For the fourth year in a row, Metropolitan Opera’s Keith Miller will coordinate a night of opera to benefit the Savannah Children’s Choir’s Travel Scholarship Fund.  Miller has teamed up with internationally-know “Rock Star Pianist” Konstantin Soukhovetski who will also have completed a week’s residency with the choir leading up to this event.  Soukhovetski will serve as guest conductor, director and accompanist.

This year, on Saturday, November 15 at the SCAD Museum of Art, opera lovers will enjoy “A Night in Bohemia”, a staged version of Puccini’s beloved opera, La Boheme. For those not familiar with the opera, the hit Broadway musical “Rent” is a modern adaptation of the story.

The event begins with an Artists’ Talk at 6 p.m. prior to the concert.  Following the concert, guests will enjoy a cocktail reception at “Cafe Momus”.

As a new feature this year, guests will be able to take a piece of the opera home with them.  “The opera contains a number of iconic items used as props,” explains Cuffy Sullivan, SCC’s Executive Director.  “Earrings given to Mimi, a glass of wine at Cafe Momus, a candle, and a coat loaned to keep Mimi warm.”  These items and more will be available for silent auction after the concert, benefiting the SCC’s travel scholarship fund.

“What I enjoy about these productions for the Savannah Children’s Choir is that we get to hit the highlights,” says Miller. “Unlike a fully staged opera, we get to focus on the beautiful music and the rich characters,” he continued. Or, as SCC’s co-founder and Director of Development Roger Moss has been heard to say, “All of the arias, none of the shouting.”  A number of past attendees have described this event as “opera for people who didn’t know they like opera yet,” while committed opera lovers characterize it as “the definitive opera event in Savannah.”  Attendees are “pleasantly surprised to see Met HD stars in person on stage in Savannah,” comments Roger Moss, Director of Development and Co-Founder.

This year, bass/baritone Miller, in the role of Colline will be joined by sopranos Kara Guggenmos (Mimi) and Melissa Zapin (Musetta) along with tenors Oswaldo Iraheta (Rodolpho) and Martin Schreiner (Alcindoro/Benoit), and baritones Malcolm MacKenzie (Marcello) and SCC’s own Roger Moss (Schaunard).  Konstantin Soukhovetski will also be joined by accompanist Timothy Hall.

The concert is presented by James Daly and Mary & Howard Morrison, with support from Austin Hill, Barbara & Mike Ruddy and Georgia Power. 

To learn more about the artists, or to purchase tickets, visit www.savannahchoir.org.