The Savannah VOICE Festival has plans to keep classical-music enthusiasts from the Coastal Empire and beyond busy during National Opera Week, with the kickoff taking place Friday in Richmond Hill.
This annual celebration, which runs from Friday through Nov. 1, will feature performances, concerts, classes and social-networking events in the area.
“Songs to the Moon,” is an exclusive event being offered to VOICE Society members at 6 p.m. Friday at the Ford Plantation Oyster House in Richmond Hill. Tickets cost $75, which includes food, entertainment and the opportunity to explore Henry Ford’s historic original oyster house. Alcohol is a la carte.
The evening’s music will celebrate the hunter’s moon, which for centuries has inspired composers to create some of their most moving work. The VOICE Festival artists will pay homage to this phenomenon during a moonlit concert showcasing songs such as Johnny Mercer’s “Moon River” and German Lieder and Broadway numbers. The Ford Plantation is the 2015 Summer Opera sponsor for the Savannah VOICE Festival.
A limited number of tickets have been issued for VOICE Society members and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To secure a reservation, call the Ford Plantation concierge at 912-756-5666.
Other events include:
• A “ghostly fundraiser” for VOICE Society members at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the home of Helen Downing, a festival-committee member. Cocktails will be served before dinner, which is at 7:30 p.m., followed by a performance and award presentation.
• A salon master class for VOICE Society members by festival co-founder and baritone Sherrill Milnes from 5:30-
7 p.m. Sunday at the home of Suzan and Ron Krannich at The Landings on Skidaway Island.
• The premiere of “Alice Ryley,” a Savannah-centric opera commissioned by the Savannah VOICE Festival. The woeful tale peppered with passion, history and murder will run at 4 and 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 at the Charles H. Morris Center in Savannah.
For more information on the Savannah VOICE Festival and to join the Savannah VOICE Society, which offers access to exclusive events, go to www.savannahvoicefestival.org, email info@savannahvoicefestival.org or call 1-855-76-OPERA (67372).