Sarasota Youth Opera Enrollment Up by 75 Percent

Sarasota, FL, February 03, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Sarasota Opera is happy to announce that 100 young people are enrolled in Sarasota Youth Opera for the Spring Session, which is more than a 75-percent increase over last term. Singers are currently learning the music for Canadian composer Dean Burry’s "The Hobbit," which will have its U.S. premiere at Sarasota Opera House on May 9 and 10. Auditions for 25 solo parts were held recently and 52 Youth Opera members tried out for those roles. "The Hobbit" has many chorus pieces and all Youth Opera members will sing in the production.

Burry's opera, adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien's original novel, was commissioned by the Canadian Children's Opera Chorus and had its premiere in Toronto in May 2004. This was followed by an East Coast tour to Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Mr. Burry has revised the work specifically for Sarasota Youth Opera.

Lance Inouye, Sarasota Youth Opera Music Director, will conduct. Stage director for the production is Martha Collins, who most recently directed Verdi's Attila for Sarasota Opera and in 2006 directed Aaron Copland's The Second Hurricane for Sarasota Youth Opera. Jeffrey W. Dean is designing the sets.

Tickets for The Hobbit are on sale now at Sarasota Opera Box Office, by phone at (941) 366-8450, ext. 1, or online at www.sarasotaopera.org.

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