Every day this week in Winter Park, Florida, you can walk into an artists’ world from the inception of inspiration for a painting to the display of the final piece at the Albin Polasek Museum.

The Polasek invited 26 artists who paint scenery outside, called plein air art, for the Fourth Annual Winter Park Paint Out. Artists paint scenes from all over Winter Park and bring the days’ work to the museum to be sold. They’re everywhere painting live in Winter Park.

Gary Rupp

Art enthusiasts can step back in time and enjoy the work of today’s artists, through the Polasek, what generations have appreciated in plein air (outdoor) painting. Some paint one piece, others, many. All artists feature what they see as beautiful on canvas capturing moments of sunlight, a light breeze on a flower.

The Polasek explains that Paint Outs are a chance for artists to share their visual creations with the public :

Jane Chapin

“The high point of plein air art came with the emer­gence of Impres­sion­ism. Artists of that period included Monet, Renoir, Pis­sarro, Cezanne and Van Gogh. Inter­est in out­door paint­ing has remained con­stant since the 20th cen­tury.

“Today’s artists carry on the tra­di­tions of these past mas­ters by cap­tur­ing the light and move­ment in land­scapes that can only come from see­ing the sub­ject out­doors in its nat­ural form.

“The last 20 years has seen a resur­gence of inter­est in plein air paint­ing in the United States. Dur­ing this time, groups of plein air artists began gath­er­ing together to paint at sin­gle loca­tions or within cer­tain geo­graphic bound­aries.”

The artists’ pulled numbers for coveted locations to show their work on the walls of the museum. Pieces will be painted and brought to be hung on the museum walls. All paintings are immediately available for sale.

Below is the formal schedule as provided by The Albin Polasek Museum.

Museum Schedule

GALLERY AND GAR­DENS OPEN DAILY

Free to the Pub­lic All Week
Sun­day April 22 through Sat­ur­day April 28
Sun­day April 22 — 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM
Mon­day April 23 — 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM
Tues­day April 24 through Fri­day April 27 — 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM
Sat­ur­day April 28 — 10:00 AM until 12:00 noon
Sun­day April 29 — 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM

FREE PAINT­ING DEMONSTRATIONS

Priscilla Coot

Thurs­day, April 26
10:00 to 12:00 Noon

Bill Farnsworth, Oil Paint­ing Demon­stra­tion
Inte­grat­ing Fig­ures into the Land­scape — Bill shares his knowl­edge about fig­u­ra­tive paint­ing using a model in a nat­ural setting.

Fri­day, April 27
10:00 to 12:00 Noon

Harold Frontz, Oil Paint­ing Demon­stra­tion
Paint­ing En Plein Air Overview — Harold shares tips with the audi­ence on how to ana­lyze and resolve the chal­lenges encoun­tered when paint­ing out­doors. Ques­tions are encouraged.

MaryJaneVolkman

SPE­CIAL EVENTS

Sun­set “Paint-In” on Lake Kil­lar­ney
Wednes­day April 25 — 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

The pub­lic is invited to observe as Paint Out Artists gather on the shore of Lake Kil­lar­ney at Hill­stone Restau­rant (for­merly Houston’s).  They’ll cap­ture a beau­ti­ful Florida sun­set, then take a break from the week’s activ­i­ties. Come watch out­stand­ing artists cre­ate a sun­set mem­ory on can­vas.  Hill­stone is located at 215 S. Orlando Avenue in Win­ter Park.  Call (407) 740‑4005 to reserve a table for this spe­cial night.

Artists and Patrons Din­ner

Thurs­day April 26 — 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
The Polasek Board of Trustees hosts a casual evening meal for Sil­ver and Gold Level Patrons and Artists.  Please con­tact the Polasek Museum at (407) 647‑6294 for more infor­ma­tion about becom­ing a Paint Out Patron.

A PLEIN AIR CELEBRATION!

Patrons and Spon­sors Pre­view Recep­tion
Sat­ur­day April 28 — 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Paint Out Patrons and Spon­sors gather for an exclu­sive pre­view of Win­ter Park Paint Out art­work. Join us for a pri­vate recep­tion with the artists and first choice of paint­ings deliv­ered Sat­ur­day before the Gar­den Party sale. Please con­tact the Polasek Museum at (407) 647‑6294 for more infor­ma­tion about becom­ing a Paint Out Patron or Spon­sor.

