Author Archives: Chuck Gregory

Party Pics – Tosca at Opera Orlando

If you have never been to an opera, this one should be on your bucket list. The city of Orlando is truly blessed to have world-class opera right here at the Dr. Phillips Center at Steinmetz Hall.

Tosca was inspired by Giacomo Puccini when he saw the play, La Tosca in Rome by French playwright Victorien Sardou, in 1899. Obtaining the rights, he spent four years translating the work into Italian.

From entering Steinmetz Hall, a grand architectural marvel, you leave behind the turmoil of the world today and escape into the turmoil of Rome in 1800 during Napoleon’s threat of invading Italy. Josh Shaw (Stage Director) staged the performers perfectly with a well-balanced beautifully artistic set by Grant Preisser (Scenic Designer). Preisser framed the stage with large paintings that he selected by Anne-Louis Girodet, a famous French painter during the Napoleonic era.

This opera has one of the most romantic scores and the conductor, Eiki Isomura led the orchestra from power to the sublime.

We meet Floria Tosca, a diva who transforms from bitch, loyal bitch, heroine and ends with martyrdom. The amazing soprano, Eleni Calenos plays her perfectly with all the nuances and thoughtful acting transitions. Ms. Calenos sang the premiere aria, “Vissi d’arte” with so much emotion the audience was elated. Her acting was excellent and proved she could not only sing Tosca she became Tosca.

Nathan Granner (Tenor) was charming in his role as Cavaradossi, Tosca’s love interest and the town painter and revolutionary. His portrait of another beautiful woman is the cause of Tosca’s jealousy and suspicion in Act I. Granner hit with power and passion “E lucevan le stelle.”
While these two star-eyed lovers are bantering, Baron Scarpia, played by Daniel Scofield (Baritone) has other sordid and dark ideas to thwart their love. Wanting Tosca for himself, he has Cavaradossi arrested and plans his execution, pinning Tosca to decide if her love lives or dies. Scofield is excellent in this role as the villain with convincing wickedness.

The Opera Orlando Youth Company was an absolute delight. The children’s voices were heavenly.
In the words of stage director Josh Shaw, “I encourage you to get lost in this heart-wrenching story for the next two hours.”

Florida vs #1 Georgia – A Statement Opportunity

Saturday, October 28
EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL

When the Gators (5-2, 3-1) face the Bulldogs (7-0, 4-0) in their annual Southeastern Conference clash at EverBank Stadium this afternoon, Florida has an opportunity to rock the foundations of both programs if it can upset the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs and snap their 24-game winning streak.

Modern-day coaches Billy Napier of Florida and Kirby Smart of Georgia have two of the most high-pressure jobs in college football, and they meet on Saturday for the second time in one of the sport’s most intense rivalries. Smart is 5-2 against Florida since taking over in Athens in 2016, including back-to-back wins in which Georgia outscored Florida 76-27. The fact Florida could move into first place in the SEC East with a victory indicates the Gators are trending in the right direction in Napier’s second season.

For more information click here

Tosca – Opera Orlando

Friday | October 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday | October 29 at 2 p.m.

At STEINMETZ HALL, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
445 S Magnolia Avenue | Orlando, FL 32801

music by Giacomo Puccini
libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

Sung in Italian with English supertitles.
Estimated run time of two hours and twenty minutes including one intermission.

This production is graciously underwritten by Audrey & John Ruggieri.

TICKETS: start at $29

For more information click here

Opera Orlando presents Puccini’s tragically grand Tosca to kick off its 2023-24 All for Art MainStage series. As war and rebellion ravage the city of Rome, the celebrated and passionate opera diva Floria Tosca finds herself caught in a web of religious and political intrigue, betrayal, and jealousy as she tries to save her lover the painter and firebrand Mario Cavadorossi, while being coveted by the villainous and corrupt Baron Scarpia, who holds all the power. It is an utterly untenable situation that proves dire for all involved, but Tosca isn’t one to back down from a fight.

