By Khalida Sarwari
Opera performers brought the timeless music of Verdi and Mozart to life at Wildwood Park on July 14 to commemorate France’s Bastille Day.
The Opera in the Park event drew hundreds of people from near and far, said Jenny Studley, a producer at Bay Shore Lyric Opera, the company that presented the concert. She estimated that as many as 500 people were in attendance.
“It was casual, but really enthusiastic, and I would say really successful,” she said.
Attendees lugged lawn chairs and blankets with them to sit back and enjoy the free show, which also featured Broadway pieces, while the little ones played in the playground and danced on the grass.
Studley said her favorite part was getting to interact with the audience and seeing their expressions during the performances.
“I will tell you, for outdoor events this was the best park,” she said. “[It’s a] beautiful place; just a beautiful park.”
Studley said BSLO has already been asked to put on a repeat performance in September.
While the company may not be able to fulfill that wish, fans can rest assured that Opera in the Park will be back for an encore performance next summer.
Earlier this year, the Saratoga City Council allocated $380 in community event grant funding to BSLO for the event, which also honored the legacy and vision of BSLO’s founder Claire Der Torossian of Saratoga, who died June 9.
The Bay Shore Lyric Opera presents a special show in Wildwood Park