Paint Out Gar­den Party
Sat­ur­day April 28 — 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Tick­ets $45 in advance, $60 at the door
a spe­cial night “en plein air” at the Polasek Museum. Cel­e­brat­ing the mas­ter­ful works of  paint out artists as the 2012 Win­ter Park Paint Out closes. Meet artists from this year’s event and see the entire exhi­bi­tion. For ticket infor­ma­tion,click here or con­tact the Albin Polasek Museum at (407) 647‑6294.

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Trying to explain the beauty of Winter Park, Florida, to friends is easier done through pictures.

There will soon be an array of paintings of Winter Park completed by artists who have been invited to paint whatever they find most beautiful in Winter Park during The Albin Polasek Museum Winter Park Paint Out.

The event is was created four years ago to help support the museum.

From April 22-26 top plein air artists roam Winter Park and paint original pieces on canvas.

The Polasek Museum, one of the artistic centers of Winter Park, will offer the work for sale 6-9 p.m. Saturday, April 28.

The public is invited to come to the museum for free to enjoy its amazing grounds filled with flowers, trees, sculptures and artwork from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, April 23 through Friday, April 27. The museum is open from 10 a.m. until noon Saturday, April 28.

The final event is The Paint Out Garden Party 6-9 p.m., Saturday April 28. Tickets are $45 in advance online at Polasek.org and $60 at the door. All proceeds support the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens.

There are free painting demonstrations held daily at the museum. Hillstone restaurant is holding a special Sunset Paint-In 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25 at 215 S. Orlando Ave. in Winter Park. Call to reserve a table 407-740-4005.

For information and to buy tickets visit the Polasek website Polasek.org or call 407-647-6294.

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Clay is the medium that sculptor Douglas Bringle has used to tell stories and express ideas since he began molding and shaping clay as a child.

Bringle, a native of Terceira, a small volcanic island in the Azores located in the mid-Atlantic Ocean, was first interested in clay for its versatility as a medium in storytelling.

Bringle had particular interest in the art of pre-Columbian cultures, ancient Egypt  and bronze age China. He was also fascinated by mythology, lost civilizations, science fiction and the classics. Sculpting clay allowed him to combine them with a style and focus that have shaped his craft and his exhibitions.

A University of Florida graduate, Bringle teaches child and adult sculpting classes at the Winter Park, Florida, Crealde School of Art. He’s had exhibitions throughout Central Florida and now displays his work online in his new website http://DouglasBringle.com

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This morning drive time radio shows continued mourning the loss of Whitney Houston. Compilation tributes with highlights of all her hits replayed her achingly beautiful voice over and over again. Then to make the sorrow more intense people were calling in to talk about what her music meant to them and how she had touched the special moments in their lives with her amazing songs.

It struck me that it would’ve been a good thing for people to say kind things about Whitney’s voice last week instead of blasting her with rumors. She brought so many people so much joy. Why is it that we’re asked to remember the best of everyone when they die when they don’t get to hear it?

When I lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana, for a summer internship at The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, I lived next door to an 80-year-old man named Al. He introduced himself to me the day I moved into a rental that I shared with a woman named Patty who waited tables at local bar. Al was raking the yard next to mine and asked if I would be taking care of the yard because “Patty doesn’t touch it.”

I told him I would mow the lawn if he had a mower. Al liked that and told me he was retired and didn’t do much but keep up the yard, listen to the radio and that he liked to write letters.  It didn’t matter that it was 7:30 a.m. and I was exhausted from working all night on the news copy desk. Al didn’t see that. He saw someone to talk to for a few minutes. So listen I did.

Al told me he was a sponsor to 20 children of all ages through the group Save the Children. Al had been a widow for 20 years and each year on the anniversary of his wife’s death from cancer, he sponsored another child. The oldest was now in college, the youngest an infant. The children were from all over the world and he wrote to all of them regularly.

“No one wants them, so I’m doing what I can to help them,” he told me. “It doesn’t cost a lot and the money I send, they send me pictures of the children, tell me where they are and what they’re doing. When they get old enough they all write to me.”

Every day I came home, I’d see Al sitting on his screened in porch. He was either listening to his old radio playing loudly to the AM Christian radio station or reading or writing letters. He’d wave hello and ask me how the newspaper was. He really didn’t want to know. He wanted me to stop talking so he could tell me more about his kids.

