July 10, 2012
St. John’s Office of Community Relations has announced its
14th Annual Summer Concert featuring the Queens
Symphony Orchestra performing the opera “La
Traviata” on Wednesday, August 1 at 7 p.m. on the
University’s Queens campus. The concert held on the Great Lawn is
free to the general public.
Renowned conductor Maestro Constantine Kitsopoulos will direct
“La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi in a
stirring opera that will serve as a superb complement to the
beautiful summer weather. This year’s concert is brought to the
community of Queens with a variety of sponsors. Dime Bank is the
newest corporate sponsor and without their generous support the
concert might not have been possible.
“We want our neighbors in the community to bring their lawn chairs
and enjoy a night of first class musical entertainment from the
Queens Symphony Orchestra,” said Joseph Sciame, Vice President for
Community Relations at St. John’s University. “This is our 14th
annual concert and we thank all of our sponsors at: Con Edison, Dime Bank, Coca Cola and the
Queens Symphony
Orchestra for their participation in continuing to make this a
tradition that the entire St. John’s and Queens communities look
forward to each summer.”
In addition, the Italian Cultural Center of St. John’s University
has collaborated with its support of the concert, in a special
tribute to the legacy of Giuseppe Verdi, whose 200th Anniversary of
his birth is 2013. Verdi was one of the great composers of Italian
opera. A composer of romantic music, his work was already very
popular during his lifetime and remains so today. One reason for
his success was his rejection of the traditional Italian opera for
integrated scenes and unified acts. Verdi became a national hero
and produced many successful operas, such as La
Traviata and
Falstaff.
Currently in its 59th season, Queens Symphony Orchestra (QSO) is
the Borough's only professional orchestra, and the oldest and
largest professional arts organization in Queens.
For more information about the summer concert, contact Paul
Lazauskas, Associate Director of Community Relations at
St. John’s University by calling (718) 990-1912
or e-mail inquiries to communityrelations@stjohns.edu.
Guests are encouraged to enter thru Gate #2 on
Utopia Parkway, bring chairs and blankets, and
arrive on time prior to 7 p.m. In case of inclement weather,
the concert will be moved indoors.
Interested media representatives may contact Dominic
Scianna, Assistant Vice President for Media Relations at
St. John’s University by calling (718) 990-6185 or
e-mail inquiries to sciannad@stjohns.edu.