Creative OPERAtions, in collaboration with the Monmouth County Parks System, is excited to present American Classics: Weill, Gershwin & Bernstein in Concert, as part of the Summer Concert Series at Thompson Park. This free concert will take place on Saturday, August 23rd at 1:00 PM at the Theater Barn in Thompson Park.
This event celebrates the enduring legacies of Kurt Weill, George Gershwin, and Leonard Bernstein, three composers whose works have defined American music. Their contributions span opera, classical music, musical theater, and popular songs, influencing generations of musicians.The performance will feature a mix of beloved favorites and hidden gems from their iconic repertoires. This free concert
is open to all members of the public.
If you're interested in learning more about these iconic composers, check out our podcast episode featuring opera director and General Director of Bronx Opera, Benjamin Spierman, where we talk about opera, accessibility, and the music of Weill, Gershwin, and Bernstein.
Our Performers
Rebecca Eng, piano
Rebecca Eng, pianist and teacher, studied at Wheaton Conservatory of Music (BM) and Eastman School of Music (MM) where she was awarded the Performer’s Certificate. After two decades of performing at Montclair State University as a collaborative pianist, she worked with The Opera Theatre of Montclair for seven years as the pianist and Assistant General Director. She now performs as a freelance accompanist in the New York metropolitan area and teaches piano privately. Rebecca also serves on the boards of the Music Educators Association of New Jersey and the New Jersey Federation of Music Clubs.
Bernard Holcomb, tenor
Tenor Bernard Holcomb has been praised for his “delicate and flexible” voice (OperaWire) and “appealing sweetness and clarity [of] his tone” (The New York Times). This season, he returns to The Metropolitan Opera as the Fourth Jew in Salome, sings the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto with Eugene Opera, and reprises the title role in The Pigeon Keeper with Opera Parallèle. He also appeared as a soloist at Carnegie Hall in Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass.
Recent highlights include performances at the Met in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, and Champion, as well as leading roles such as Alfredo in La Traviata (Eugene Opera), Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd (Pacific Symphony), and Henry Davis in Street Scene (Central City Opera).
An alumnus of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center, Holcomb has performed with major opera houses and symphonies across the U.S., including Seattle Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Detroit Opera, and On Site Opera. He made his network television debut on Law & Order: SVU.
For more information please visit: www.bernardholcomb.com
Eliam Ramos, bass-baritone
Eliam Ramos is a Puerto Rican singer with a rich bass-baritone voice who has performed opera and concert works with companies in the United States, Spain, Israel, Puerto Rico and Mexico. His artistic engagements range from traditional opera and symphonic concerts, to zarzuelas and modern compositions. The Metropolitan Opera Guild featured Mr. Ramos in their Verdi’s Baritones Serie in their 2022-2023 season in which he also made his Carnegie Hall Debut with Clif Hardin’s Requiem.
Mr. Ramos engagements for 2024-2025 include Alfio from Cavalleria Rusticana with Regina Opera, Bach’s Cantata No. 33 with Bach in Baltimore, the Doctor in the world premiere of The Extinctionist with Heartbeat Opera, Hayden’s Lord Nelson Mass with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, various roles with the American Opera Project’s Opera Lab, the role of Cascada and the cover of Baron Zeta in Lehar’s Die Lustige Witwe (Merry Widow) with Geneva Light Opera, Pap (Fannie Lou Hammer’s husband) in the world premier of Is This America with White Snake Projects, Scarpia in Tosca and Silvio in I Pagliacci both with Regina Opera and Bach’s Cantata 82 with Bach in Baltimore, soloist in the world premier of Paul Aiken’s Missa Pro Terra at Carnegie Hall, Beethoven’s 9th with the New Britain Symphony Society, Dumas in Rossini Perduto with the Long Island Concert Orchestra, Dulcamara in L'Elisir D'Amore with Boston's Bar Harbor Festival, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro with Soo Theatre Projects well as different concert in the NYC area.
For more information please visit: www.eliamramos.com
Corinne Schaefer, soprano
Soprano Corinne Schaefer is celebrated for her versatility and compelling performances across opera, concert, and musical theater stages. She portrayed Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera at Stage Theater Neue Flora in Hamburg, performing the role 114 times. Her operatic repertoire spans a wide range of iconic roles, including The Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte), Beth in the European premiere of Little Women (Brugge, Belgium), Olympia (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel), Nanetta (Falstaff), Musetta (La Bohème), Clotilde (Norma), and Norina (Don Pasquale).
As a highly sought-after concert soloist, Corinne has performed with renowned ensembles that include the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Polizeichor Hamburg, and Bucks County Symphony, with performances across Germany, Austria, Italy, and the U.S.
Corinne’s accolades include 1st prize in Haßloch Meisterkurs La Primavera, 2nd place in the National Opera Association Vocal Competition, and encouragement awards from the Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation, Palm Beach Opera, and Opera at Florham. She was also a finalist in the Liederkranz and Belvedere International Singing Competitions.
A passionate advocate for accessibility in the arts, Corinne is the Founder and Artistic Director of Creative OPERAtions, a New Jersey-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that bridges classical music with communities with limited access to these art forms. She also serves as a teacher and adjudicator for the New Jersey Teen Arts Program and recently participated in the 2024 Eastman Leadership Bootcamp. Corinne is a member of Opera America and the National Opera Association.
Corinne holds a BM in Vocal Performance from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and is an alumna of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia.
For more information please visit: www.corinne-schaefer.com
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