Two special shows at the UAF Davis Concert Hall this coming weekend — April 5 and 6 — will provide a preview of what the UAF Music Department’s Opera Workshop Class will perform in Costa Rica next month.
The group will perform an evening of favorite selections from Mozart’s operatic literature at UAF’s Davis Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 4 p.m. on Sunday. The concert is free for UAF students and children age 12 and under. General admission is $10 and $5 for non-UAF students, seniors and military.
Next month, these musicians will perform at the University of Costa Rica, thanks to an award from the People’s Endowment, that will support the trip. The group is directed by Dr. Jaunelle Celaire and accompanied by pianist Dr. Dario Martin. Singers include Mari Ana Beks, Olivia Buzby Kevin Clark, Alexia Devine, Grace Farrell and Jack Helmericks.
The 2025 People’s Endowment Award was granted to Jaunelle Celaire.
She is the department chair and professor of voice, as well as the Steve and Cynthia Holmberg Choral Director Endowed Chair. The award highlights her dedication to enriching students’ musical education through immersive performance experiences.
Celaire’s proposal for the People’s Endowment focuses on expanding UAF’s opera workshop — providing students with invaluable opportunities to perform both locally and internationally. Students will now have the chance to present Mozart’s “Bastien und Bastienne,” including scenes from “Cosi fan tutte,” “Le nozzle de Figaro,” and “Die Zauberflote.”
This collaboration also features master classes led by both Martin and Celaire.
“It is really important for our studios to experience authentic performance opportunities outside of the university and state of Alaska. One of the ways to do this is to utilize the summer, which allows flexibility with scheduling outside of the academy year,” Celaire said. “We thought it would be a really great opportunity for our students to go and perform abroad with the same repertoire they’ve worked so very hard to perform during the academic year.
“The power of performance is transformative,” Celaire said.
“It has been really amazing to see how the students grow this academic year,” she said. “Their confidence and consistency on stage has been wonderful to be a part of. Their understanding for the art of opera and classical music keeps getting better and better. That’s what their education is about.
“The opportunity to exercise this performance in another country just allows them to have a bigger understanding of the art in another culture. Music is happening universally,” she added.
“Having the opportunity to exercise their skill through performance or education will only make them better educators, whether it be in the classroom or on stage. It is part of the methodology of teaching here in our department: authentic teaching and performance experiences.”
To help pay for the trip, students will host a Taco Night fundraiser from 6-8 p.m. on April 11 at University Community Presbyterian Church, 3510 College Road. Buy chicken or beef tacos. Cost is $15 per person or $40 per family. Ticket sales and silent dessert auction funds will be used to support the students of Choir of the North.
Reach columnist/community editor Kris Capps at kcapps@newsminer.com.
