave us(we went on Saturday night).The casting, singing, costumes, set design and lighting were so well
done. We were completely caught up in the music and the story.And special kudos to John Bush and Shannon McKay, too.Has it been videotaped by any chance?I’m sure the tapes would sell like the proverbial hotcakes.Everyone in the orchestra looked as though they were enjoying it too –
as much as we were in the audience.You’ve
done a miraculous job in bringing all the necessities together to put on
such a top notch show – your only problem now is:how can you possibly top this Zauberflöte with your next performance?Every success! Great that it was sung in English, too!"
From John Condit and Barbara Minckley
"Finally getting down on paper to congratulate you both
for the wonderful production of The Magic Flute!!The singing was beautiful. The acting was terrific and
the costumes a feast for the eyes. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Am looking forward
to being at each and every performance you give! All good wishes and much
thanks for all your hard work and devotion to opera!"
Ann J., following The Magic Flute
"Bob & I wish to thank you for the
pleasure of hearing The Magic Flute last Saturday.The voices, the acting, the sets and costumes were marvelous.Thank you again!"
Pat & Bob
For Amahl and the Night Visitors: "Congratulations on a wonderful pair of performances! This is the
first step in bringing opera to the children of Northeast Florida. Please
give our heartfelt kudos to all the members of the
cast."
Barbara Thornton, The Foundation for Ponte Vedra Public
Education
"To all who appreciate good music, the performances of Amahl and the
Night Visitors by the First Coast Opera were a pure delight. The
orchestration, the voices, the scenery, the lighting and the costumes prove once
again that the First Coast Opera can put on a first-class
performance."
From letter to the Editor of the St. Augustine Record, written
by Eva and Charlie Doolittle
Do you have comments about our
performances? Would you write a short review which we could post on this
site? If so, please email us.
Please include your name, what performance you saw and a phone number so that we
may verify your comments. Your phone number will NOT be published on the
website. Thank you!
