Opera stars will sing for Jessye Norman School of the Arts fundraiser

“I think it’s going to be an amazing concert. It will be the concert of the year,” said Ellis Johnson, the co-chairman for the event and a member of the school’s board of directors.

An Evening at the Opera with Shining New Stars will be at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, at Augusta State University’s Grover C. Maxwell Per­forming Arts Theatre.

Six vocalists will perform a variety of selections from Mozart to Gershwin to Broadway, Johnson said. Jessye Norman will emcee the concert. Featured performers include:

• Laquita Mitchell, a soprano who has worked with the New York City Opera, Washington National Opera, Opera Comique in Paris and San Francisco Opera;

• Jamison Walker, a tenor and soloist for the U.S. Army Signal Corps Band at Ft. Gordon;

• Kevin Short, a bass-baritone who has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera and Opera Comique;

• Markus Beam, a baritone, who has sung with Deutsche Oper Berlin, Theater St. Galen Swit­zerland and Chicago Opera Theater;

• Indra Thomas, a soprano, who has been fea­tured with the Royal Albert Festival, London, and Choregies d’Orange in France;

• and Tonya Currier, a mezzo soprano with the Chicago Lyric Opera.

Celebrating its 10th year, the Jessye Norman School of the Arts provides “professional fine arts education for some of the most disadvantaged youth in our community, tuition free.

In addition to daily after-school instruction in dance, drama, creative writing, visual arts and music, assistance with homework and tutorials are available daily,” according to a news release.

Tickets are $40 for adults and $20 for students under 25 with an ID card and active -duty military from tickets.aug.edu or (706) 667-4100.