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Opera Celebrity To Visit Freedom Plaza

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 10, 2008

On Nov. 16, at a festive celebration in the grand ballroom of Manhattan's Plaza Hotel, five international celebrities were presented the coveted Opera News Magazine's Award for Distinguished Achievement: composer John Adams and singers Natalie Dessay, Marilyn Horne, Renee Fleming and Sherrill Milnes.

On Jan. 12, 2009, Sherrill Milnes will visit Freedom Plaza, in Sun City Center, to recap - via video clips and commentary - highlights of the long, prolific career that led to this latest among the numerous awards and honors that have been heaped upon him.

Recognized as the leading Verdi baritone of his time, Milnes dominated those roles at the Met from the late sixties to the early nineties and conquered all of the great opera capitals of the world such as Milan's La Scala, Paris Opera, Vienna Opera, Covent Gardens, Bavarian State Opera...and the list goes on. His powerful, yet superbly controlled voice, his dramatic intensity and his commanding stage presence set the standard for a generation of baritones seeking operatic fame. Five -times nominated and three-time Grammy recipient, Milnes is one of the most recorded (on cassette, CD, VCR and DVD) artists in operatic history. His memoirs are captured in his book, "American Aria."

Now retired from the opera stage, Milnes, with his wife, opera singer Maria Zouves, heads V.O.I.C. Experience, a national educational program for aspiring singers. The couple is also involved with T.B.P.A.C's Opera Tampa; Milnes as artistic director and Zouves as associate general director.

"Sherrill Milnes, Live!" will be presented at the Freedom Plaza Auditorium, Sun City Center at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 12 and is open to the public. A "Meet and Greet the Guest," with a coffee-plus-bar follows the program. Tickets are $10. For information, call (813) 642-1213 or (813) 642-1215.

Peggy Burgess is a creative consultant for Freedom Plaza.

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