Conservatory students in La Boheme this weekend

Congratulations to the Patel Conservatory vocal arts students who are performing this weekend in Opera Tampa’s La Bohème!

Jacob Fleming in his Parisian
costume for La Boheme

Students in our Junior Choir, Junior Ensemble and Musical Theater classes are portraying the children in this classic opera, playing at the Straz Center through March 10, 2013.

“The set is really beautiful. There’s old buildings with lights, and it’s very realistic,” said Jacob Fleming, 13, who is both in our vocal arts program and our Rock School program.

The students play the children on a street in Paris in the second act, and had to attend rehearsals with the Opera Tampa cast. Fleming said he was thrilled to have such an opportunity to work with professional artists.

“They’re all amazing, it was so cool to work with them and hear them,” he said.

Fleming began at the Patel Conservatory with an arts sampler camp in the summer when he was about six years old. He’s since taken musical theater classes and has participated in Rock School for nearly three years.

From rock to opera, he doesn’t care the style, he just enjoys being on stage and performing.

“It’s been a fantastic experience and I love it,” said Fleming.

The following students are also performing this weekend with Opera Tampa:

LaNora Barber, Paige Crockett, Isabella Falber, Emma Hurlburt, Alexa Lowrey, Taliyah Marullo, Samantha Money, Joshua Nelson, Abigale Pfingsten, Bianca Rivera-Irions and McKayla Whiteside.

Also performing in the show as part of the Opera Tampa Chorus are instructor Allison Novak, Kavanaugh Gillespie, Rachael Marino and Ruthie Nelson. Music instructors Catherine Michelsen, Hollis Hammonds, Lowell Adams, Dee Moses, and Jim Petrecca play in the orchestra.

Congratulations to all these students and instructors and have a great run!