I wasn’t very friendly in the wee morning hours. But I’d manage a wave and a hello. Then by afternoon after some sleep I’d get up, make coffee and if I saw him on the porch I’d walk over and say hello and ask Al about his kids. Al had boxes of letters from each child and had updates from infancy to present day. I couldn’t remember all the names or what countries they were from, but Al just wanted to share a little of his day with someone outside of the envelopes he mailed.

One day Al asked me if I could help him address a letter because he couldn’t see very well. I said I would and addressed 20 envelopes that day from the boxed filing system on his porch. It took a long time and then he asked if I could drive him to the post office to get them stamped. This was a long process too. I made it a point to pick a day and time that I was off work to do this for him. This went on all summer.

I came home in August during the last week of my internship on a really hot, sticky day. I needed to mow the lawn and thought I’d go ask Al if I could borrow the mower that day. Al was not on his porch which was a first. So I went to the side door to see if since today I was off that he wanted to get the letters together for the kids. But there was no answer. Al was definitely not home.

I checked back all day but knew that something was wrong. It was a few days before there was any movement at the house. Then I saw a man on the porch picking up all the boxes.

I went over and asked if he knew Al and what happened to him. I didn’t ask him if Al was all right. I already knew that he wasn’t. The man said that Al had died of a heart attack. He had rented the house for 20 years and the owner had just finished with his final arrangements.

“He wanted to donate his body to science so there’s no funeral,” the 40-something property managed explained.

“What are you doing with his kids?” I asked pointing to the boxes.

“Al didn’t have any kids,” the man said. “He was a widow. His wife died childless.”

“Those boxes are full of letters from all the kids he sponsored.”

“So do they live around here?”

“No they live all over the world from Africa to Singapore, Central America, South America. Their names are in the boxes.”

“Well, I was just going to throw it all out with his other stuff. He’s donated it to the Salvation Army.”

“OK, then let me at least write a letter to each of the kids so they know what happened to him. He paid for them for so long, I don’t know what they’re going to do.”

So I wrote one letter, then two, then three, four, all the way to the 20th child. The oldest was now 24 years old, the youngest was four. Each letter got better because I’d write down the basics about what I knew about Al and what he had told me about them and with each letter I’d remember something else about him or that he had told me about that child.

It took days to finish and I handwrote them all because I didn’t have a typewriter or a computer. I addressed them and took them to the post office. When I left I felt really bad because I didn’t know what else to do. I felt like there should have been a funeral, a memorial or something to do but Al’s life began and ended with just Al. I apparently was the only other person in his life. Well, that’s not true, there were the 20 kids he sponsored.

That was a little sad, but there wasn’t much he could have done to change that. He was a widow, he admitted he was painfully shy and didn’t like to be around a lot of people. So I felt honored that he wanted to talk to me.

The one other thing that I felt good about was the fact that he helped all those children and that I got to tell each of them how special Al was, his personality, things he liked and what he liked to do.  Because while they never spoke to him in-person or met him, I had. I wish I’d told more people about Al before he died. What he did was really significant.

Al may not have been known in Fort Wayne, Indiana, because his circle there was small.  But Al touched the lives of 20 children who would always remember him for what he had done for them around the world. And thanks to Al I have something nice to say about someone kind many years later.

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Florida Opera Theatre will bring Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, to Orlando opera fans in three Central Florida cities January 15-29.

The Orlando performance of The Barber of Seville will be held at 2 p.m. on January 29, at Valencia College East Campus Performing Arts Center, with free parking just 12 minutes from downtown Orlando.

Vero Beach Opera, First Coast Opera, and Florida Opera Theatre collaborate to bring The Barber of Seville to Vero Beach, St. Augustine and Orlando stages with a star-laden cast for one of opera’s most popular productions.

“We’re pleased to be able to bring the dreams of opera fans to fruition,” said Florida Opera Theatre president Judy Lee. “Florida Opera Theatre is producing opera in Orlando and our second production will be as beautiful–if not more so–than the first.”

