ORMACO hosting 'Jazz Under the Stars'

After Ohio Regional Music Arts and Cultural Outreach's (ORMACO) "Jazz Under the Stars" made a heralded return earlier this month to Medina's Uptown Park, the nonprofit's return-to-normal schedule is officially complete with its upcoming "Opera Under the Stars" affair. "ORMACO is thrilled to be back on the Medina Square this summer with all our concerts," ORMACO Executive Director Thomas Sigel said. "The pandemic certainly curtailed our live concerts with audiences of up to 700 people. While last season's virtual concerts were all excellent, there is just nothing like experiencing a live concert. "The musicians feel the energy from the audience and the audience feels the magic from the musicians, thus creating positive energy. You just don't get that from pre-recorded or livestream performances." "Opera Under the Stars" takes place Saturday, June 19, at Medina's Uptown Park Gazebo where Cleveland Opera Theater company members will be performing a wide array of material. The program ranges from "Summertime" ("Porgy and Bess") and "Oh What A Beautiful Morning" ("Oklahoma!") to "Frère Laurent's aria (Charles Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette") and "Come dal ciel" (Giuseppe Verdi's "Macbeth"). The Cleveland Opera Theater performers include Amber Monroe, Brian Skoog and James Eder with piano accompaniment from Jason Aquilla. "Last year was very difficult for us at Cleveland Opera Theater not being able to perform," Cleveland Opera Theater Director of Education and Engagement Megan Thompson said. "'Opera For All' is our motto, it's what we were founded on so to have to cancel our entire summer series was heartbreaking. "We're very excited to be able to produce 'Opera For All,' especially in Medina, which is one of our longest-standing partnerships and one of our most dedicated audiences that always come out." For roughly half a decade, ORMACO, which boasts a mission to make music, arts and culture accessible to all with a focus on underserved, disadvantaged and rural populations, has attracted crowds upwards of 500 people to the gazebo for a different type of free entertainment. "We've had a lot of folks in Medina say they count on this concert every year," Thompson said. "They really enjoy coming out to the square and being in downtown Medina. "I know another draw some people have mentioned is they really like being able to get local food on the square, sit outside and enjoy the music in the park." While on the surface the closest folks without a discriminating ear for the seemingly highbrow music would want to come to opera is watching the Marx Brothers' film "A Night at the Opera," Thompson said that's not the case for people looking to be entertained. "Opera gets a bad rap a lot of the time," Thompson said. "A lot of people have this preconceived notion that it's an old and boring art form. Like, the fat lady with the horns and that's simply not true. Opera is dynamic, it's fun, it's relevant, the plots are timeless and the music is simply beautifully no matter who you are or what you enjoy typically. "What makes these concerts work is it's such a low-key environment and a more digestible version. Even coming out of a pandemic, people might have some concerns, but we'll have plenty of space to distance themselves as they feel fit. Plus, I'm ever the optimist that it's not going to rain this year. It's our first year back outside. The world wouldn't do that to us." Contact John Benson at ndiffrence@att.net. IF YOU GO WHAT: Ohio Regional Music Arts and Cultural Outreach (ORMACO) presents "Opera Under the Stars" WHEN: 7 p.m. June 19 WHERE: Uptown Park, Medina (In case of rain, the concert will be held at The United Church of Christ, 217 E. Liberty St., Medina) TICKETS: free INFO: (330) 722-2541 or ormaco.org