The 2025 Sarasota opera season begins with a welcome reception. General director Richard Russell makes runs with the patrons, and introduced the three entertainers, and gives us a little history of the opera house afterward.
It’s a well choreographed event, last a little over an hour. About 30 people attended.
Starting 2025, they’ll put on two products in the fall. The four productions (5 operas’ cast) for their winter season are:
The house began as a theater, named after its first mayor, Edwards in 1926. Elvis Presley performed here 3 times in 1953, ticket price was 50¢.
In 1984, this building opened for opera. They had no debt, which’s smart. They bring in the pros for the season. Their size is the same as Philadelphia: population Sarasota 54,842 and Philly 1,603,797 in 2020.
Richard Russell came here as an apprentice artist in 1989, with Sarasota for four seasons. He also worked for Citigroup’s Emerging Markets Sales and Trading group. Rejoined Sarasota Opera in 2005 as the director of marketing for a five years run; then rejoined again in 2012 as the Executive Director. Under him, individual giving has increased over 50%, more than doubled its endowment. He also managed the construction and fundraising for the new Steinwachs Artist Residences for Sarasota Opera, which encompasses 30 fully furnished units housing up to 70 artists.
Since they’ve no colleges in the area, apprentice are from elsewhere, around 12-20. They own 20 apartments to house the out of town performers and apprentice. The 50 os so musicians are free lance. The company has about 300 staff. Union; many are fm circus world, such as fire reader (so they don’t have to hire a fire Marshall). This year or next, they’ll add fall productions, which is a music to my ears.
The two singers are great, especially the soprano, not only beautiful but her slim figure, which reminds me of Denyce Graves (1964-). Great voice isn’t rare but shapely figure is, imho.
Their stage is very shallow. So most of stage sets are designed and tailor made for them, at $200k per, and might put into storage at the airport if they’ll reuse that set. Each costume costs from $1k to $2k. They use natural voice never amplified.
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The annual meet & greet at a small market opera house
Its size, makes it more of a space than a park, surrounded by the Main Street where many restaurants are, the opera house on N Pineapple Ave, Selby library on 1st Street/Central Ave.
It’s owned and operated by the City of Sarasota Parks and Recreation District.
High ceiling. Industrial. Mellow. Good service. Great wines: like the Auspicion.
Photos are for sale. One of them has price tag at $195. We pass by it all the time. And today I took a pic of it, out of no reason … maybe there is a reason that I did 😂
The CCC has just opened recently (1 to 2 years). The previous owner of the stripe was a Chinese who allowed up to three Chinese restaurants to open here.
We made a wrong turn from going to Beijing House, so ended up here.
No frill decor, decent food and good service, with one young man serving.
Per the Michelin guide, this restaurant operates by husband & wife team, Hongfeng Li and Ling Wu who are from Shenyang 沈阳, the provincial capital of Liaoning, one of three northeast provinces that collectively called Dongbei 东北, the rust belt.
Xinjiang, in the northwest, has sandstone hills, named Flaming Mountains 火焰山. Not sure they’ve any relation. But skewers 烤串 are popular in both regions.
The kitchen seems to extends to the front. I hear the clunking of the wok but don’t smell any cooking fragrance – good ventilation.
We’ve
A4 Malatang 麻辣烫
E22 Grilled eggplant 蒜蓉茄子
D3 Chongqing spicy chicken 重庆辣子鸡
A4 is way too salty, even for me, a salt lover. Three whole shrimps (with heads and tails) have thick black veins, are over cooked.
Eggplant and chicken are very flavorful.
Initially we ordered Spicy noodles 鱼香面 The chef yelled from the kitchen that he doesn’t have it, in Chinese. So both I and the server laughed, who doesn’t have to relay it to me.
“What doesn’t he have?” I asked
“The spice.” The server said.
The small strip has many restaurants, three are Chinese, including Beijing House. Above Red Bowl Sichuan (Szechuan) 川味龙, is this chamber of commerce.
The second floor has two doors. The double door has blue background with white letters: Union 301, 美国佛州西岸华人商会.
The door is unlocked. When I pushed it open, a man leaning on the sofa to the left, is playing with his mobile phone. To the right is a larger room, with couple of MJ tables. I thought he was sleeping, so I left without saying anything. It doesn’t look like an office.
According to the staff at Beijing House, they just moved in a year or two ago.
“What does it do for you?” I asked.
“Nothing. It’s mostly for Wenzhou people, who come here to play majiang … ”
Love flan and I finally made it to this cafe -:) All the times before was either they closed, or too late or forgotten.
It’s a full cafe, with a spacious room to the right.
Flans are in aluminum ramekins – I was hoping for a small cake, round or square or rectangle. The girl was nice, offered a box … without a bag. Oh well.
I tried four flavors:
original
coffee
coconut
salted carmel
They’re all solid, thick, deadly serious. All the flans I had and loved were light, airy and lively. The coconut flavor among the four is my fave.
This Mediterranean / Middle Eastern restaurant in Ybor City is authentic, clean and simple decor with fake greens and candles. Two sections in doors and one outdoor area.
Good service and food.
We’ve
Fried kibbeh
Baba ghanoush
Grilled halloumi
Spinach pizza
They’re all good, I liked the meat balls (kibbeh) and halloumi very much.
Four Arabic speaking aunts came, owner received them warmly. One of the aunt has a cute dog, who asked me if I was ok with it – it’s very ok -:)
The parking lot is across the street. Their bathroom has a spigot. I’ve never been to the Mideast but this is very common in Asia. When I redid my bathroom, I asked the contractor to install a drain and spigot. He didn’t, saying the drain would smell.