Renowned tenor Luigi Boccia is Count Almaviva. Boccia was described in The Metropolitan Opera Guild’s “Opera News” as “an uncommonly cerebral tenor.” He is a versatile recitalist whose range spans florid Handel arias to the romantic outpourings of Italian and Neapolitan song. He is joined by a veteran of both The Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Opera, David Salsbery Fry who plays Basilio.

Orlando favorite and Director of the University of Central Florida Opera Program, Thomas Potter performs Bartolo. Rounding out this very talented cast are accomplished singing actors Kenneth Mattice and Candice Hoyes who portray Figaro and Rosina with comic mastery.

The Barber of Seville is directed by Florida Opera Theatre Artistic Director Frank McClain who, together with Conductor, Chorus Master and Music Director Robin Stamper, bring the operatic performances together. McClain’s opera directing credits include The Medium for Florida Opera Theatre; the Orlando Philharmonic production of La Bohème; The Merry Widow for Opera Tampa; Don Pasquale for Vero Beach Opera; and for Orlando Opera: Il Trovatore, L’Elisir d’Emore, Candide, Le Nozze di Figaro. Mr. Stamper’s conducting credits include mainstage performances of Rigoletto, Lucia di Lammermoor, Pagliacci, Sour Angelica, Le Nozze di Figaro and Il barbiere di Siviglia, L’elisir d’amore, Pirates of Penzance and Die Fledermaus.

Florida Opera Theatre is a Central Florida professional opera company dedicated to producing quality opera performances. The organization is comprised of directors, musicians, performers and individuals who have supported opera growth, education and outreach in communities throughout the state for many years.

Tickets are available in this limited seating venue for purchase online at www.FLOperaTheatre.org or by phone: 407-718-4365. Calls will be returned between 5-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and in a timely manner as received. For further information contact: FLOperaTheatre@gmail.com or 407-718-4365.

Rossini’s debut performance of The Barber of Seville at the Teatro Argentina was in Rome in 1816. The Barber of Seville was one of the earliest Italian operas to be performed in America and premiered at the Park Theater in New York City in 1825.

Historically, barbers were precursors to surgeons and highly respected in their communities. Rossini’s The Barber of Seville is a two-act comic opera founded upon the text Le Barbier de Séville by Pierre Beaumarchais.

Rossini’s most popular and recognizable music in this opera are Figaro’s celebrated baritone arias “Largo al factotum”, Rosina’s soprano aria “Una voce poco fa” and the singing duet they have together “Dunque io son.”

The next opera production will be Verdi’s Rigoletto at 8 p.m., Friday, March 2, 2012; and at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 4, 2012, Presented by The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and Produced in collaboration with Florida Opera Theatre At The Bob Carr Performing Arts Center

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Fashion Stylist Erica Warlick

Visit EricaOnStyle.com

Entrepreneurs risk a lot by putting their brand out in front of people. The reward is in sales and new business.

The Marketing Square builds and rebuilds websites for 20- to 35-year-old brands and new businesses in Michigan and Florida. Businesses refresh websites with rebuilds and redesigns to keep website traffic and brand interest constant.

There may be changes in Facebook everyday with time demands that a lot of small and medium-sized businesses simply can’t keep up with because they’re working with clients and customers.

Websites may change. Google algorithms may adjust every day. But the need for easily accessed, clear and functional websites will always remain. Here’s a look at some of The Marketing Square’s Best 2011 Florida Websites.

Erica Warlick, Winter Park, Florida, Fashion Stylist and Blogger recently launched EricaOnStyle.com a build completed by The Marketing Square. Erica and husband Spencer can be seen on Park Avenue, Hannibal Square and other Winter Park area locations doing impromptu fashion shoots. Spencer’s photography highlights Erica’s impeccable selections.

Bankruptcy-Lanigan.com
BodyLinesByMeral.com
BymarShoes.com
FatimaFahmy.com
FloridaOperaTheatre.org
LaniganPL.com
MaryCatherineCouture.com

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Rita Wilkes, Frank McClain, Bobbie Demme-San Filippo on the set of "The Medium"

As The Medium makes its debut next Sunday, Florida Opera Theatre, will bring the second opera production of 2011, Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, to stage for four performances to opera fans in three Central Florida cities on dates from January 15-29, 2012.

This is big news for Orlando which was opera company poor for several years. The revival was supported by opera fans who don’t want to leave the area for a good performance in a city known for its grand productions and celebrated stars at shows on the outskirts of Lake Buena Vista.

