OPAS brings Lake Country to its feet

There are concerts, and then there are — concerts. Imagine an audience in rural Georgia erupting into rapturous applause after each song at a local theater. Was this a rock concert? Was Lady Gaga in town? The answer is no. This was an elegant evening filled with Broadway stars and musicianship at the highest level.

Tony Award-winning conductor Stuart Malina led a 30-piece orchestra culled from orchestras like the Atlanta Symphony, The Augusta Symphony, The Macon Pops, and The Atlanta Opera. Malina got the evening off to a rousing start with the music of “West Side Story.” His witty banter and steady baton were one of the many highlights of this memorable evening. 

OPAS highlighted three singers throughout the night. Mamie Parris, direct from “School of Rock,” “Wicked,” and “Cats,” belts to the stratosphere while staying in character for each of her songs. She delivered a powerhouse rendition of “The Wizard and I” from Wicked, and her performance of “Memory” was stunning. It is no wonder Andrew Lloyd Webber hand-selected her for the part in his recent revival.

After 2,700 performances as Christine in “The Phantom of The Opera,” Lisa Vroman is still in her prime. She has a beautiful sense of humor, and her soprano still soars. She visibly teared up upon announcing the closing of the classic show that defined her career. It gave her performance of “Think of Me” special meaning.

The surprise of the evening was OPAS Artistic Director Doug LaBrecque. Many in the audience were unaware of Mr. LaBrecque’s celebrated singing career. Introduced by Stuart Malina as a “bonafide Broadway star,” LaBrecque delivered. His command of the stage and stunning tenor voice brought the audience repeatedly to its feet. A veteran of hits Broadway shows like “ShowBoat,” “Les Miserables,” and “The Phantom of the Opera” his career has also included singing with more than 125 symphony orchestras worldwide. It showed.

If you were lucky enough to attend, you were witness to one of the most spectacular concerts of this or any season.  

OPAS will present its annual gala, Soiree en Blanc & Noir on Nov. 4, A Thanksgiving Jam Session with Morgan James on Saturday, Nov. 26, and Fa-la-la on Dec. 16.