THE GUILD’S MISSION

The Palm Springs Opera Guild of the Desert is a cultural organization which works to promote opera through the delivery of quality operatic performances to a large and diverse audience throughout the Coachella Valley.  The Guild helps ensure the future of the art form by encouraging and supporting young singers with financial assistance, performance opportunities and through student and adult Outreach programs.

To fulfill its mission the Guild presents numerous events in the Coachella Valley throughout the year.  One of the Guild’s three major events is OPERA OUTREACH, targeting school children in the greater Palm Springs area.   The 2013 program introduced over 12,000 students to operatic music which they hopefully will enjoy throughout their lifetimes.

Another major event produced by the Guild is the annual winter VOCAL COMPETITION which helps to advance the careers of young artists. Many competition winners are currently singing with major opera companies around the world in such venues as Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, the New York Metropolitan, LA Opera, San Diego Opera and Santa Fe Opera.  Last year’s Competition was held on Saturday, December 1st at the Rancho Mirage Public Library.  The distinguished judges were  Charles MacKay (General Director of  Santa Fe Opera), Joshua Winograde (Artistic Administrator and Director of the Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program of  LA Opera) and Ian Campbell (General Director of San Diego Opera).  This year will mark the 30th anniversary of the Competition which will be held on Saturday, December 7th at the Rancho Mirage Public Library.

The Guild’s largest annual event is the renowned OPERA IN THE PARK.  This free concert features a selection of familiar arias sung by promising new opera singers with a professional orchestra conducted by Maestro Valery Ryvkin.  For many in the community this is their introduction to opera.  For others it is a joyful reunion with operatic gems known the world over.  The 16th annual Opera in the Park is slated for Sunday, April 6, 2014 from noon to 4pm at Sunrise Park in downtown Palm Springs.

In addition to these programs, the Guild offers a number of Prime Time Outreach lectures and performances in association with the Rancho Mirage Pulbic Library.  The most recent were a preview of Madama Butterfly and Jewish Composers and the Creation of the American Musical.

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2013-2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Officers

PRESIDENT: C. Terry Hendrix

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT: J. Bruce Johansen

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT: Michael C. Cressey

TREASURER/SECRETARY: Kathy Sanders

PARLIAMENTARIAN: Jean C. Carrus

Directors

Roy W. Cody, Edith deCrinis, Andrew Eisenmann, Dr. William Fisher, Renée Glickman, Jean Kemp, Stephen Lind, Barbara Mittelmann, Patrick Mundt, Donald Osborne, Barbara Pomar, John Shevlin

Joanne Vilardi, Executive Assistant

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Many thanks to the following 2012-2013 Sponsors and Supporters of the Guild:

Angels – $10,000 and above

Anderson Children’s Foundation, Augustine Foundation, Terry Hendrix, Wells Fargo Foundation

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Benefactors – $5000 and above

Jean C. Carrus, Courtney & Audrey Moe, Thomas Patrick & Stephen Rulo, Barbara Pomar & Craig Salsbury, Heather James Gallery, Macy’s, Harold Matzner, Harold & Dorothy Meyerman

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Sponsors – $2500 and above

Cinémas Palme d’Or, Donald & Peggy Cravens, Yvonne & Steven Maloney, Donald Osborne & Frank Garofolo

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Friends of the Guild – $1000 and above

Alderson Family Foundation, Jerome & Mary Angel, William Fisher, Suz Hunt, Bruce Johansen, Armen Kazarian, Barbara Keller, Jean & Maury Kemp, Penny & Bart Riven, Mary Silver, Joe & Joyce Stein, Marjorie Victor, Sandra Cooper Woodson

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Supporters – $500 and above

Stephen Lind, Rancho Mirage Public Library, Barbara & Michael Resmo

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Aficionados – Up to $500

Carol Hadlock Anselmo, Eve Chaiken, Joy Eichen, Dr. James & Roberta Elliott, Margaret Eastman Farmer, Kenneth Morris, Jimmy Garner & Jens Nowak, Dr. David & Mary Jane Isaacs, Kathleen Jeffer, Joyce & Gary Rifkind, Alice Rockett, Richard Roth, Charlie & Claire Shaeffer, Kathy Sanders, Barbara Sher & Ron Blumenfeld, John & Carolee Shevlin, Paula & Norman Simon, Marie Staudhammer, Toni Strassberg, Judith Nierman-Wallis, Helen & Milton Zerin

