PROGRAM

A Christmas Overture                                                                                      Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Messiah: Pastoral                                                                                              George Frideric Handel

Messiah: The Trumpet Shall Sound                                                              George Frideric Handel

Away in a Manager                                                                                          arr. Carmen Dragon

Silent Night

Adeste Fideles

Sleigh Ride                                                                                                         Leroy Anderson

INTERMISSION

Nutcracker: Trepak                                                                                         Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

O Tannenbaum

O Holy Night                                                                                                     Adolphe Adam

Nutcracker: Grand Pas de Deux                                                                   Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Queen of Spades: Ya Vas Yyublyu                                                                 Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Villancico Yaucano

Christmas Singalong                                                                                         arr. Finnegan

All concerts are subject to change.

In the spring of 2015, baritone Ricardo Rivera – who was a semi-finalist in the Met Opera National Council Auditions – made major debuts at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera and San Diego Opera in the world premiere of El pasado nunca se termina, directed by Broadway and opera director Leonard Foglia, in the leading role of Acalán which he performed in 2019 with the renowned Ft. Worth Opera.

Ricardo most recently performed Schaunard in La bohème with Sarasota Opera, the baritone solos in Carmina Burana with National Chorale in David Geffen Hall in Lincoln Center, Escamillo in a concert version of Carmen with New York City Opera and Lt. Gordon in Silent Night with Arizona Opera.

Highlight performances from recent seasons include Hérode in Hérodiade with Washington Concert Opera with Michael Fabiano and Joyce El-Khoury, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor and as Lt. Audebert in Kevin Puts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Silent Night with Opera San José, Escamillo in Carmen with Musica Viva Hong Kong and Heartbeat Opera, Schaunard in La bohème with Musica Viva Hong Kong, El payador in María de Buenos Aires with Des Moines Metro Opera and Germont in La traviata with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.  Ricardo is a graduate of Mannes School of Music at the New School where he earned his bachelor’s, master’s and professional studies diploma.