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Darius Thomas, a 2009 graduate of Sherman High School, returns to Finley Theatre on Friday, July 22 from 7 – 9 p.m. for a benefit concert. The community hopes to raise money to help finance his upcoming trip to China where Thomas will be performing in the China Yunan Opera Festival.
The festival held in the city of Kunming selects young voice students from around the world to spend two weeks in China studying opera. Those accepted into the program will receive one-on-one voice lessons and participate in intensive musical training consisting of master classes, vocal lectures, and 30 hours of staging rehearsals – culminating in a performance of selections from various operas accompanied by a full orchestra.
Thomas will be singing in the Mozart opera, “The Magic Flute.” In the role of Tamino, he will portray a young man who is enchanted after he rescues a woman he’s only seen in a picture.
“I’m truly overwhelmed,” shared Thomas. “I’ve been studying vocal performance at the University of Texas at San Antonio, but going to China will literally open up a world of opportunity to me.” Thomas recently made his professional debut with the San Antonio Opera in a cameo role, but he got his start in Sherman where he performed in numerous musicals produced by the high school and Theatricks.
During the benefit concert, Thomas will be singing a wide variety of music including vocal literature from the German, French, Italian and English repertoire. There will be a few spirituals and show pieces as well. Anna Clarkson Wylie, another recent SHS graduate currently studying music education, will be joining Thomas during the evening.
There isn’t a charge for attending the concert, but donations will be gratefully accepted both before and after the show
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