SCRANTON — Anthracite Opera Company will present “Here’s to Love!” a show featuring classic love melodies from Opera to Broadway, at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 1000 Taylor Ave.

The musical is directed by Anthracite founder Gary Richards.

Headlining singers include Erik Sparks, Ann Marie Dupre, Barbara Liberasky-Nowicki, and Gary Richards. Also featured are singers Liz Growhowski, Jack Bernesky, Dennis Fanucci, Jillian Kemmerer, Leeann Lemperie, Don McKeon, Matthew Merolla, Shiela O’Brien, Cathy Rist Strauch and Abigail Zieger.

There will be poetry reading by Don Thomas. Marty Ort is accompanist and Lizzy Rothwell is flutist.

A dinner is also planned for after the show at 6 p.m., at the Rossetti Estate and Trust for the Arts, 1005 Vine St. The cost for the show only is $15, payable at the door. The cost for dinner and show is $30. Dinner seating is limited. Reservations are required and may be made by calling Gary Richards at 570-335-7702.

Ken McGraw, of Clarks Green, a pianist and music teacher at West Scranton High School, will provide musical entertainment for the dinner.

Sparks is from Texas, and studied music at Arizona State University. His professional engagements include singing the National Anthem to kick off an Arizona Diamondbacks game and performing in several of Arizona Opera’s productions. He also performed with El Paso Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Delaware Valley Opera, PA Lyric Opera Theater and Metropolitan Opera.

Nowicki, soprano, has performed abroad and throughout the tri-state area in opera, concert, and recital. Her opera credits include appearances in Geneva, Switzerland in productions of Parsifal, Albert Herring, La Boheme, and Boris Godunov, the latter of which was televised throughout Europe. She has been a soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Pittsburgh Opera, the New York Lyric Opera, the Ossining Chorale, the Pittsburgh Chamber Opera Theater, the Light Opera of New Jersey, Stony Hill Players, and the Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey, among others.

Locally, in addition to being a regular performer with the Anthracite Opera, Nowicki has appeared with Mostly Opera, the Pennsylvania Lyric Opera Theater and the Buck Hill Skytop Music Festival. She was recently featured on the Simply Grand Concert Series of WVIA FM radio, in a program entitled, “Art Song Treasures of Poland,” a genre in which she specializes. She earned a doctorate in vocal pedagogy from Columbia University and holds an MFA in Voice from Carnegie Mellon University and a BS in Music Education from Wilkes University. She is currently a Lecturer in Voice at Marywood University and maintains a private voice studio at her home.

Dupre, soprano, is a principal singer with the Teatre Real, Madrid Spain and the New York Grand Opera. Ms. Dupre studied voice with Enrico DiGiuseppe and Nancy Stokes Milnes and has performed with the Gold Coast Opera, the Delaware Opera, Opera Northeast and in concert at Carnegie Hall and at the White House inauguration.

Richards studied voice under the mentorship of George London and studied with Gabor Carelli, from whom he learned the bel canto approach and technique of singing. While never seeking a career, to learn the business, Gary has sung lead roles in 27 operas with regional companies and Broadway.

Dupre
http://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_ABJ-Love-Dupre.jpg.optimal.jpgDupre

McCraw
http://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_ABJ-Love-McGraw.jpg.optimal.jpgMcCraw

Nowicki
http://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_ABJ-Love-Nowicki.jpg.optimal.jpgNowicki

Sparks
http://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_ABJ-Love-Sparks.jpg.optimal.jpgSparks

Richards
http://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_ABJ-Richards.jpg.optimal.jpgRichards

For Abington Journal

Information provided by Anthracite Opera Company.