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The Gerda Lissner Foundation Presents 2014 Vocal Competition Winners & Honors Renowned Soprano Diana Soviero

May 30, 2014 By Nino Pantano Special to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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On the evening of Wednesday, May 7 at the New York Athletic Club in New York City, The Gerda Lissner Foundation showcased their 2014 winners and honored internationally acclaimed soprano Diana Soviero.
Stephen De Maio, President of The Gerda Lissner Foundation, spoke enthusiastically about the winners and how proud he is of the awards given to so many throughout the years to help them attain their goals. He thanked Trustees Barbara Ann Testa, Dorothy Moore, Karl Michaelis and Michael Fornabaio, Vice President/Treasurer of The Gerda Lissner Foundation, for their efforts and all of the operatic notables present. Stephen De Maio was recently honored by Opera Index at their Spring Lunch. The Newark born De Maio, a legend himself, asked Opera News editor and author Brian Kellow to host the program and introduce the honoree, New Jersey born (Jersey City) internationally acclaimed soprano Diana Soviero.
Kellow elaborated on Soviero’s great career and the impact she had on her audiences everywhere. The New York City Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, La Scala in Milan, Covent Garden–not bad for a “Jersey girl.” Kellow mentioned how the arts influenced his life and how the 1945 film Spellbound impacted him. He then thanked Soviero for the influence her performances gave all of us as Cio Cio San, Mimi, Liu, Tosca, Violetta, Juliette, Manon Lescaut and Suor Angelica to name a few.
Soviero said a spark was forged “way back” and she knew that there was a world out there waiting for her to articulate the emotions that lay deep in her heart as a young Sicilian-American girl with big dreams. Those dreams came true and the career was spectacular. 
The program began with the “Habanera” from Carmen with Maya Lahyani. Ms Lahyani is the possessor of a powerful mezzo soprano. One sensed Carmen’s fierce independence and yearning to be free. Lahyani could sing forte or sotto voce and kept the action flowing with a free legato and clarity of tone and purpose.
Joseph Dennis sang a robust yet pensive “Salut, demeure chaste et pure” from Gounod’s Faust with an open and impressive C near the finale. I thought of young American tenor Eugene Conley. Alison King used her tantalizing darkish soprano well in a stylish sampling of “Iolanta’s Arioso” from Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta. She was at one with the Russian style and gave us some haunting moments.
Tenor Paul Han aptly demonstrated the French style with an eloquent finely spun “Fantaisie aux divins mensonges” from Delibes’s Lakme. Han is another reason why Lakme should be revived.
Shirin Eskandani demonstrated her finely toned mezzo in “Non piu mesta” from Rossini’s La Cenerentola. Her scales and embellishments rivaled Coney Island’s Cyclone and took us on a Rossinian adventure.
Baritone Alexey Lavrov sang “Vy mne pisali” from Eugene Onegin in the true Russian manner with burnished lows and a melancholy that stems from the soul. His voice has power and authority and a special elegance as  indicated in his dreamy finale.
Ryan Speedo Green beguiled us with a dazzling “Solche hergelaufne Laffen” from The Abduction of the Seraglio by Mozart. It was a tour de force show stopper which he sang with flourish and humor. The speedy passages (No pun) were brilliantly executed right down to the letter T. His cavernous bass baritone flooded the hall with subterranean intergalactic relish and glee. 
Mario Chang tenor sang “Ella mi fu rapita” from Verdi’s Rigoletto. His powerful tenor has a darker quality and he puts a lot into it. A soupson less of effort will yield a dollop more of ease. There is a very fine tenor in there, just ready to conquer.
The accomplished accompanists were Arlene Shrut and Jonathan Kelly.
After the concert, we all went into the main dining area for a delicious dinner. The guests would fill an operatic “Who’s Who.” Met Opera soprano legends Elinor Ross and Martina Arroyo (Martina Arroyo Foundation), Gloria Gari from the Giulio Gari Foundation, famed sopranos and judges Elaine Malbin and Teresa Apolei, Maestro Eve Queler, Sachi Liebergesell from The Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation, Murray Rosenthal, President of Opera Index, Philip Hagemann and Janet Stovin, Vice Presidents of Opera Index, Scott Barnes, Performance coach for opera and theatre singers, PBS’s Midge Woolsey and husband economist Jerry Stolt, Steven Mercurio  composer/conductor, F. Paul Driscoll, Editor of Opera News, Ken Benson manager and longtime opera lecturer, Rebecca Paller from the Paley Center, presenters Joyce Greenberg and Louise Martone-Peluso, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Di Grazia of Met Opera Patrons Box Office and son Damian, Cornelia Beigel from The Gerda Lissner Foundation, Brooklynite Bill Ronayne from The Mario Lanza Society, Cav. Uff. Aldo and Lisa Mancusi from the Enrico Caruso Museum in Brooklyn and opera lecturer Lou and Kathleen Barrella. 
We were singled out by Steve De Maio for our journalistic and photographic efforts and what greater feeling than to assist young singers. With wine and song, Judy and I celebrated our 48th anniversary. She is the “woman” that completes “the wine woman and song” for me!

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