The 66th Annual Sal Reina Opera Outing 2021

Sunday, August 29, 2021
Marin Art and Garden Center,  Ross, CA 
 

The 66th Annual Sal Reina Opera Outing was, by all reports, “perfect”! Over 90 people, members and their guests, enjoyed the beautiful weather, not too hot, not to cool, and were comfortable and happy under the wide-spreading umbrellas. The food was excellent, prepared by Debbie Ghiringhelli Catering. Tasty and delightful hors d’oeuvres were passed during reception, and at 1 pm, everyone sat down to the tables replete with bread, wine, antipasti and salad to watch the performance. Afterwards, all were invited to partake in a huge buffet with lots of choices for everyone. Dessert included large trays of assorted cookies and biscotti, so that we could dunk them in wine just as in Italy!

 
David Cobb welcomed everyone, and announced, “I had absolutely nothing to do with this great event. Thanks go to Chuck Stagliano who has been making this happen for many years!” He introduced Chuck who further thanked Gene Lanzone and Richard Ruff for their help with various logistics. Finally, Chuck commented, “There is a lot of really crazy stuff going on these days, but, by golly, WE are HERE!”
 
 
The performance was smashing. Tenor Dane Suarez was joined by his colleague and wife soprano Keriann Otaña accompanied by pianist Kevin Korth. The program was well-selected, and included, from Tosca, an aria and a complete scene in the church, pieces from a French opera, a Neopolitan song, Puccini, and a piece from the musical Carousel. The finale was “Be My Love,” sung by Mario Lanza in 1950, performed here so movingly by this charming couple who really meant it. Overheard from the audience, “There is chemistry, and there is chemistry!”
 
 
Karen Guglielmoni, thank you for photographing the event.

A small selection of photos from the event. Select any image to see larger.

Dane Suarez, tenor

Performances by

Dane Suarez, Tenor

Tenor Dane Suarez, hailed as “a vocal tour de force of surpassing splendor,” and lauded for his “big, heroic voice” and “powerful emotions” has developed an exciting and varied career. He was a Met Semifinalist and OSJ resident, and has performed at the Kennedy Center, New York City Opera, West Bay Opera, Memphis Symphony Orchesta and Baltimore Concert Opera among many other venues. He has performed roles such as Macduff in Macbeth, Rodolfo in La bohème, Fenton in Falstaff, the First Armored Man in The Magic Flute, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and many more. He is a skilled concert performer and recitalist widely recognized and awarded by multiple organizations.
(See his full story here: www.danesuarez.com)


Kerriann Otana, soprano
Kerriann Otaña, Soprano
Soprano Kerriann Otaño is a native New Yorker, now living in Memphis, TN, after three wonderful years in the Bay Area. She was a resident artist with Opera San Jose, and a Met semifinalist. She covered several roles in Washington National Opera’s 2016 Ring Cycle directed by Francesca Zambello, and also performed with Maestro Placido Domingo and the Metropolitan Opera orchestra. Kerriann has performed in many venues, including  the Sarasota Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Memphis, the Glimmerglass Festival and more. Too numerous to count are her many exciting roles, including Vanderdendur in Candide, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, and Kitty Hart in Dead Man Walking. Kerriann was selected as a Filene Young Artist with Wolf Trap Opera, and sang on the American Classics recording of Bernstein’s Songfest, accompanied by the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic.
Kevin Korth, pianist
Kevin Korth, Pianist

Pianist Kevin Korth, praised by Gramophone for playing that is “superb”, and “full of color and character,” his debut album, Out of the Shadows, is a recording of American art song with soprano Lisa Delan and cellist Matt Haimovitz. Known as an interpreter of contemporary work, the album features premieres by Jack Perla, Gordon Getty, and David Garner. He has collaborated with many legendary artists such as Frederica von Stade, Isabel Leonard, Jake Heggie, Suzanne Mentzer—to name only a few). Recent projects include an album of Robinson Jeffers settings by composer Christopher Anderson-Bazzoli with mezzo-soprano Buffy Baggott for the Delos label, and an album of songs by composer David Conte for the Arsis label. 

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