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Allegro Members

Marie Allman, Mary & Jerome Angel, Fay Bock, James Carona & Heather Sacre, Jean C. Carrus & Frank Bellagente, Eve Chaiken, Peggy Cravens, Michael Cressey, JoAnn Davis, Edith De Crinis, Andrew Eisenmann, Dr. William Fisher, Beverly & Dr. William Galen, Jan Garson, Renée Glickman, Dorothy Goldstein, Bernice Greene, Robert (Bob) Hammack & Robert (Rob) Moon, Terry Hendrix, Joan Holland & Eli Glassman, Miriam Hoover & Michael Leppen, Spencer Howard, Bruce Johansen, Denise Kading, Armen Kazarian, Mr. & Mrs. Maury Page Kemp, Madeline L. Kuhn, Ronald Lavo, Stephen Lind, Steven & Yvonne Maloney, Norman & Barbara Mittlemann, Audrey & Courtney Moe, Kenneth Morris, Barbara Mortensen, Patrick Mundt, Arthur & Patty Newman, John Nocita, Donald Osborne & Frank Garofolo, Marsha Pachter, Thomas Patrick & Stephen Rulo, Michael & Barbara Resmo, Diane Rubin, Craig Salsbury & Barbara Pomar, Kathy Sanders, Ed & Joan Seeberger, John C. & Carolee Shevlin, Mary Silver, Marie Staudhammer, George J. Stoss, Lyn & Pat Stowell, Nanette Van Wyk, Giselle von Dehn, Patricia Welch & Peter DuBarry

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Members

Tony Aabel, James K. Abel, Jacqueline Ackerman, Karin Bailey, Patricia Barr, Babette (Babs) Bay, Darryl Beach, Donald Beck & Geoffrey G. Webb, Dr. Gerald Benston & Dr. Charles Monell, Susan Bollinger & Natalie Shemonsky, Dr. Jerome H. Brodish & Elaine Land Dexter, Suzanne M. Burton, Cheryl Carden, Joseph Cifarelli, John Cliburn, Scott Close, Roy W. Cody, Cecilia Cohen, Irene Conover, Marc Crabtree, Terry Dean, Hendrick deBoer, Charles Dege, William Elsbury, Martin Frank & Stephan Weiss, Donn Fry & Diane Stielstra, William Galliker, Joseph (Joe) Giarrusso, Richard Goodwyn, Gordon Gribble, Rusty Grossman, Delores Hanke, Ann Heavey, Laverne (Tootie) Hecht, Carole Herrera, Penny & Tom Hirschman, Simone Hoag, Gayle Hodges, Ron & Geraldine Hoefer, Mark Jacobs, Kathy Jeffer, Lilli Joseph, Donna King & Kathy Hart, Dr. Joel J. & Marilyn Kirschbaum, Marion Kluger, Mona Lands, Jacqueline Lawrence, Joanne Lilley, Mark Loeffler, Tony & Jane Maresca, D. Ralph McClurg, Dale McGhee, T.J. Moran, James Morell & Jose Liceaga, Gail & Charles Morseburg, Thoma Nicolls, Arthur Pollack, Lynda L. Raible, Anthony Rosiello & Matej Sherko, Marion Schaefer, Richard & Anna Secrist, Christopher Siedel & Michael Mulcahy, Bill & Ann Sheffer, Nanci Sorin & David Steward, Thomas Stansbury & Larry Fechter, Linda Starr, Paul Symons, Tanni Tytel, Mr. & Mrs. Craig Vickers, Robert Walker & Ernest Phinney, Deann M. Young, Marge Zapala, Helen L. Zimmerman

In Kind

The following give generously of their time throughout the year with no remuneration:  Mick Cressey, Andrew Eisenmann, Terry Hendrix, Bruce Johansen, Donald Osborne and Kathy Sanders.  They are supported by Executive Assistant Joanne Vilardi.

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The Guild is a 501(c)(3) organization. Tax ID: 95-6220739. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.  Leadership of the Guild is 100% voluntary.  Officers receive no monetary compensation for services rendered.