Vero Beach Opera, First Coast Opera, and Florida Opera Theatre collaborate to bring The Barber of Seville to Vero Beach, St. Augustine and Orlando stages with a star-laden cast for a favorite opera production.

The Orlando performance of The Barber of Seville will be held at 2 p.m. on January 29, 2012, at Valencia College East Performing Arts Center.

Susan Neves in "The Medium" and "The Barber of Seville"East Campus Performing Arts Center.

Luigi Boccia as Count Almaviva

“We’re pleased to be able to bring the dreams of opera fans to fruition,” said Florida Opera Theatre president Judy Lee. “Florida Opera Theatre is producing opera in Orlando and our second production will be as beautiful–if not more so–than the first.”

Renowned tenor Luigi Boccia stars as Count Almaviva. Boccia was described in “The Metropolitan Opera News” as “an uncommonly cerebral tenor.” He is a versatile recitalist whose range spans florid Handel arias to the romantic outpourings of Italian and Neapolitan song.

International opera star Susan Neves returns to Florida Opera Theatre for a second role following her portrayal of Madame Flora in The Medium. She is joined by a veteran of both The Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Opera, David Salsberry Fry who plays Basilio.

Orlando favorite and Director of the University of Central Florida Opera Program, Thomas Potter performs Bartolo. Rounding out this very talented cast are accomplished singing actors Kenneth Mattice and Candice Hoyes who portray Figaro and Rosina with comic mastery.

Frank McClain, Rudy Cleare and Florida Opera Theatre president Judy Lee

The Barber of Seville is directed by Florida Opera Theatre Artistic Director Frank McClain and Chorus Master and Music Director Robin Stamper who bring the operatic performances together.

McClain’s opera directing credits include The Medium for Florida Opera Theatre; the Orlando Philharmonic production of La Bohème; The Merry Widow for Opera Tampa; Don Pasquale for Vero Beach Opera; and for Orlando Opera: Il Trovatore, L’Elisir d’Emore, Candide, Le Nozze di Figaro.

Florida Opera Theatre is a Central Florida professional opera company dedicated to producing quality opera performances. The organization is comprised of directors, musicians, performers and individuals who have supported opera growth, education and outreach in communities throughout the state for many years.

Tickets are available for this limited seating venue online at www.FLOperaTheatre.org or by calling 407-718-4365. Calls will be returned between 5-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and in a timely manner as received.

Opera lovers support Florida Opera Theatre

Orlando Performance:

Rossini’s The Barber of Seville 2 p.m., Sunday, January 29, 2012
Florida Opera Theatre in collaboration with St. Augustine and Vero Beach Opera
Presented at Valencia College East Campus
Performing Arts Center
701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail
Orlando, FL 32825

The Cast:

• Count Almaviva                                                             Luigi Boccia
• Bartolo                                                                               Thomas Potter
• Rosina                                                                                 Candice Hoyes
• Figaro                                                                                  Kenneth Mattice
• Basilio                                                                                 David Salsbury Fry
• Fiorello/Coro (chorus)                                                Ken Keel
• Ambrosias                                                                         Eric Pinder
• Bertha                                                                                  Susan Neves
• Officer/Coro                                                                     James Guild
• Director                                                                              Frank McClain
• Costume, Set, Makeup Design                                   Bobbie Demme-San Filippo
• Stage Manager                                                                 Johnny Motoc
• Conductor, Principal Coach, Chorus Master      Robin Stamper

Rossini’s debut performance of The Barber of Seville at the Teatro Argentina was in Rome in 1816. The Barber of Seville was one of the earliest Italian operas to be performed in America and premiered at the Park Theater in New York City in 1825. Rossini’s The Barber of Seville is a two-act comic opera founded upon the text Le Barbier de Séville by Pierre Beaumarchais.

Rossini’s most popular and recognizable music in this opera are Figaro’s celebrated baritone arias “Largo al factotum,” Rosina’s soprano aria “Una voce poco fa,” and the singing duet they have together “Dunque io son.”

The next opera production supported by Florida Opera Theatre will be Verdi’s Rigoletto at 8 p.m., Friday, March 2, 2012; and at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 4, 2012, presented by The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and produced in collaboration with Florida Opera Theatre At The Bob Carr Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available at: http://OrlandoPhil.org/Rigoletto/.

