“The acoustics in here are not a problem, that’s for sure.”
Those were the words Wednesday of tenor Roberto Iarussi after belting out a few “G” notes on the stage at the Sterling Opera House (see video).
Iarussi was there taping an introduction that will be shown during Griffin Hospital’s “Gala of the Century,” scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24 from 6 p.m. to midnight at Southern Connecticut State University. Click here for information.
Iarussi will be performing at the Gala, a celebration of Griffin’s 100th birthday in Derby.
Hospital CEO Patrick Charmel said the idea was to show off Derby’s “diamond in the rough” — the Sterling Opera House, constructed on Elizabeth Street in 1889.
The opera house and the hospital have both played an integral role in Derby’s history, officials said.
The video shot yesterday will be shown prior to Iarussi’s performance Oct. 24.
Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri said yesterday was the first time an opera singer had graced the stage inside the opera house in about a decade. At the time, a singer sang selections from “The Phantom of the Opera” for an event staged by a group called “Save the Sterling Opera House,” Staffieri said.
The city hopes to restore Sterling to its former glory. It’s a large task, given the building’s condition, but progress has been made with the exterior — and the interior has been cleaned up to some extent.
