Lake County native Bill Pickersgill was one of the March 8, 2009, event's featured performers. Photo courtesy of CLPA.

KELSEYVILLE – Lake County's small but dedicated group of opera fans found satisfaction at the “Opera to Pops – with a Latin Flavor” concert featuring home-grown baritone/bass singer Bill Pickersgill and Friends.

Pickersgill – a tenured member of the San Francisco Opera Chorus – was raised in Lake County and graduated from Lakeport's Clear Lake High School. He has appeared in numerous events sponsored by Clear Lake Performing Arts (CLPA).

He also has been nearly a fixture at Yosemite Park's annual Bracebridge Dinner, an historic event now in its eighth decade of providing Christmas musical entertainment for devoted Bay Area music lovers. At last year's dinner his vocal group was joined by tenor Jimmy Kansau and soprano Amy Giovannetti, at which time he invited them to join him in his Lake County program.

The concert took place on Sunday, March 8, at Lakeport's Soper-Reese Community Theatre.

The first half on the program featured well-known numbers from well-loved operas opening with all three performers singing the "Libiamo" from Verdi's "La Traviata," followed by solo arias by Giovannetti (Dvorak's "Song to the Moon" from his "Rusalka") and Pickersgill (Ella Glammal m'amo, from "Don Carlo – also by Verdi”).

Since all opera is largely about love, all three singers entered into the romantic spirit of the evening with gusto, and even without sets, props, costumes or even the aid of the English language, managed to convey the joys and trauma of young love, denied love, unrequited love and even achieved love.

Soprano Amy Giovannetti. Photo courtesy of CLPA.

Jimmy Kansau, a native of Marida, Venezuela, was right at home expressing his undying affection for the princess in Bizet's "The Pearl Fishers," then joined Pickersgill in the duet where each promise not to let that glamorous creature disturb their friendship for one another.

Giovannetti then sang Lauretta's aria to her father from Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi" followed by Kansau's rendition of another Puccini favorite "Che Gelida Manina" from La Boheme" after which the two joined on yet another Puccini classic "O soave fanciulla" also from "La Boheme" and finished the number while strolling arm in arm offstage.

Pickersgill's next solo was as the tragic Colline, as he sadly contemplated selling his last valuable possession – his overcoat – to buy help for his dying Mimi. It is from the final act in "La Boheme."

The opera finale featured all three performers joining in the "Trio" from Gounod's "Faust" with Giovannetti taking the part of Marguerite while Kansau and Pickersgill sang the roles of Faust and Mephistopheles.

Jimmy Kansau, tenor and guitar. Photo courtesy of CLPA.

Following intermission the performers shifted into the "Pops" part of the program taking turns singing either solo or together; selections from such Broadway hits as "Camelot," "Flower Drum Song," "Man of La Mancha," My Fair Lady" and others.

Kansau, who is also an accomplished guitarist, fetched his instrument on-stage to accompany himself in singing Three Spanish Songs. They were "O Vereda Tropical," Motivos" and an audience favorite the ever-popular "Beseme Mucho."

With the exception of these three numbers, the musical accompaniment for the entire concert was provided by the multi-talented Cesar Cancino, whose impeccable piano played a vital role in holding the whole show together. He has performed in major venues throughout the world as both pianist and musical director and conductor.

Pianist Cesar Cancino. Photo courtesy of CLPA.

The program ended with all three voices blending gloriously on "Con te Partiro" which resulted in a standing ovation from an appreciative audience.

Clear Lake Performing Arts' next concert will be on Sunday, May 10, when the Lake County Symphony, under the direction of John Parkinson, will present its annual Salute to Moms in its big Mothers Day program. It will take place at the Marge Alaksay Center at Clear Lake High School in Lakeport at 3 p.m.

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MIDDLETOWN – Coyote Film Festival, Lake County’s independent film festival, will kick off the 2009 film season on Saturday, March 21, with films about tea.

The festival's first event of the year will offer two screenings, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., at the Calpine Geothermal Visitors Center, 15500 Central Park Road, Middletown.

The main feature is “All in This Tea” by Les Blank and Gina Leibrecht.

Blank and Leibrecht created a multiple award-winning film about tea importer David Lee Hoffman’s travels throughout China – sometimes on foot – in search of handcrafted premium teas.

The directors follow this adventurer as he discovers exquisite teas and attempts to overcome bureaucratic obstacles to buying tea directly from farmers.

China’s emphasis on factory-produced tea treated with chemical fertilizers is endangering the small farmer who has produced organic tea for generations. Hoffman’s goal is to open the Chinese tea market, support the small farmers and make high-quality handmade teas available outside of China.

The film captures Hoffman’s boundless enthusiasm. Guest filmmaker, Gina Leibrecht will attend both screenings and share her adventures with us in making this film.

Two poignant shorts accompany the main feature. “Tea Time” – a film by Jay Bogdanowitsch – depicts a starving soldier who spots a gentleman on the battlefield having tea. Next to the gentleman sits a tea table with a delicious baked goodie. The soldier’s mission becomes: liberate that pastry, until he finds out he’s in for a big surprise. In war, nothing is what it appears to be.

“The Taste of Tea” by Alfonso Chin X is the story of a son who forgives his dying mother for all the years of abandonment by finding and making her a special tea.

The entire program will be approximately two hours, including a question-and-answer session with Leibrecht.

Tickets are $10 at the door and $5 for children 16 and under. Fresh popcorn and concessions also are available.

Coyote Film Festival is a fundraising arm of EcoArts of Lake County, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing visual art opportunities and ecologic stewardship to the residents and visitors of Lake County.

For more information visit: www.EcoArtsofLakeCounty.org.

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