The Asheville Lyric Opera hosts their annual Winter Gala fundraiser, Taste of Opera, at the Crowne Plaza Expo Center. The central focus of the evening’s festivities will be an operatic concert performed over a meal consisting of delicacies from Asheville’s finest restaurants. The menu features area restaurants serving up their best appetizers, entrées, and desserts. Intermixed in the festivities will be a uniquely Asheville silent auction.
Join nationally acclaimed opera stars as they present a sneak peak for ALO’s upcoming season. Among the artists performing at Taste of Opera are tenor Grant Knox, mezzo-soprano Solmaaz Adeli, and local professional baritone, Jonathan Ross. Grant Knox is a nationally acclaimed tenor and the new Director of Lyric Theatre at Furman University. Knox’s notable performances include performing with Cincinnati Opera, Tri-Cities Opera, and Chautauqua Opera in operas such as Don Giovanni, Faust, and Der Rosenkavalier. Joining Mr. Knox on stage is internationally acclaimed soprano Solmaaz Adeli who continues to stun audiences across the world with performances throughout Europe. Baritone Jonathan Ross, most recently seen in the ALO production of Marriage of Figaro, is a New York native having performed with the Tri-Cities Opera in productions such as Cosi fan Tutte and Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Asheville local and professional pianist Vance Reese will accompany the evening’s festivities.
The evening will be catered by Asheville’s finest restaurants in an intimate setting that features extravagant cuisine coupled with stellar operatic performances. Appetizers, entrées, and deserts will be catered by 10-12 of Asheville’s best restaurants. Samples of the participating restaurants include Posana Café, Vincenzo’s Ristorante, and Frankie Bones Restaurant & Lounge.
All tickets are sold through the ALO office. To purchase tickets, call 828-236-0670. Starting December 1, 2013, online ticket purchases will be available through ALO’s e-box office. Tables contain eight seats which are reserved at $75 per seat. Front row sponsor tables are available for reservation. For further information, call the opera office at 828-236-0670 or visit www.ashevillelyric.org.