Further information is available at www.FLOperaTheatre.org

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Drawing by Thomas Thorspecken

Florida Opera Theatre presents its debut opera production, The Medium, by Gian Carlo Menotti, featuring internationally acclaimed soprano Susan Neves in two performances: 7:30 p.m., Saturday, December 3, and 2:30 p.m., Sunday December 4 at The Black Box Theatre of the Orlando Repertory Theatre.

The Medium is a one-hour, two-act opera selected in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Italian-American composer Menotti (July 7, 1911 to February 1, 2007).

“This is our first season producing opera,” said Florida Opera Theatre President Judy Lee. “Our original timetable had opera production on the schedule for year five, but we have received wonderful support and have been lucky enough to secure the help of some very talented people.”

Susan Neves

The Medium is being directed by Florida Opera Theatre Artistic Director Frank McClain, with support from Chorus Master and Music Director Robin Stamper.

“The Medium is an intense musical drama,” McClain said. “We have assembled an amazing cast with Susan Neves and some of Central Florida’s very best home talent. It is a simple story with enormous psychological overtones and for maximum effect the production will be presented in an intimate environment.”

McClain’s opera directing credits include the Orlando Philharmonic production of La Bohème; The Merry Widow for Opera Tampa; Don Pasquale for Vero Beach Opera; and for Orlando Opera: Il Trovatore, L’Elisir d’Emore, Candide, Le Nozze di Figaro.

Florida Opera Theatre is a Central Florida professional opera company dedicated to producing quality opera performances. The organization is comprised of directors, musicians, performers and individuals who have supported opera growth, education and outreach in communities throughout the state for many years.

The Medium was first produced in 1946 at Columbia University and later had more than 100 performances on Broadway. The story is set amid the devastation of post-war Europe and Neves performs in the lead role as psychic medium Madame Flora who becomes the victim of the voices she conjures during one of her fraudulent séances.

Neves in Turandot

Neves has performed in the Opera Bastille in Paris, the Metropolitan Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, L’Arena di Verona, Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona and many others.

Neves’ spring performance as the lead in the Pittsburgh Opera’s production of Turandot was described as a “soprano voice that pierced through the clamor with laser-like precision,” by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“Susan has appeared numerous times at the Metropolitan Opera and all over the world,” Lee said. “Her parents live in Orlando and she has been extremely generous to us with her time. We’re still pinching ourselves to be sure we actually have Susan Neves as Madame Flora in our production.”

Menotti was a librettist who composed a classic Christmas opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors, but also wrote two dozen other operas intended to appeal to popular tastes. He won the Pulitzer Prize for two: The Consul (1950) and The Saint of Bleecker Street (1955).

The Medium, Menotti’s first international success and features arias including “Monica’s Waltz,” “The Black Swan,” and “Afraid, Am I Afraid?”

Tickets are available in this limited seating venue for purchase online at www.FLOperaTheatre.org or by phone 407-718-4365. Calls will be returned between 5-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and in a timely manner as received.

For further information contact: FLOperaTheatre@gmail.com or 407-718-4365.

The Cast:
Madame Flora “Baba”                                Susan Neves
Monica                                                             Shannon Jennings
Toby                                                                  David Grindrod
Mrs. Gobineau                                               Samantha Barnes
Mr. Gobineau                                                 Brent Reilly Turner
Mrs. Nolan                                                      Johanna Nordham
Director                                                            Frank McClain
Music Director and Pianist                       Robin Stamper
Set Design, Costumes, Props Master    Bobbie Demme-San Filippo

The next Florida Opera Theatre production will be The Barber of Seville at the end of January 2012. There will be one performance in Orlando, two in St. Augustine for First Coast Opera, and one in Vero Beach. Further information will be on FLOperaTheatre.org

What: Menotti’s The Medium
When: 7:30 p.m., Saturday, December 3, 2011
2:30 p.m., Sunday, December 4, 2011
Where:  The Black Box Theatre in
The Orlando Repertory Theatre
Tickets: www.FLOperaTheatre.org
407-718-4365

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Celebrating Ken's Birthday

I was up early to visit my Dad in the hospital every day for six weeks as he struggled to survive a sudden and dangerous illness called Sepsis.

