A 'Grand Night' of Thanks
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 16, 2011) − One of the largest arts productions in the Bluegrass will take time to recognize a couple that has given 10 years of their life to the University of Kentucky and the arts. UK Opera Theatre will present a special performance of their popular musical revue "It's a Grand Night for Singing!" in honor of President Lee T. Todd Jr. and UK First Lady Patsy Todd beginning at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the Singletary Center for the Arts.
"Grand Night" is a town and gown event known for its show-stopping performances of hits from Broadway and the Billboard charts. In addition to the popular music, this event will also feature special guest appearances and culminate with a post-show dessert reception in celebration of the Todds' tenure at UK, which will come to an end June 30. Tickets for the June 18 performance, which also includes parking and shuttle transportation to the show, are $50 and are still available for purchase.
“I am delighted to present this special production for President and Mrs. Todd. They have been wonderful supporters of the arts programs at UK and in Lexington,” says UK Opera Theatre Director Everett McCorvey.
During their 10-year tenure at UK, the Todds have not only championed UK Opera Theatre and other arts programming at the university, but have often been major cheerleaders of the program sharing its accomplishments with audiences on campus and around the state.
With this steadfast presidential support, UK Opera Theatre has seen major advancements in their critically acclaimed program.
The opera program and its students have received scholarships from Women & Philanthropy, an organization spearheaded by Mrs. Todd. Through this individual support, opera students have been able to pursue not only their studies but also travel to compete and perform on stages for the Dicapo Opera Theatre in New York City and at the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington, D.C.
In addition, UK Opera Theatre has amassed major financial contributions and a large endowment with President Todd's guidance. With his help, McCorvey has been able to secure support from local businessman Pearse Lyons and Alltech for the annual Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition.
“With the generous support of Alltech we have been able to create the biggest vocal competition in the United States with awards totaling over $300,000 each year,” says McCorvey.
McCorvey was also able to work with the William E. Schmidt Foundation to develop an endowment that helped fund the university's Schmidt Vocal Arts Center, multiple youth vocal competitions around the U.S., and an opera outreach program in Kentucky.
“The Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition, now held in eight states, allows us to identify high school students who have an interest in pursuing a career in vocal music," says McCorvey. "The high school competition awards $7,500 in prize money at each competition. Schmidt Competitions next year will be held in Atlanta; Lexington; Oxford, Ohio; Orlando; Greencastle, Ind.; Sarasota, Fla. ; Morgantown, W. Va.; and Storrs, Conn."
Three more performances of this year's production of "Grand Night" remain: 7:30 p.m., June 17 and *18 (in honor of the Todds), and 2 p.m., June 19. All performances will be presented at the Singletary Center for the Arts.
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Ticket prices for "It's a Grand Night for Singing!" range from $10 to $37 for reserved seating, and are $50 for the special program dedicated to President and Mrs. Todd on June 18. Tickets to the June 18 performance of "It's a Grand Night for Singing!" will include admission to the production, a post-show dessert reception and parking. A processing fee will be applied upon completion of transaction. To purchase tickets, contact the Singletary Center ticket office at (859) 257-4929 or visit online at www.singletarytickets.com.
Parking for June 18 will be available in Parking Structure 5, located next to Kennedy Bookstore on South Limestone, with shuttle service running from Administration Drive. To access the shuttles, use the pedestrian bridge on level 3. After the performance and reception, shuttles will pick up at Flag Plaza on Avenue of Champions and return to Administration Drive. Regular valet parking will be available for all other performances.
UK Opera Theatre is part of the award-winning UK School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts.
MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-1754 ext. 229; Whitney.Hale@uky.edu
