Rosedale promotes summer music series

ROSEDALE — It’s no secret — Chuck Nehls loves opera music.

In fact, when he accepted the manager position at Rosedale Golf & Country Club’s clubhouse eight years ago, he made it his personal mission to persuade the community’s residents to appreciate the theatrics of the genre.

Nehls organized shows by Opera Tampa in October and February.

“When I told residents I wanted to bring the opera to Rosedale, they said, ‘Oh, please,’ like no one would come,” Nehls said. “Every performance has turned out to be standing-room only, so I knew there was an audience for (it).”

This summer, Rosedale will host a Summer Music Series open to the public thanks to its on-site opera enthusiast.

For $32, attendees of the event will enjoy dinner from 6 to 7 p.m. and a show by local performers at 8 p.m. June 26, July 17 and Aug. 14, at the clubhouse. Tickets are on sale now at the Rosedale clubhouse, 5100 87th St. E., Bradenton.

But the music won’t just appeal to opera fans. Nehls promises a show that speaks to a wide range of music-lovers.

Carol Sparrow, a mezzo-soprano, and Randolph Locke, a tenor, along with the groups of which the singers are members — Oasis Young Artists Program and Sarasota Voice Academy — will perform songs according to each night’s theme.

The June performance will feature songs from Oscar-winning movies. July will feature Broadway hits; and August will feature music from famous operettas — more common songs from operas, Nehls said.

Locke and Sparrow, voice instructors at the State College of Florida Sarasota-Manatee, have performed worldwide in such as Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

As a mezzo-soprano, Sparrow sings with a tone “heavier and darker” than other sopranos, while Locke sings at the highest pitch in the male range, Nehls said.

After a year of planning the event, Nehls hopes bringing music into his workplace will provide East County residents summer offerings other than swimming and golf.

“This is really the first attempt at doing something over the summer,” Nehls said. “Normally clubs do very little other than a few activities, and that’s just not enough for me.”

IF YOU GO
Summer Music Series
When: June 26, July 17 and Aug. 14: Dinner runs from 6 to 7 p.m.; show starts at 8 p.m.
Where: Rosedale Golf & Country Club clubhouse, 5100 87th St. E., Bradenton
Cost: $32 for dinner and the show
Info: The three-day music event features dinner and a show throughout the summer, with performances by mezzo-soprano Carol Sparrow, tenor Randolf Locke, the Oasis Young Artists Program and the Sarasota Voice Academy. For information, contact [email protected].

Lineup
June 26 — Carol Sparrow and Randolph Locke perform
July 17 — Oasis Young Artists Program performs
Aug. 14 — Sarasota Voice Academy performs

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].