An opera legend returns to the stage through holographic technology when the Moss Arts Center presents beloved soprano Maria Callas with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra on Friday, Nov. 2. The black tie gala event celebrates the center’s fifth anniversary and includes a pre-performance reception.

Callas in Concert” will be held in the center’s Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre, located within the Street and Davis Performance Hall at 190 Alumni Mall. The reception, which will feature heavy hors d'oeuvres like chilled seafood, chicken and ham cordon bleu, vegetarian options, and more with an open bar, begins at 6 p.m. in the center’s Grand Lobby. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m.

Opera legend Callas astounded audiences around the world with her voice and performances. Her death in 1977 devastated millions of fans, but she is now making a triumphant return to the stage through holographic technology. “Callas in Concert” brings the beloved soprano to the Moss Arts Center to perform with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Eímear Noone.

The evening will feature fully-remastered recordings of Callas’ most iconic performances, including selections from Guiseppe Verdi’s “Macbeth,” Georges Bizet’s “Carmen,” and Amilcare Ponchielli’s “La Gioconda.” Credited with changing the history of opera, experience her rapturous voice and timeless beauty as she inhabits her characters and evokes the drama that inspired the world to call her “La Divina.”

Callas will be accompanied live onstage by the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Noone. A California-based, award-winning Irish composer and conductor, Noone has composed extensively for film and video games and is responsible for some of the most enduring soundscapes on “World of Warcraft.” She has conducted orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, and the Philadelphia orchestras, and has worked on scores for directors such as Gus Van Sant and Joe Dante, orchestrating for Oscar nominee Javier Navarrette to create haunting music for the thrillers “Mirrors” and “The Hole.” Noone founded a major European game music festival in Ireland and is an advocate for and mentor to creative women in technology and music.

BASE Hologram, a company that harnesses the magic of holographic live entertainment to create concerts, theatricals, and spectacles to entertain all types of audiences, brings Callas to the Moss Arts Center. Fusing extraordinary theatrical stagecraft with innovative digital and laser technology, BASE Hologram brings true music legends back to the stage in a way where audiences drawn into an ultra-realistic experience where fantasy becomes reality.

The Moss Arts Center fifth anniversary gala sponsors include Clem and Georgia Carter, Mr. Bruce Prichard and Mrs. Nancy Belville Prichard, and Wells Fargo. The performance is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Black tie for this event is invited, but not required, and dress will include everything from suit and tie to black tie, and from cocktail dresses to full-length gowns.

Tickets

Tickets are $100-150 for general public. Tickets can be purchased online; at the Moss Arts Center's box office, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; or by calling 540-231-5300 during box office hours.

Parking is available in the North End Parking Garage on Turner Street. Virginia Tech faculty and staff possessing a valid Virginia Tech parking permit can enter and exit the garage free of charge. Limited street parking is also available. Parking on Alumni Mall is free on weekdays after 5 p.m. and on weekends.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Kacy McAllister at 540-231-5300 or email kmcallis@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to an event.

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