This taut melodrama unfolds on stage at Steinmetz Hall in a brand new and sumptuous production led by stage director Josh Shaw, making his return to Opera Orlando, and conductor Eiki Isomura who is making his Company debut, with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra in the pit. They are joined by an international cast that includes Greek-soprano Eleni Calenos as the luminous and fiery Tosca with acclaimed tenor Nathan Granner as the fearless and dashing Cavaradossi. They are both making their Company debuts, while baritone Daniel Scofield, last seen as Sheriff Jack Rance in Opera Orlando’s site-specific production of The Girl of the Golden West, returns to Orlando as the treacherous and forceful Scarpia.

The cast also includes 2023-24 studio artists, members of the Opera Orlando chorus, and the Opera Orlando Youth CompanyTosca will be sung in Italian with English supertitles and have a run time of approximately two hours and twenty minutes with one intermission.

Fall on the Farm

Saturday, October 28 to Sunday, October 29
Grande Lakes Orlando 4040 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando, Florida 32837

Grande Lakes Orlando’s Fall on the Farm will feature family-friendly offerings celebrating the season, all taking place at Whisper Creek Farm, an 18,000 square foot farm located on-property at Grande Lakes Orlando.

Fall On The Farm Tickets

  • Dates: 10/7, 10/8, 10/14, 10/15, 10/21, 10/22, 10/28, 10/29
  • Times: 11:00 AM – 03:00 PM
  • Adults: $49 plus 6.5% tax
  • Children: (3-12) $30 plus 6.5% tax
  • Ages 0-2 Complimentary

Each Ticket Includes:

  • Parking
  • Farm Entry
  • Hayride
  • Pumpkin Carving and Painting (1 Pumpkin per ticket)
  • Seasonal Family Games
  • Animal Encounters
  • Face Painting
  • Farmer’s Market
  • Archery Exhibit
  • Falconry Meet and Greet
  • Farming education
  • Live musical entertainment

Locally-sourced dining options from local purveyors and the resort’s culinary team will also be available for sale

For more information click here

6th Annual Beaches Tour of Homes 2023

Saturday, November 4 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach, Florida

Featuring a carefully-curated collection of stunning homes, wander your way through charming beach bungalows, modern feats and eccentric abodes. From cozy cottages to architectural wonders across the north beaches, there’s a little something for everyone on the 6th Annual Beaches Tour of Homes.

This fundraiser is organized by the Beaches Town Center Agency (BTCA) which is a nonprofit organization that works for the improvement of the Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach Central Business District. BTCA helps to protect the unique character of the Beaches Town Center community by maintaining and enhancing its presence as an economic and cultural center. From holiday lighting & decorations, landscaping projects, public art displays, bike racks, benches, and other beautification projects, this volunteer board works with the cities of Atlantic and Neptune Beach on an ongoing basis to continue to improve the area.

For more information click here

How Human-AI Collaboration Will Improve Mental Health

Tuesday, December 5 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

About this Presentation
Tim Althoff will lead a discussion about how Human-AI collaboration will improve mental health.

Tim Althoff is an assistant professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington. His research advances computational methods that leverage large-scale behavioral data to extract actionable insights about our lives, health and happiness through combining techniques from data science, social network analysis, and natural language processing. Tim holds a Ph.D. degree from the Computer Science Department at Stanford University. He has received several fellowships and awards including WWW, ICWSM and IMIA Best Paper Awards, the SIGKDD Dissertation Award 2019, and an NSF CAREER Award. Tim’s research has been covered internationally by news outlets including BBC, CNN, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.

For more information click here

Red, White, & Rescued – Project Dynamo

Thursday, November 2 at 6:00 PM
Armature Works, 1910 N Ola Ave, Tampa, FL 33602

PROJECT DYNAMO FIRST ANNUAL RED, WHITE, & RESCUED GALA
SAVE THE DATE
Date: November 2nd, 2023
Venue: Armature Works
Address: 1910 N Ola Ave, Tampa, FL 33602
Dress code: Black-Tie Optional, Military Uniforms encouraged: Service Dress Blue – Ribbons or equivalent.
Start: 6:00pm
Email: events@projectdynamo.org
Keynote speaker: A-list celebrities and military officers (Admirals and Generals).
*Please email events@projectdynamo.org to reserve a table.

