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Tuesday, October 28, 2003
Domingo finds his voice to benefit opera fund-raiser
By DONNA BUNCE
Special to the Register
One of the world's greatest tenors gathered his strength, beat back the bronchitis that sabotaged three weeks of appearances and performed an intimate program of songs and arias Friday. Placido Domingo took the stage with renowned mezzo-soprano Milena Kitic at a benefit for Opera Pacific at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa.
The program, accompanied by the Opera Pacific Orchestra and led by the opera company's artistic director John DeMain, included Lara's "Granada," Domingo's signature piece. Encore after encore ended with the two singers singing the popular waltz duet from Lehar's "Merry Widow."
Thanks to underwriting by S. Paul Musco and former Yugoslav Prime Minister Milan Panic, the evening garnered $450,000 for the opera company and prompted Musco to comment, "Domingo has never sounded better. I told him he should get sick more often!"
Marybelle Musco, who co-chaired the intimate evening for 160 with Kitic, created an elegant table. Azmin Ghahreman, executive chef at St. Regis, orchestrated the five-course gourmet extravaganza. Lalique provided guests' gifts - a pink "Peony Bag" filled with its Tendre Kiss fragrance for the women, and its Pour Homme fragrance for the men.
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