A concert of Jewish music by Jewish women composers.

A Shabbat service featuring the music of Cantor Jonathan Comisar. Marissa Simmons, soloist.

Autonomy is a program primarily comprised of newly commissioned works. Paradox a opera commissioned Marissa to write a new piece in collaboration with librettist, Germaine Shames, called “An Open Letter to Samuel Alito: Lament of the Choiceless.” Autonomy will be performed in the Raleigh-Durham area during Womens’ History month.

Marissa as Miss Todd

Marissa as Miss Todd

Marissa as Miss Todd

The CSO Latino Alliance will host a pre-concert lecture with WFMT's Oliver Camacho and a performance by Marissa Simmons (contralto). This pre-concert lecture will go in-depth about the style of Rossini opera to guide listeners through the following concert. The lecture will also feature musical examples sung by Marissa as well as featuring Marissa Simmons and Yasuko Oura (piano) in a full performance of “Pensa alla Patria” from Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri. The pre-concert will be followed by a recital by Juan Diego Florez, tenor and pianist, Vincenzo Scalera.

ONE NIGHT ONLY! (This is a ticketed event. Tickets go on sale August 6th. Stay tuned!)

Join the Evanston Chamber Opera Company (EChO) for a very special event of music by our resident composer, Francis Lynch, in honor of his 70th birthday. Andrea Baker, Marnie Baylouny, and Hillary Esqueda (sopranos); Shannon Keegan, Marissa Simmons, and Josephine Stracek (mezzo-sopranos); Scott Bass (countertenor); Karlos Piñero-Mercado and Jonathan Weyant (tenors); and Austin Sanders and Jeremiah Strickler (baritones) will be joined by EChO’s phenomenal instrumentalists for this single performance of comedic and dramatic vocal chamber works and instrumental pieces by Lynch, featuring his “Voices at Domrémy,” a setting for soprano, mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, and string quartet of the one-act play, "Voices," written in 1916 by American poet and playwright Hortense Flexner (1885-1973).

Tickets will go on sale August 6th for the in-person, socially distanced event as well as for virtual attendance via the livestream. Stay tuned!

James Janssen, Music Director/Conductor

Sally Craige Christensen, Stage Director

Central United Methodist Church, 8237 Kenton Ave, will be hosting a Back Porch Concert Series this summer. This is the last concert in July.

Concert Opera of Greater Chicago, Alvaro Ramirez, Anatoliy Torchinskiy, are friends of Central UMC. Their combined talents are fabulous, and their range of expression is inspiring. If you like a wide variety of classical music, you will not want to miss this opportunity to hear great music drifting over the lawn.

Bring your own chair or blanket. (In case of rain, we will meet inside the church.)

Central United Methodist Church, 8237 Kenton Ave, will be hosting a Back Porch Concert Series this summer. This is the last concert in July.

Concert Opera of Greater Chicago, Alvaro Ramirez, Anatoliy Torchinskiy, are friends of Central UMC. Their combined talents are fabulous, and their range of expression is inspiring. If you like a wide variety of classical music, you will not want to miss this opportunity to hear great music drifting over the lawn.

Bring your own chair or blanket. (In case of rain, we will meet inside the church.)