Project ERANOS

We selected the painting by Olga Abramova because this aria\\\\\\\'s setting is also at the beach. Our version includes the whimsy of playful kazoos and the wandering minstrel\\\\\\\'s guitar, as well as a message for every lost soul to \\\\\\\"take heart, take any heart, take mine.\\\\\\\"

For our second selection by Rachel McCampbell, we felt the lyrics of the famous \\\\\\\"Flower Duet\\\\\\\" from the Delibes opera inspire one with the spirit of abandon, of letting go and soaring over one\\\\\\\'s problems, if only for a brief moment of release. These beautiful pelicans in a simulataneous gathering and flight seem a metaphor for freedom and joy.

project ERANOS combines musical styles, eras and idioms with live instruments and inspired singing in one fluid, continuous presentation of classical, folk, jazz, music theater, opera, rock and world music. It is made up of like-minded young artists offering ideas and innovation that come together in exciting and unexpected ways. Established in June, 2009, by soprano Ann Gresham, the ensemble of classically-trained singers and instrumentalists has been presented on CD, in concert and in full production of their 2010 show, \\\\\\\"Fitting In: The Immigrant Life\\\\\\\" by Rio Hondo College in Whittier, California. project ERANOS is dedicated to giving back to the community by presenting programs and concerts not only in the concert hall, but in schools and at senior centers, hospitals and homeless shelters across Southern California. In the Fall of 2010, project ERANOS began touring the Whittier School District in \\\\\\\"Songscapes\\\\\\\", an interactive, fully-staged 30-minute program of scenes from operetta and musical theater written and directed by Ann Gresham for grades K-8 and presented free to the community by the Rio Hondo College Division of Arts and Cultural Programs. As of January, 2011, over 1200 school children have been delighted by the program which includes folk music and music by Bizet, Mozart, Offenbach, Rossini, Sondheim and J. Strauss, Jr. The \\\\\\\"Songscapes\\\\\\\" tour continues through May of 2011, and will include run-out performances to the Greater Los Angeles area.