On October 28^th, fifty members of The Opera Society were invited to the Coral Ridge Yacht Club for brunch to discuss plans for our 17^th Annual Diva Impresario Awards Luncheon which will take place on February 9, 2010 at the Panorama Room of Pier Sixty Six Hyatt Regency. The brunch was graciously underwritten by Linda Balent, Helena Caplan, Barbara Copanos, Ande Mayhue, Janet Mehner, Barbara Parent and Isobel Sturgeon.

President and Luncheon Chairman Barbara Parent welcomed everyone. Event Founder and Luncheon Chairman Barbara Copanos then asked the honorees to stand to be recognized. These included Robert M. Heuer, celebrating 25 years as General Director and CEO, Florida Grand Opera, Grand Diva Irene Patti Hammond and Divas Liz Hopwood, Beatriz La Rosa, Isa Leibowitz, Tracy Nichols Roloff, Loretta Slater and Betty Young.

All attendees received an informational packet and plans were discussed for the Souvenir Ad Journal, Underwriting, Raffles, Silent Auction and the invitation mailing.

Following the brunch, a beautiful group photo with all the ladies in gowns and the gentleman in a tuxedo was taken at the Josephine S. Leiser Opera Center by Tiffany Photographic Studio.

Reserve your seat at the luncheon by clicking here.

Enjoy the photos!!

Jacqueline Niehaus, Bob Heuer, Barbara Parent, Loretta Lodin Chatoff

The lovely home of Barbara Copanos was filled with the nearly 50 attendees at this year’s annual Fall Membership Luncheon. President Barbara Parent introduced Bob Heuer, General Director and CEO of Florida Grand Opera. He spoke briefly covering the highlights of the coming season and told us that, in spite of the economy, subscription renewals had come in at 80%, a better result than in prior years. He expressed his thanks to the Opera Society for the support provided to FGO.
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Barbara Parent

Dear Members,

Welcome to The Opera Society’s 31st year as Broward County’s major support group for Florida Grand Opera. Thank you again for giving me the privilege of serving as President of this prestigious organization.

Many exciting events and parties are being planned for your enjoyment. The chairs for the Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner series are busy organizing the dinners and luncheons which will take place throughout the year.
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Susan Jean Hellman receives award

Every two years, the Young Patronesses of the Opera (YPO) sponsor a voice competition for young vocal artists. Over the years, this has become a nationally recognized event, awarding over $48,000 in prize money to the winners. This spring, The Opera Society President Barbara Parent and fellow Board officers and members Dr. Linda Balent, Barbara Copanos and Ande Bellevue Mayhue attended the finals of the competition at the Gusman Concert Hall of the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami.
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The Tower Club was the venue for The Opera Society’s 2009 Cultural and Humanitarian Awards Dinner honoring individuals who enrich our community with their contributions and service.

This year’s honorees were Leading Lady and Grand Benefactor Mary Porter, Sharon Gustafson, Isobel and Roger Sturgeon, Diana Morrison, Dr. Elaine Wallace and James G. Thaw.
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The ladies and gentlemen of The Opera Society met at the Ritz-Carlton for an elegant afternoon tea. The Mad Hatter’s Tea is an annual membership event.

Prizes were given for best hats in four categories: best original design, best period hat, most glamorous hat and best hat with an international flair. Thank you to our judges Donald Pizinger, Jean Di Bona and Pina Ackerman.
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Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees.  Chairmen Barbara Copanos, event founder, and Linda Balent cannot be thanked enough for the success of this year’s Diva-Impresario Awards Luncheon. Their dedication to this event and The Opera Society is invaluable.

My thanks also to the many committee members and hostesses who helped make this event so pleasurable. A special thanks to Anna & Dick Davis and Eric Koskoff for chairing the Raffle Committee.

Enjoy the photos.

Barbara
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This month, The Opera Society will visit three public and three private local elementary schools with the opera, “Papageno“, produced by the Young Patronesses of the Opera (YPO), the oldest affiliate group of Florida Grand Opera. It is an age-appropriate, 35-minute adaptation of The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It is a delightful production, complete with great costumes, scenery and the characters: Papageno, Papagena and her sister and – of course – two evil villains!

Two Opera Society Board members, Linda Balent and Katie Adler,  volunteered today bringing breakfast to the cast and crew. For three years, The Opera Society and individual Board members have sponsored these performances in Broward County elementary schools at no cost to the school. This year, our major sponsor for this program is BankAtlantic.
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Delightful Afternoon With The Duelling Divas

The first in a series of Luxurious Lyrical Libations: A Tea was held on November 17, 2008 at the Josephine S. Leiser Opera Center. “The Duelling Divas“, a hilarious comedic performance that has delighted audiences throughout the region, took tea with The Opera Society members and guests who were entertained with a mini-performance from the Divas in Duelling: Wendy Reynolds and Birgit Fioravante. Reynolds exclaims, “It’s a respectfully irreverent musical revue on the seriously funny spectacle of opera.”

Known for their unique look at the world of opera, the two opera singers came up with the idea of doing something a little different than the usual vocal concert of opera highlights and show tunes. They added characters, storyline and comedy to create the operatic revue “Duelling Divas”. Pianist Heather Coltman joined the divas as their accompanist.
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Diva-Impresario Honorees Gather at Coral Ridge Yacht Club

On October 28, the Honorees, Liaisons, Hosts and Hostesses of the 2009 Diva Impresario Awards Luncheon were invited to attend a “Working Brunch” at the Coral Ridge Yacht Club hosted by Hostess Chairmen, Beverly DiNunzio and Ande Bellevue Mayhue, Luncheon Chairman and Event Founder, Barbara Copanos, Luncheon Co-Chairman, Linda Balent, Opera Society President, Barbara Parent and long-standing Board member, Janet Mehner.
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