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Coming up in March are several events you won’t want to miss. Opera lovers will be treated to the chance to see the world premiere of The Leopard, based on one of the most famous literary works of the 20th century, the Italian novel Il Gattopardo. That novel was later adapted into a heralded feature film that won the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival starring Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale, and Alain Delon. The Leopard will be performed by Frost Opera Theater with the Frost Symphony Orchestra, conducted by renowned maestro Gerard Schwartz, at the South Miami Dade Cultural Center with two matinees at 3 p.m. on March 5 and 6. Music and Program Director of the Frost Opera Theater Alan Johnson was a recent guest on my Monday morning Gloria’s Gab LIVE show to promote the opera and its amazing cast including MET Opera Baritone Kim Josephson with star colleagues Robynne Redman, Frank Ragsdale, Kevin Short along with rising UM students of the Frost Opera Theater. To view this show, visit https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=491240102411119 or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T360WNcZCIg
In other news, The Villagers new date for their Garden Tour 2022 is March 12. Titled a “Redland Retreat,” the tour has two venues: Patch of Heaven (21900 SW 157 Ave.) and Plant Creations (28301 SW 172 Ave.). Their tours are always an educational and recreational experience like few others. The first site mentioned, Patch of Heaven Sanctuary, is a not for profit 20-acre nature preserve dedicated to conservation, reforestation and education. Members of The Villagers will be on hand throughout Patch of Heaven with insider details about the flora, fauna, and history of the area. The other site, Plant Creations, will open all three of its nurseries, two of which are not open to the public.
Visitors will learn about the area’s significant nursery business and will be able to purchase plants. Loyda Lewis, The Villager President, credits the 2022 Villagers’ Garden Tour Committee chaired by Sweet Pea Ellman, Joan Bounds, and Lilian Walby with Fran Blake, Alice Goldhagen, Debbie Kavanaugh, and Sheila Revell.
By the way, back by popular demand will be The Villagers’ “Attic Treasures” vintage shop, along with a variety of vendors with unique items for sale. Be sure to buy raffle tickets for an amazing handmade quilt, “Pandemic Pandemonium in the Garden,” designed as a tribute to the past 28 Villager Garden Tours and a refocus of their outdoor surroundings during the past two years. The quilt was a joint effort by members Joan Bounds, Jeannie Bunten, Barbara Burdette, Cathy Prentice, Susan Schmitt, Cookie Thelen and Lilian Walby, while Martha Stockhausen made a beautiful label.
For raffle tickets or for event tickets at $50, contact a member of The Villagers or go online to Garden Tour 2022 (thevillagersinc.org). The day of the events, tickets will also be available at Patch of Heaven or Plant Creations.
By the way, among the many historic preservation efforts The Villagers have supported include sizable donation to purchase lighting fixtures for the historic Coral Gables Woman’s Club clubhouse that is undergoing a very expensive 40-year inspection. To support The Villagers, the club will be sharing with them half of the proceeds from their March 1 Gringo Bingo event hosted monthly by Clutch Burger, on Giralda Avenue in Coral Gables with music donated by DJ Germain. This is always a great party with lots of prizes and good fun.
Once again EZ Title Services and 1st Empire Elite Financial will be sponsoring the event.
Tickets are $30 and include 12 games plus a big prize coverall. For those who want to eat or drink, payment is made directly to the restaurant, all other funds raised go to the charities. To RSVP, email gloria@cnews.net.
Speaking of the Coral Gables Woman’s Club, women wanting to serve the community are always welcomed to join this dynamic group that does good work while having fun. At a recent program meeting their members brought in items for an arts competition that was judged that night. First place winners in every category were sent to a General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) District 11 competition on Feb. 23 also in their clubhouse. At that same meeting, Arts Chair Kim Davison presented a program on Japan and had a guest speaker Chiho Cotton (teacher or “Sensei” in Japanese) with her daughter Skyler. Chiho taught the group the art of origami making a heart and a bird with her daughter’s assistance. Among the many enjoying the activity were Denise Valluerca, Ruth Martinez, Claire Sieber, Margarette Beaugchamp, Nancy Desmangles, Linda Hartwell, Iris Torres-Rivera, Carol Horkowitz Marilyn Smit, Carmen Suarez, Barbabra Lapsley, Jackie Dylewski, Kayla Blake and Theresa Gilmore.
Until next time, keep making each day count, share an act of kindness every day and stay safe.
