A 'Grand Night' for UK Staff
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 1, 2014) — University of Kentucky Opera Theatre will honor Russ Williams, the university's first representative of the staff on the Board of Trustees who died in 2009, by offering a special ticket price to UK staff for its popular musical revue, “It’s a Grand Night for Singing!” Each performance of “Grand Night” will have select seats available to UK staff for only $25, plus Singletary Center for the Arts processing fees. General admission tickets for "Grand Night" are $45.
Everett McCorvey, director of UK Opera Theatre, said of Williams, “Russ was a tireless advocate for the staff and the staff’s concerns on the UK Board of Trustees. Russ loved the university and all it had to offer to the community and to the Commonwealth. He suggested to me the idea of having staff prices for opera performances. I am happy to be able to offer the staff prices in honor of Russ. He was well loved by all on campus.”
Williams held the staff representative position to the UK Board of Trustees for four terms beginning in 1998 until his death in 2009.
“Grand Night” will have six performances at the Singletary Center for the Arts, on UK’s campus, beginning 7:30 p.m. June 13, 14, 20 and 21, and 2 p.m., June 15 and 22. Staff tickets are available through the Singletary Center ticket office with a valid UK staff ID.
UK Opera Theatre is one of a select group of U.S. opera training programs recommended by the Richard Tucker Music Foundation. The Tucker Foundation is a nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to the support and advancement of the careers of talented American opera singers by bringing opera into the community and heightening appreciation for opera by supporting music education enrichment programs.
The UK School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts has garnered a national reputation for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as music education, composition, and theory and music history.
MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu