FARMINGTON – Aug. 17, 1911 was the day when Farmington native and operatic diva, Lillian Nordica, performed for a huge audience of fellow townspeople. Since then that day has been celebrated as “Nordica Day.” A big part of that celebration has been a concert in Nordica Auditorium, the hall where Madame Nordica actually performed. For the past 25 years that concert has been performed by the winner of the annual Nordica scholarship, awarded to an outstanding student of singing in Maine.
Since this year marks the 100th anniversary of when Lillian Nordica last performed in her hometown, the Nordica Memorial Association has decided to feature the original and three-time winner of the Nordica award, Joseph Wiggett. Dr. Wiggett is currently professor of voice at California State University Stanislas and artistic director of the Townsend Opera. His accompanist will be his former teacher from UM Orono, Ludlow Hallman.
The other half of the program will be shared by the two 2011 winners of the Nordica Scholarship, since there was a tie. They are Shannon Connell, soprano and Jesse Wakeman, tenor.
Ms. Connell is a recent graduate of the University of Southern Maine’s vocal performance program. She recently performed the role of Josephine in USM’s production of HMS Pinafore. She made her professional debut this summer in the ensemble of PortOpera’s production, La Fille du Regiment. She is a student of Ellen Chickering.
Mr. Wakeman is currently pursuing his degree in Music Education at USM and is a voice student of Bruce Fithian. He was recently seen in Farmington as the poet in PortOpera’s production of Café Vienna. He also appeared in the USM production of HMS Pinafore as Josephine’s sweetheart, Ralph Rackstraw.
Ms. Connell and Mr. Wakeman will be accompanied by Elizabeth Hasbrouck. They will be joined by Dr. Wiggett in the rousing trio from The Barber of Seville, “Ah qual colpo inaspettato.” The rest of the concert will be a mix of operatic arias, art songs and ballads.
Also at the concert will be a display of Coca-Cola memorabilia from the collection of the late Paul Trask which is currently housed at the Farmington Bottling Plant. Lillian Nordica was one of the earliest models used in Coca-Cola’s advertising.
The concert will begin in Nordica Auditorium on the UMF campus at 7:30 p.m. A reception in the hall will follow. The concert is a gift to the community from the Nordica Memorial Association and Farmington Coca-Cola. FMI 778-2042.