For more information click here

The Ultimate Walt Disney World Resort Travel Guide

Staggering in scope and almost mythical in magic, it feels remiss to refer to Walt Disney World as a mere theme park. Comprising four colossal parks, 32 hotels, more than 30,000 hotel rooms, and 200-plus restaurants across 43 square miles southwest of Orlando, the world’s most visited vacation park boasts some of the most famed attractions and characters on Earth, all housed within an area that’s twice the size of Manhattan.

So starts a great article about Walt Disney World, The Ultimate Walt Disney World Resort Travel Guide. Tips and tricks abound for your amazing experience at the Most Magical Place on Earth. Enjoy reading, and have a great vacation.

For more information click here

MEET WILDFARE: WILDLY IRRESISTIBLE MEDITERRANEAN FARE TAILOR-MADE FOR THE AMERICAN KITCHEN

Harvested from ancestral fields, made from historic recipes

Healthy and clean from crops to cuisine, Wildfare cultivates farm-fresh produce grown beneath the rich, Mediterranean soil and warm sun in ancestral fields that have been tended for generations. Each one-of-a-kind product comes from heritage recipes that create nutritious and wildly irresistible Mediterranean fare perfect for the American pantry. From cold-pressed, pure olive oils (with one even bottled specifically to inspire young palates to enjoy healthy food) to juicy semi-sundried tomatoes to beetroot pastas and orange-stuffed olives, you haven’t tasted the Mediterranean until you’ve tasted Wildfare.

“With our roots in the lush Mediterranean region and our company headquarters in the US, Wildfare prides itself on honoring the simple, exquisite culinary history of our ancestors while innovating convenient ways to preserve and deliver the same abundantly fresh flavors to people’s kitchens. While encouraging Americans to eat well, we are also dedicated to empowering female growers and makers to succeed and pass their invaluable knowledge on. Together, we make magnificent products and memorable meals,” said Melissa Clemente, Wildfare’s Creative and Marketing Director.

Some of Wildfare’s unique products grown by heritage farming practices and crafted from historical recipes include:

Wildfare Olive Oil for Children: Helps and inspires children to acquire a taste for healthy Mediterranean food early on with their starter olive oil.
Wildfare Orange Stuffed Olives: Dirty with a twist! Wildfare orange stuffed olives wow in all kinds of recipes from salads and mezze to cocktails and canapes.
Wildfare Ajvar: This eggplant and roasted red pepper Ajvar recipe was perfected with the input of 100 Macedonian grandmothers before becoming an American pantry staple that can be used as a sauce, spread or dip.
Wildfare Shatta Mediterranean hot sauce: The next fiery menu must-have curated from traditional recipes.
Wildfare Organic & Vegan Pastas: Available in black carrot, spinach, tomato, sweet red pepper, olive or the band’s best-selling beetroot, Wildfare makes a unique plant-based fettuccine that adds color and nutrients to simple pasta dishes.
Wildfare Bruschetta: A collection of incredible recipes all ready to go— the making of an authentic Bruschetta bar for your next American holiday starts with Wildfare.
Wildfare whole Freeze-dried Produce: The freeze-drying process for Wildfare’s fruits and vegetables retains all the taste and aroma of freshly picked produce with 98% of the nutritional value.
Wildfare Semi-Sundried Tomatoes: Wildfare’s natural semi-sun-drying process (without all the heat) results in sweet, concentrated cherry tomatoes that literally burst in your mouth with a gorgeously intense flavor!
Wildfare Pistachio Butter: A magical combination of tastes and textures. Sweet and nutty, pistachios are delivered in a creamy texture that also incorporates tiny bits of this favorite among nuts.
Hazelnut Butter with Cocoa: Hazelnut Butter with Cocoa elevates the classic combination universally beloved by children and adults alike. The texture is beyond silky, and the flavor is extraordinary!

Wildfare’s unique Mediterranean pantry products are available at select grocery stores nationwide, including Gelson’s, ShopRite, Meijers, and Central Market in Texas.

For more information click here