A Word from our Founder, Cheryl Warfield
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Dear Friends,
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When I sing Tosca, the story of a passionate and resolute diva who has dedicated her life to art and love, my desire is to rouse my listeners to live purposefully in pursuit of their dreams. When I fell in love with opera as a teenager, my life was changed for the better. The experiences of performing and seeing live opera are often limited to the lucky few who are introduced to the art form at a young age or can afford to spend hundreds of dollars on a ticket to attend a major production.
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I am writing to you today to ask for your support in helping to introduce new audiences to live opera. I founded ADVANCE/MORE Opera to provide performing opportunities for myself and my colleagues to share their artistry with diverse audiences in their communities. As an African American performer, I am determined to contribute to the musical education of young people, showcase black themes, and highlight the diversity of what is often inaccurately considered as an “elitist” or European art form. As a producer of color, I strive to showcase outstanding professional talent from all backgrounds who otherwise may be overlooked or ostracized. For over 15 years in New York City, ADVANCE/MORE Opera has mounted dozens of public performances and conducted educational workshops and community choral training to hundreds of young people and adults.
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The community nature of our work is especially important to all of MORE Opera’s productions and we are delighted to continue our work with our community chorus and partnering with schools and after-school programs to train students for the children’s chorus. ADVANCE/MORE Opera began training NYC community residents, seniors, and K-12 school students to participate in its musical performances in the late 1990’s. Led by recognized arts educators and experts in opera, participants learn about vocal technique, repertoire and style, musicianship, and performance practice, and experience professional level rehearsals and productions.
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As an opera lover and someone who understands the value of community participation in the arts, I’m sure you recognize that our programs provide a tremendous opportunity for all involved and also that they require significant resources to realize. I would be grateful for your consideration of a 100% tax-deductible donation. Your support would make a huge difference in helping our organization realize its ambitious projects. Donations at this time will help pay for pianist fees, rehearsal space, and materials to train our chorus members. Click here to make your tax-deductible donation now.
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I would be delighted to provide any additional information you would like to receive about ADVANCE/MORE Opera. Please feel free to contact me directly at info@moreopera.com or leave a message at 212-252-2512.
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Your support would be greatly appreciated by the many artists and community participants that we serve. Thank you very much for your consideration.
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With my warmest wishes,
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Cheryl Warfield
Executive Director and Producer
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ADVANCE-MORE Opera
© 2023 by Manhattan Opera Repertory Ensemble
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