NEMPAC to Hold Free Valentine’s Day Concert Sunday

On Sunday the North End Music & Performing Arts Center (NEMPAC) will hold a free Valentine’s Day concert on Sunday Feb 13 at St. Leonard’s Church.

“NEMPAC is delighted to have our annual favorite, “Amore”, return this season to our performance calendar on Sunday, February 13 at St. Leonard’s Church in Boston’s historic North End,” said Executive Director Sherri Snow. “The concert is right in time to send us off into Valentine’s Day.”

Snow said people are not going to want to miss Boston’s vocal powerhouses, Rebekah Rae Robles and Nate Ramsayer as they sing musical theater and jazz favorites.

“They will set the mood for a romantic and acoustically stunning conclusion to the weekend,” said Snow.

Also appearing are NEMPAC Youth performers Hannah McKenna, who appeared as Emma in Music Theatre Troupe’s Emma, and Linus Shafer-Goulthorpe, who appeared as The Prince in NEMPAC Opera Project’s The Little Prince.

“NEMPAC Faculty Artist J. Kathleen Castellanos will perform on the piano, as well,” said Snow.

The concert will begin at 5 p.m. at the church and is free with a suggested donation of $20.

“Any donation will benefit the NEMPAC Opera Project’s upcoming production of Into the Woods in June 2022,” said Snow.

Attendees must pre-register to attend and masks and vaccinations are required. For more information, and to reserve tickets, please visit www.nempacboston.org.

Snow said while Sunday’s concert will help raise money for the June production of “Into the Woods”, NEMPAC has recently sent out a call for auditions for the musical.

“Auditions will be heard in person on February 27th from 1-5 pm at NEMPAC, 50 Tileston Street, Boston, MA or by Video Audition Submission,” said Snow. “We will require a headshot, resume, one Sondheim song with no cuts and songs from “Into the Woods” are acceptable. For video audition submissions please slate and perform one Sondheim song with an accompanying track or with a pianist. Acapella submissions will not be accepted.”

Video, headshot, and resumes should be sent by February 24th to opera@NEMPACBoston.org.

For live audition submissions, including submissions by youth Snow said those interested should submit a headshot and resume by February 17th to opera@NEMPACBoston.org. 

“Audition times will be assigned as materials are received,” said Snow. “Youths auditioning for Little Red Ridinghood should prepare “I Know Things Now”. For other youth roles, please prepare one Musical Theater song by any composer.”

Roles available to adults for “Into the Woods” include: The Witch; The Baker; The Baker’s Wife; The Narrator/Mysterious Man; Cinderella; Jack; Rapunzel; Rapunzel’s Prince; Cinderella’s; Prince; The Wolf; Florinda; Lucinda; Cinderella’s Stepmother; Jack’s Mother; and The Giant’s Wife/Cinderella’s Mother/Granny.

Roles available to youth performers between the ages of 11-17 include: Little Red Ridinghood; The Steward; Milky White; Snow White; and Sleeping Beauty.

“NEMPAC Opera Project is a proud member of the Black Opera Alliance and is committed to casting and hiring policies that are inclusive and do not discriminate based on race, gender, sexual orientation, cultural identity, or disability,” said Snow.

All performers auditioning will be required to provide proof of COVID-19 Vaccination Status.