St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church hosted its annual holiday party on Dec. 1.
By
Katie Johns
| 7:56 p.m. December 1, 2016
Longboat Key
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Michelle Giglio’s voice filling Fr. Edward Pick Parish Hall could only mean one thing.
St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church was ringing in the Christmas season.
Giglio, an opera singer with the St. Petersburg Opera, Southwest Florida Symphony and Sarasota Opera performed alongside pianist Lee Dougherty Ross, artistic director and co-founder of Artists Series Concerts of Sarasota, during the women’s and men’s guilds’ annual “Welcome to the Christmas Season” holiday party on Dec. 1.
Together the duo performed many Christmas songs, including “O Holy Night” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Giglio, however enlisted some extra help for “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” She split the audience into 12 groups to help her sing the classic tune. It all went well until Giglio and Dougherty Ross realized they never assigned a group to sing “eight maids a milking.”
The group made it to the end of the song and finished with a round of applause for themselves. Giglio ended her performance with “The Twelve Days After Christmas” and two other songs to which she serenaded Fr. Edward Pick and monsignor Gerard Finegan.
Attendees enjoyed a cocktail reception after the performance.
Lee Dougherty Ross, pianist and artistic director for Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, performs alongside opera singer Michelle Giglio.
Opera singer and soloist with the St. Petersburg and Sarasota operas performed various Christmas songs during the St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church holiday party.
Opera singer and soloist with the St. Petersburg and Sarasota operas performed various Christmas songs during the St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church holiday party.
Opera singer and soloist with the St. Petersburg and Sarasota operas performed various Christmas songs during the St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church holiday party.
Toward the end of the performance Michelle Giglio had attendees sing along with “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Attendees were broken up into groups to sing along to “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Toward the end of the performance Michelle Giglio had attendees sing along with “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Opera singer Michelle Giglio performs at the St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church on Dec. 1.
Monsignor Gerard Finegan sings along with Michelle Giglio.
Michelle Giglio hugs monsignor Gerard Finegan after they sang together at St. Mary’s holiday party.
Michelle Giglio sings to Fr. Edward Pick at the St. Mary holiday party.
Attendees were asked to bring an unwrapped toy to be donated to Catholic Charities.
Michelle Giglio and Lee Dougherty Ross
Mary Jane Tolpa and Mary Ann Mazzaferro
Jane Vorel and Gayle Sobieck
Frank and Helen Morneau and Julia and John Flaherty
Yolanda Noyes and Eleanor Osborne Carnese
Sharyn Ford and Sue Troup
Carol Hammer and Kathy Surma
Attendees clap for Michelle Giglio and Lee Dougherty Ross after their performance.
