An “Afternoon of Opera and Musical Theatre” will be presented by the Capital Singers of Trenton June 2 at 4 p.m. in Sacred Heart Church, 343 South Broad Street, Trenton.
The program will feature pieces from opera and musical settings including “Make Our Gardens Grow” (Candide); “The Promise of Living” (The Tender Land); “Make Them Hear You” (Ragtime); “Evening Prayer” (Hansel and Gretel), and “Hair” (A Choral Medley). The Capital Singers will be conducted by artistic director Vinroy D. Brown, Jr., with Ellen J. Dondero, assistant conductor and accompanist, and Spenser R. Gallo.
Tickets for adults, if purchased in advance, are $20 or $22 at the door. For seniors and children over 12 are $15; children under 12 are free. Tickets for groups of 10 are $120 (sold in sets of 10 only). Family pass is $50 and a gold pass is $200 for one person who intends to attend all future concerts.
For ticket information, call 609-434-2781 or visit capitalsingers.org.
Founded in 2006, Capital Singers of Trenton is a mixed chorus that strives to promote the art of choral singing, enrich the cultural life of New Jersey and the surrounding region and serves as ambassadors for the City of Trenton through concerts, special performances and community outreach.
Vinroy D. Brown, Jr., formerly served as conductor to the CST’s smaller, auditioned chorale in the December 2017, Winter Songs concert. He began conducting the full chorus follwoing the retirement of founding conductor Richard M. Loatman.
Brown holds degrees in sacred music and music education from Westminster Choir College, Princeton, and serves as director of choral activities at Morristown High School, conductor of the Westminster Jubilee Singers at Westminster Choir College, the director of music and worship arts at the Elmwood United Presbyterian Church, East Orange, and founder, artistic director and conductor of the Elmwood Concert Singers.
Ellen J. Dondero is the minister of music in Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church, Beach Haven, where she is organist and choir director and also coordinates special events such as the Holy Innocents’ Spring Concert Series and the Annual Messiah Sing.
As a charter member and assistant conductor of CST, Dondero began working with founding artistic director and current executive director, Richard M. Loatman, more than 30 years ago while fulfilling student teaching requirements for a bachelor of music education degree from Westminster Choir College. When she is not working in music ministry, Dondero is the manager of two retail stores, How to Live and How to Live Bayside on Long Beach Island.
Dondero and her husband, John, have three children, all performing musicians.
Spenser Gallo has been a pianist since 1998, an accompanist since 2004, and a private instructor since 2014. She has worked as freelance soloist and collaborative artist and maintains an active lessons studio.