But thankfully, today, I was up early to make a special breakfast for Dad at home so that I’d have time to pickup a chocolate and vanilla ice cream cake. Later, his close friends were coming over to celebrate his 81st birthday.

I actually don’t know how I slept those horrible days in the hospital. Many nights I didn’t sleep at all and when I did, it was lightly because I was listening for the phone to ring. Ken had been so sick that every hour, every minute of the day was waiting for him to recover from the sudden and usually fatal illness that takes over a million lives annually.

My routine was to jump out of bed call the hospital, grab coffee, a shower after calling to find out from the night nurse what happened overnight and if Ken was still OK.

As soon as I dressed, Mom and I would go visit and stay with Ken and sit by his bed waiting and watching, keeping vigil as he lay in a coma, then in recovery, then in ICU, PCU and Rehab at Florida Hospital South. It was  a long horrible wait. But today, here we are, together again home for the big eight-one.

Ken is 81 on November 1. This is his biggest birthday because he fought and won against a deadly infection. He has been called a miracle man because he survived Sepsis which only a small percentage of people are able to do at any age.

That Ken survived it at his age is monumental. And there’s no way of knowing how he got it. It’s a blood disease that comes on rapidly, suddenly with high fever, shakes, and a myriad of severe symptoms that can shock and overcome the entire body.

After rushing him to the emergency room where he struggled to breathe and was intubated and put into a coma to try to stop the infection. For two straight weeks Ken was in ICU  and living hour-to-hour.

There were all night hospital stays with his status worsening, his body weakening by the hour and by the minute. He was not improving, his body was not fighting. It was terrifying and heart-wrenching and we felt helpless every time an alarm went off because his heart wasn’t beating or his blood pressure dropped dangerously low.

Through it all, I kept saying I wanted more time with Ken. I wanted to tell him I loved him and be able to see his eyes open again.

He survived because of all the tubes and medicines and amazing doctors (15) and committed nurses at Florida Hospital South. We spent every day all day at the hospital and left only when the nurses kicked us out of ICU each night. Then we slept with the phone by our sides, clothes on and keys ready in case we had to race to the hospital in the middle of the night.

I remember the moment that I called the hospital and got the first report saying that he went through the night with no “incidents or episodes.” It was week four. He had progressed to critical. But that meant that now he had to undergo surgery to have a pacemaker put in.

As Mom, my brother Lloyd and I waited in his room, friends and generations of family praying for him to live, I wanted to find some way to do something for him–we all did. But we were helpless as Ken’s life almost ended daily, multiple times during this medical ordeal.

Not knowing what was going to happen, I told him as he slept that he would be fine. I told Mom and Lloyd that he was strong and that he would fine, that he would be coming home soon. I thought positive thoughts and forced the perpetual lump in my throat and the tears from my eyes.

Ken was not ready to leave us. He has so much to share with us and to do. He’s got to come back home to play Scrabble and do The New York Times crossword with Mom. He’s got a great grandson on the way into his life. An 81st birthday to celebrate. He has family and friends who love him very much and can’t wait to see him. He has stories to tell and so much more life to live.

Ken is a popular guy because he’s kind and interesting and is a very likable, funny man. Ken married my Mom after my Dad died, so he’s actually my stepdad. But who says that anymore? A Dad is a Dad and I’m lucky to have two in my lifetime. I also gained another sister, Leslie, and brother, Lloyd, to add to my sister Maria and brothers Chris and Ben.

Ken was a well-known musician who had a wonderful, successful career playing the double bass. A Julliard graduate, he started playing bass with The Don Shirley Trio and segued into playing with orchestras including The Metropolitan Opera, in symphonies, chamber groups, quartets, quintets, from New York to Europe and Asia.

His finale in the twilight of his career was bringing an orchestra together for a several-week performance of Porgie and Bess in Japan in 1996.

Ken has told me some wonderful stories over the years about musicians he played with including Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Barbra Streisand, Leontyne Price, Bob Hope and many others. The tales are clever because of what he decides to share and inspirational because he found nuances in everyone he met that made them great in his eyes.

I had begun to keep notes and asked him about his family, friends and highlights beginning last year when he celebrated the big eight-oh last year.

When Ken finally, thankfully, and against all odds awoke from an anaesthesia-laden coma we all cried and felt some relief. We watched the very moment that his eyes opened again. We waited for him to squeeze our hands. We breathed again when he blinked to let us know he understood us. Ken was on his way back. The infection was stopped.

