On Saturday, November 22, Cincinnati Opera will present its 2008 Opera Ball, “A Seductive Night in Sp­ain,” featuring soprano Angela Brown, in the majestic Music Hall Ballroom. This elegant event is Cincinnati Opera’s largest annual fundraiser, generating essential support for the company’s 2009 Summer Festival.

Schedule of Events

6:00 p.m.                      Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and entertainment
7:30 p.m.                      Dinner
9:30 p.m.                      Entertainment by Angela Brown
10:00 p.m.                    Dancing
10:30 p.m.–1:00 a.m.   “Late Night in Spain” with midnight buffet (Young Professionals Invited)

About Angela Brown, soprano
International opera star Angela Brown personifies the ideal dramatic soprano with her sheer vocal power, luxurious finesse, shimmering, high pianissimos, and a charming personality. Her highly-successful Metropolitan Opera debut in 2004 inspired The New York Times to write: “At last an Aida,” and CBS Evening News to report: “the future of opera has arrived.” She has been featured on the cover of The New York Times and in O, The Oprah Magazine, Essence, Reader’s Digest, and Psychology Today. In 2007, Miss Brown returned to the Metropolitan Opera to sing the season premiere of Aida and in 2008 she sang the role of Amelia in A Masked Ball.

No stranger to Cincinnati, Miss Brown sang at the NAACP’s National Spingarn Freedom Fund Awards Dinner in July and in May, she sang Leonora in Verdi’s La Forza del Destino for the opening of the 2008 Cincinnati May  Festival Season. In 2005, she thrilled audiences with her powerful portrayal of Cilla in Cincinnati Opera’s Margaret Garner, and she will return to Cincinnati to sing the role of Elisabetta in Verdi’s Don Carlo in June 2009.

Miss Brown is a trailblazer on a mission to bring operatic and classical vocal performance to a diverse audience. Her witty recital program, “Opera from a Sistah’s Point of View,” dispels the myths of opera through lively commentary on opera plots and characters, show-stopping arias, poignant art songs, and moving spirituals. A noted interpreter of African-American spirituals, Miss Brown’s recordings include Mosaic, a collaborative recording of spirituals with guitar and piano.

About Tyron Cooper, guitarist 
Joining Angela is guitarist Tyron Cooper whose talents and expertise span a wide range of musical genres and traditions as instrumentalist, vocalist, arranger and music director.  Mr. Cooper tours, records and performs with noted classical, gospel and R&B artists Angela Brown, Marietta Simpson, The Soulful Symphony, Walt Whitman and The Soul Children of Chicago, Dorothy Norwood, Percy Bady, BeBe Winans, Dionne Warwick, A Taste Of Honey, ConFunkShun, Max Roach Quartet, David Baker, Diana Ross, Lou Rawls, Richard Smallwood and Bo Diddley. Mr. Cooper was music consultant/composer for the PBS documentary entitled “Rev. Ernest D. Butler: Rebel with a Cause.” He has released an eponymous CD as part of the Indiana University Masters in Jazz series.

Honorees
Cincinnati Opera pays tribute to Don and Donna Hoffman for the years of service they have provided Greater Cincinnati and Cincinnati Opera. Together Don and Donna have touched lives both locally and around the world: Donna has taught English to many foreign students, and they have hosted many guests and exchange students in their home.

Donna’s career as a teacher has been a solid foundation for Don’s evolution from a business leader with Cincinnati Bell to his current position as president and CEO of the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, which seeks “to improve the health of the people of the Cincinnati region.” Over the years, he has contributed his expertise to countless organizations, including the Better Business Bureau, the Cincinnatus Association, Miami University, Xavier University, the University of Cincinnati (especially the College-Conservatory of Music), Rotary, the United Way, the Global Center Project (formerly the Sister Cities Project), Leadership Cincinnati and the Fine Arts Fund.

Don joined Cincinnati Opera’s board in 1989 and served as president from 1995 to 1999 and chair from 1999 to 2002, and he continues to serve as a board member today. During these 17 years of leadership, he brought vision, passion and persistence to the transformation of Cincinnati Opera. He placed special emphasis on diversity, leading to the commissioning and production of Margaret Garner, and presenting works with social relevance such as Dead Man Walking.

Late Night in Spain After-Party
Again this year, Cincinnati Opera will present a high-energy after-party, "Late Night in Spain," for young professionals. Tickets are $30 and include music, dancing, and a midnight buffet. Click here to purchase tickets. For more information please contact Julie Bergantino at (513) 768-5570 or jbergantino@cincinnatiopera.org. 

Committee Members
2008 Cincinnati Opera Ball co-chairs are Jennifer Allen, Mary Ann Boorn, Bo-Kyung Kim Kirby, and Ronna Willis. Barbara Hahn and Patrick Korb are serving as the advisory chairs, and committee members include Melanie Chavez, Board of Trustees President Cathy Crain, Mady Gordon, Mona Karram, Mona Kerstine, Guild Board President Jeannine Winkelmann, and Anne Zaring.The Host & Hostess Committee chair is Joanie Lotts. The Host & Hostess Committee includes Jean Crawford, Shari Einsel, Lillian Jones, Sherie Marek, Tom Osterman, Carole Rigaud, and Yvonne West.

New! Online Auction
This year, Cincinnati Opera is presenting an online auction opening Wednesday, November 5 and continuing through Tuesday, November 25. Auction items will include a Tropical Escape to Cancun, Mexico for 5 days & 4 nights. Other featured items include works from local artists, tickets to various arts and sporting events, collectables, sports memorabilia, additional vacation packages, and behind-the-scenes tours. Click here to visit the auction site. The auction committee is chaired by Cincinnati Opera Guild member Jane A. Copper-Short.

View a slide show of the 2007 Opera Gala, "Opera in the Amazon."