From the Met to Broadway Music/Dinner/Auction Gala
The Congregational Church on Mercer Island invites you to an evening of STAR-STUDDED Music Entertainment, 5-course dinner, and treasure-filled Silent Auction on April 27 (Saturday) at 6:30pm. Our awe-inspiring choir with its nationally renowned members promises an evening you will not forget.
Erich Parce, our choir director wears many professional hats. He is a baritone who has sung in major opera houses around the world including the Metropolitan Opera, and L'Opera de Nice. Around Christmas time, you will find him starring in Amahl and the Night Visitors at the Benaroya Hall. Erich has also directed numerous productions, recorded CDs, as well as mentored many successful musicians. You can get FREE voice lessons from Erich at our church on Thursday evenings.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAIx1XAmWh0
Erich's lovely, mezzo-soprano, wife, Jenny Knapp, will also be singing with Erich in this Gala event. She has performed extensively with opera companies around the region, in productions such as Carmen, Madam Butterfly, Falstaff, etc. Jenny is also a frequent guest of the Seattle Symphony. Jenny and Erich often perform together in local venues, such as the Herbfarm.
Find out what's happening in Mercer Islandwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Our very own lead soprano in the choir is Megan Chenovick, a two-time Northwest Regional Metropolitan Opera National Council finalist. We are so proud of her and feel so fortunate to have her. One opera reviewer described Megan as an up-and-coming Dame Joan Sutherland in her recent performance as Lucia di Lammermoor; "She is one of those rare stage presences who pulls the rest of the cast to higer levels of performance just to keep up with her." Another compared her to a young Julie Andrews. Megan, a lyric Coloratura Soprano, describes herself as a cross-over artist who loves performing operatic, musical theatre and concert stages alike. She had lead roles in popular stage musicals such as The Music Man, Camelot, Showboat, Brigadoon, etc. Her opera and concert credits include The Messiah, Glitter and Gay with the Seattle Men's and Women's Chorus, and the most recent Lucia di Lammermoor which was her most challenging role to date. She received much accolades and raving reviews for her performance. Erich directed this opera, by the way.
Then, there is our illustrious and witty pianist, Scott Warrender. Scott is not just a pianist, he is a playwright and composer with national credits as well. His musical comedy production, Das Barbecu! was commissioned by the Seattle Opera, as a retelling of Wagner's Ring series. It went on to play on off-Broadway as well as other theaters across the country. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEBRjtb2pKc The music for one of the favorite songs from Lion King II Simba's Pride, My Lullaby, was also composed by Scott. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUzHTRFhBwY Scott is also an adjunct instructor of Musical Theater at the Cornish College of the Arts as well as children's piano teacher. You can follow Scott's musings on @warrenderings.
Last, but not least, is our dedicated choir which comes to practice on Thursday evenings and sing on Sundays. Our choir has such a great reputation that people from outside of the church come to sing with it. For this Gala event, the choir members, in addition to singing for your enjoyment, will be cooks, servers, and whatever, to make you feel like royalty!