It could be a month they said before he could get out of bed, sit, or stand or walk. We’d have to wait and see if he would have all of his faculties back. Ken had a very high fever when he was first sick. It was 104. That was worrisome along with all the heavy pain meds, new heart meds (he has survived after a triple bypass and three stents) meds to do this and that. We were not sure if Ken, who is sharper mentally than most people I’ve met, would have brain damage.

It was another long week before Ken was out of critical condition. Another two weeks before he was allowed off tube feeding. But it was wearing on him as he also has horrible pain and discomfort. With this, he can get very discouraged and I always try to find something for him to look forward to or think about.

You see, pain, is a very destructive force and long, continuous and non-stop pain can be devastating on the psyche. It’s exhausting and can be disheartening.

For  Ken, whom I love very much and admire and have been blessed to have as a wonderful father for 25 years, I wanted to help him find a little motivation to help him in his long recovery. So I started to record his stories. I’d heard many of them over the years, and now, I was using them to help prompt his memories and mind which were slightly confused. He remembered things as I told them back to him and he started telling some that I hadn’t heard before.

He’s gotten very adept at recanting the past so we’ve recorded a few and he looks forward to this now. I’d like to share them and will put them together for the family. His first great grandchild, a little boy, will like to know a bit about his wonderful and funny Great Grandad.

When I went into the hospital several weeks prior to his birthday, I was all ready to hear some more stories from Ken but he was a little down. He’d had another setback so I was trying to brighten his day with something, anything. I didn’t know what because I’d tried food (he loves ice cream), an orchid, playing classical music and was not sure what else to do. He was so discouraged and wasn’t sure if he would be able to go home.

Then I thought of something I knew he loved very, very much: his beautiful Standard Poodle, Mr. Duke Ellington.

I had asked the staff to see if we could eventually take Ken to the hospital doors in a wheel chair so that he could at least see Duke in the car outside the hospital. But the doctor instead said that I could bring Duke into the hospital for a visit.

I drove Duke over in the car and walked him right in the front door of the hospital. They allow pet therapy and it’s apparently pretty common because no one stopped me.

Waiting for Ken

As we waited in the beautifully flowered and landscaped courtyard, Duke was nervous and excited.

I walked him around and around to settle him. I wanted to make sure he appeared therapy-like and not like an untrained crazed animal.

I walked Duke up to the door where I knew Ken would come out. And Duke calmed down. He stared at the door like his life depended on it. He must have sensed Ken was on the way because he didn’t budge. When Ken came out, Duke and he found

Reunited

each other with a touch to Duke’s curly head. As Ken looked at Duke and talked to him, Duke stood there gently and wagged and licked his hand as the two were reunited. It was tearful and exciting and a relief for both of them as they’d not been apart from each other in nine years minus a vacation here and there.

I usually try to keep the fact that I love dogs to a minimum but I’ve always had rescued mutts and Dobermans over the years and have helped rescued dogs most of my life. T-Rex, a rescue, is aging and arthritis-ridden so I can’t take him to the hospital to visit Ken. But Ken said he’s waiting to see him when he comes home.

We all are praying that Ken will be home in a week. It’s what he’s living for in every weight he lifts and stair he climbs. Saturday Ken relived the joy that Duke brought to him as he asked Mom to tell him over and over again about how Duke came to the hospital to visit.

Together Again

I’ve captured the moments for our family in pictures. Maybe I’ll put them into Ken’s book when it’s finished and it will be finished because Ken’s going to make it home.

If a Doberman and a Poodle are keeping him going, then we will do everything we can to make them a part of every day. For now I record lots of videos of the dogs for Ken and share them with him when the pain is bad or he’s had a rough day.

It seems silly maybe watching dogs barking at each other. But that’s what makes Ken laugh so hard that he crinkles his eyes into a squint and laughs when I show it to him and I watch the tears of joy slip gently down his face.

We found out after six weeks that Ken was coming home–he just called–saying I am coming home today. No special requests, no big meals. ”I only want peace and quiet and to be with you guys.”

The family will all be with him in spirit every step of the way, kids, grandkids, and friends, Mom, Duke and Rex, because as Ken always says, “here we are, together again.”

Push it.