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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Uptown Style Baritone Frank Hernandez Returns To Uptown Opera For Benefit Performance

Besides harmony and melody, one further quality - symmetry - will be on display Tuesday evening at the Davenport.

Symmetry, as in:

Five years ago the Uptown Opera gave baritone Frank Hernandez the chance to develop as an artist. Today, Hernandez will help give Uptown Opera the chance to develop as an organization.

This nationally known rising star, who sang for Uptown in his first opera ever, is lending his prodigious talents to a benefit for Uptown Opera on its 10th anniversary.

Hernandez is not just part of the evening’s program - he is the evening’s program.

Hernandez, the recent winner of the Pavarotti Competition in Philadelphia, will open with a series of art songs by Ambroise Thomas, Robert Schumann and Henry Deparc. Then he will sing four Cole Porter standards: “In the Still of the Night,” “Night and Day,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and “Begin the Beguine.”

Following an intermission for champagne and chocolate, Hernandez will sing an aria from Verdi’s “La Traviata,” four songs from Ned Rorem and three songs from Leonard Bernstein, “Lucky to Be Me,” “Lonely Town” and “Make Our Garden Grow.”

The last number will include singers from the Whitworth College Opera Workshop. All of the other numbers will be just Hernandez and accompanist Kendall Feeney.

Hernandez just finished singing Marcello in “La Boheme” at the Houston Grand Opera, and he will be going to Italy this summer to rehearse the same role alongside Luciano Pavarotti for a September production of “La Boheme” in Philadelphia. Yet when it came to squeezing the Uptown Opera event into his increasingly busy schedule, he was happy to do so.

“He’s doing it because he’s really grateful for the opportunity he got here, and he really loves the people here,” said Marjory Halvorson, the Uptown Opera’s co-artistic director and Hernandez’s former teacher. “He was totally inexperienced when he first started with us. His only solo experience prior to coming to Spokane was singing the national anthem at a football game.”

Hernandez, then a Whitworth College student, landed his first opera job in the chorus of Uptown’s “Elixir of Love” in 1991.

He won his first starring role later that year, as Figaro in “The Marriage of Figaro.” He then went on to major roles at Uptown in “The Barber of Seville,” “A Little Night Music” and as Papageno in “The Magic Flute.”

“It was a good place for me to grow up,” said Hernandez.

It’s funny how experiences in this small (but professional) opera company have helped Hernandez in his national career.

“He has talked with the Houston Grand Opera about a principle role in ‘A Little Night Music,’ and they are interested in him because he has already been in it,” said Halvorson. “Same thing with Papageno. He will re-create that role for the Houston Grand Opera on their main stage this coming year.”

Hernandez’s appearance couldn’t be better timed for Uptown Opera. Their winter opera, “The Ballad of Baby Doe,” was canceled due to problems caused by a change in executive directors. This benefit is a replacement show, and they’re hoping for a big success.

Halvorson said Hernandez “epitomizes what Uptown is all about” - that is, giving artists a chance to gain stage experience. Several other young artists will be honored during the evening, when the Uptown Opera Scholars are announced.

These scholarships, provided by an anonymous donor, are for Whitworth students interested in careers in opera. The voice recipient is Heather Peterson from Tacoma, and the accompanist recipient is Tania Stroehl of Munich. Two additional winners will be announced Tuesday night.

The Uptown Opera is going forward with two fully mounted operas this year: Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance” May 24-30, and Puccini’s “La Boheme” Sept. 6-14. Tickets are already on sale for both.

“We managed to make it 10 years, and we haven’t been deep-sixed yet,” said Halvorson. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: CONCERT “10th Anniversary Gala - Uptown Opera presents Frank Hernandez” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Davenport Hotel. Tickets are $50, $35, $25 and $10, available through G&B Select-a-Seat at 325-SEAT or (800) 325-SEAT.

This sidebar appeared with the story: CONCERT “10th Anniversary Gala - Uptown Opera presents Frank Hernandez” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Davenport Hotel. Tickets are $50, $35, $25 and $10, available through G&B; Select-a-Seat at 325-SEAT or (800) 325-SEAT.