Marching to a New Beat
A no-holds-barred establishment strives to bring performances to all of Southwest Florida
There’s a new production business in town, specifically, one with impermanent walls and a far-reaching audience. And just like a phantom trolling the halls of an opera house, if you blink, you’ll miss a sighting of it. That is, until it pops up with another performance in a different location.
Gulfshore Opera, a nomadic opera company created by Steffanie Pearce, will hold its first season of performances November through May in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties.
“We are not declaring any one town our home,” says Pearce, who founded and recently separated from Opera Naples. “We are working very hard to have a balanced representation in all three counties”.
The first concert series, Viva Verdi, shows Nov. 6 at North Naples Church, Nov. 8 at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center in Punta Gorda, and Nov. 9 at Harborside Event Center in Fort Myers.
The popular downtown Fort Myers venue has yet to house a fullfledged opera, and, in true theatrical fashion, Pearce says it will be nothing short of dramatic. Abundant lighting and large video screens will manipulate the stage at the Harborside Event Center and allow guests to have an up-close feel of the action as it plays out live.
Pearce’s plans grabbed the attention of Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson, who has agreed to give a post-concert champagne toast, celebrating the inaugural event. Henderson isn’t the only familiar face guests can spot that day. Maestro Paul Nadler, Metropolitan Opera conductor formerly of Southwest Florida Symphony, will conduct the hundred-plus on-stage performers.
“It’s really a homecoming for Paul Nadler. He’s a very important figure in the opera world,” Pearce says. “For him to come back and do the stuff he’s so great at ... it’s just going to be a very special celebratory event.”
Nadler is also on the board of directors for Gulfshore Opera, and the artistic team includes music director and Florida Gulf Coast chorus professor Trent Bowen. The 2014-2015 season will
GULFSHORE OPERA, A NOMADIC OPERA COMPANY CREATED BY STEFFANIE PEARCE, WILL HOLD ITS FIRST SEASON OF PERFORMANCES NOVEMBER THROUGH MAY IN LEE, COLLIER AND CHARLOTTE COUNTIES.
include concerts at the Center for Performing Arts Bonita Springs, Artis—Naples and Moorings Presbyterian Church in Naples. For more information and full schedule, call 239-529-3925 or visit gulfshoreopera.org. Melanie Pagan is the assignment editor and social media coordinator for TOTI Media, Inc. Follow her on our Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages, and at blog.totimedia.com.