A summer's eve of opera

POST FALLS - For one night only, five world-class singers will come together for a concert of opera arias, duets and ensemble singing with musical theater offerings at the Jacklin Arts and Cultural Center in Post Falls 7:30 p.m. Aug 5.

The evening will feature Jadd Davis, tenor; Kimberly Monzon, soprano; Heather Parker, soprano; Carlos Monzon, baritone; and Derrick Parker, bass baritone. David Demand will be their accompanist.

Davis, artistic director of Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre, founder of Seattle's Inverse Opera and Post Falls native, has a diverse background in musical theater and opera. He was awarded the 2012 Continuing Education Grant from the Seattle Opera Guild and has appeared with Opera Coeur d'Alene, Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre and the American Musical Theater of San Jose. He maintains a teaching studio and is currently directing "My Fair Lady" with Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre.

Kimberly Monzon, locally popular by her soprano work with Opera Coeur d'Alene, currently resides in New York City with her husband, the evening's baritone, Carlos Monzon. She recently performed with Puget Sound Concert Opera, Opera Idaho, previously with Coeur d'Alene Opera and Spokane Opera. She has been a Pensacola Opera resident artist and is equally at home with musical theater and cabaret.

Spokane native Heather Steckler Parker, soprano, will be joined by her husband, bass baritone Derrick Parker. Parker, an alumna of the Seattle Opera Young Artists program, has sung with both Spokane and Jacksonville Symphonies, Spokane Opera, Opera Coeur d'Alene and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. She won second place in the Licia Albanese-Puccini International Foundation, is the three-time winner of the Sergio Franchi Foundation Award, and a finalist of the Huston Grand Opera Ellenor McCollum Competition.

Derrick Parker's bass baritone conquered audiences as "Sparafucile" in last season's Coeur d'Alene Opera production of "Rigoletto." His career has taken him to many of the great opera houses and venues in the world: Houston Grand Opera, Wolftrap Opera, Sao Paulo Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Glimmerglass Opera, Scottish Opera, Cape Town Opera, Baltimore Symphony, Opera Theater of Saint Louis and Spokane Opera.

Carlos Monzon's performance with Morningside Opera in New York City was hailed by the New York Times as one of the top 10 opera performances of 2013. Singing with San Francisco Opera this summer, he was last heard locally as Escamillo and the Narrator in Opera Coeur d'Alene's production of "Carmen," a role he repeated for Saratoga Opera. A regular with Kentucky Opera, he is a former participant in San Francisco Opera's Merola Program, Wolf Trap and Florida Grand Opera.

David Demand has performed throughout the world as a conductor, soloist and accompanist. He was company pianist with the Joffrey Ballet in New York and was principal keyboardist with Cedar Rapids Symphony. A graduate of Washington State University with a B.A. and M.A. who studied at the Banff School of Fine Arts, Demand is working on his Doctorate of Music Arts at the University of Iowa while conductor/music director of the Coeur d'Alene Symphony as well as director of music at Spokane's Saint George's School.

The program of spritely opera with a mix of musical theater has been arranged for the JACC by Marlo Faulkner, a founder of Opera Coeur d'Alene and the evening's mistress of ceremonies.

Tickets are $25 general admission and $20 students, military and seniors 55 and older. For tickets and information, call the JACC at (208) 457-8950 or access its website at www.thejacklin center.org. The JACC is located at 405 N. Williams St. in Post Falls.