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= Test =

Test is a non-profit opera company founded by Christine Steyer, Paul Geiger and Franco Martorana. It was formed to preserve and promote the tradition of the classically trained vocal artist and to expand public appreciation of both opera and classical music by presenting innovative concert events with professional musicians. It has expanded to create an outreach program and to commission new works for voice. Based in Oak Park, Illinois, it serves the Chicago area and adjacent states.

History
Founded in 2006 as Bellissima Opera Productions, the organization changed to Bellissima Opera LLC in 2009 and was incorporated as the non-profit Bellissima Opera in 2010. Over that time the company has given dozens of concerts and produced and performed in abridged versions of La Traviata  and Madame Butterfly. In 2008 the company, in partnership with Sounds True©, recorded a CD of sacred music entitled Caroline Myss’ “Voices of the Sacred.” In 2014, it produced a concert called “The Music of the Universe” that combined voice, violin, Hawaiian dance and images, and featured a new vocal work for soprano by David Shenton set to a poem by Charlie Rossiter.

Artists
The founders of Bellissima Opera are often the company’s core performers. The company has also featured singers Partick Blackwell, Dominique Frigo, Ryan de Ryke, Marta Kasten and pianists Eugenia Chang, Anatoliy Torchinskiy, Jeff Panko and Marta Johnson. Others include violinist Chris Nemeth, dancers Fujima Shunojo, Fujima Yoshinojo and June Tanoue, artist David Robbins and directors Carl Ratner and Beaumont Glass. The company has also commissioned arrangements and new works from Ed Zelnis, Stuart Leitch, Daniel Vines and David Shenton.

Members of the Board of Bellissima Opera

Christine Steyer, Artistic Director and Chairman

Paul Geiger, Managing Director

Franco Martorana, Managing Director

Being filled -- Treasurer

Jan Sodaro, Secretary

Bellissima Opera Outreach
In 2009, the company created Bellissima Opera Outreach which has since presented age-appropriate classical vocal concerts for 16,500 schoolchildren ages K -12 in three states.

Upcoming
The company’s current project is an original work entitled The Transcendence Triptych -- an operatic triple-bill that will celebrate extraordinary individuals who sought to transcend the racial divide. With this project, Bellissima Opera intends to create a profound and timely new work to add to the operatic repertoire. The first opera in triptych, entitled Outside the Ring, will be based on the friendship that developed between the boxers German Max Schmeling and American Joe Louis after their fights in the 1930s. The second opera, Reconciliation, will highlight an extraordinary incident that occurred during The Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings following the end of apartheid in South Africa. The final opera, Future Perfect, will be inspired by the writings of Chicago high school students on themes of diversity and interconnectedness. The project will be headed by Christine Steyer. The score will be the work of acclaimed composer David Shenton set to libretti by Steyer and Bellissima Opera co-founder Paul Geiger. The libretti will be completed in 2015 and the operas workshopped in 2016. The Transcendence Triptych will premiere in 2017 or when sufficient funds are raised. The production will be fully staged and costumed, and will use professional soloists, chorus, orchestra and dancers.

Performances by year
2006:

La Traviata by Giuseppi Verdi, the Village Players Theatre, Oak Park, Illinois, May, 2006.

2007:

Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini, the Village Players Theatre, Oak Park, Illinois, June, 2007.

2008:

La Traviata by Verdi, the New Buffalo Performing Arts Center, New Buffalo, Michigan, July 26, 2008.

Caroline Myss' Voices of the Sacred, songs of the world's most famous and beloved sacred music, recorded in partnership with Sounds True©. The CD release concert was held at Unity Temple, Oak Park, Illinois, Sept. 6, 2008.

2009:

“The World’s Greatest Arias” a concert including songs from La Traviata, Madame Butterfly, La Boheme and The Merry Widow, the Beverly Arts Center, Chicago, Illinois, Nov. 21, 2009.

2010:

“A Night of Opera and Song," including songs of Tosti, Tchaikovsky, and Donizetti, as well as traditional Japanese dance and the world premiere of a song by composer Daniel Vines, Unity Temple, Oak Park, Illinois, Aug. 5, 2010.

2011:

La Traviata, Opera Up Close,The Center for Performing Arts, Governors State University, University Park, Illinois, Mar. 27, 2011.

2013:

“Celebrate Earth Day” with Bellissima Opera, Munch Restaurant, Oak Park, Illinois, Apr. 22, 2013.

2014:

“Music of the Universe,” a multimedia concert in voice, violin, dance and imagery. The concert featured an original commission by composer David Shenton, who composed a song to the poem "Music of the Universe" by Charlie Rossiter, at Unity Temple, Oak Park, Illinois, Jun. 1, 2014.