Gulfshore Opera’s season-ending extravaganza takes place this week. But attendees won’t be hearing opera.

“The title of the program is ‘Journey Through the Americas.’ There will be traditional and popular songs from the United States and also from countries in South America,” said Gulfshore Opera Director Steffanie Pearce. “So there will be something for everyone at this concert.”

The U.S. part of the program will be delivered by the GO Divas. This vocal ensemble will provide fresh, lively interpretations of classics by Bob Dylan and James Taylor along with a number of traditional North American songs.

“The GO Divas are four young women who all live in our region,” Pearce noted. “They all have classical music backgrounds, and they do these vocal arrangements of all kinds of different songs, from Beatles and Aretha Franklin to Celine Dion, James Taylor.”

The Divas will be complimented by Latin Infusion, providing spirited renditions of pop and folk songs from Brazil, Argentina and other South American cultures.

“That is a Cuban jazz trio with a tenor who is from Argentina, also classically trained but sings a lot of popular music,” Pearce added.

It’s all part of Gulfshore Opera’s mission to give back to the community by engaging as many sectors of our diverse community as possible, which is why “Journey Through the Americas” is a free outdoor concert. Just supply your own lawn chairs or beach blanket.

“There’s something enriching to the soul about listening to beautifully sung music and we want everyone to be able to experience that,” Pearce said.

MORE INFORMATION:

The performance are:

• Wednesday, May 14 at 7 p.m. at the Veterans Park Bandshell on Marco Island;
• Friday, May 16 at 7 p.m. at the Babcock Ranch Bandshell in Founders Square;
• Saturday, May 17 at 7 p.m. in Cambier Park in downtown Naples; and
• Sunday, May 18 at 4 p.m. in Gulf Theater in Punta Gorda for those who prefer a traditional theater setting with reserved seating.

All four are free and open to the public.

The bandshell concert at Babcock Ranch is possible due to the support from the Cape Coral Foundation.

The Collier County Community Foundation has provided support for the bandshell concerts on Marco Island and at Cambier Park.

“Journey Through the Americas” is an outgrowth of Gulfshore Opera’s commitment to community engagement.

“Community engagement is a really important part of what Gulfshore Opera does,” said Pearce. “We are a production company. We do produce the highest quality vocal music. But being an integral part of the community on multi levels is a really important part of our mission and we achieve that through programs like ‘Journey Through the Americas.’”

The GO Divas are Marie Talley, Juliana Alfano, Erika Ramirez and Lydia Howery.

Talley is a soprano. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance from the University of Florida. Talley works as chaplain and bereavement coordinator at HealthPark Medical Center and Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. She has performed with many choral groups and enjoyed theater roles, most recently as Maria in “The Sound of Music.” Other area community theater credits include Katherine Blake in “Freaky Friday,” Betty Haynes in “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” Maleficent in Disney’s “Descendants: The Musical,” and work in the ensemble of “Rent,” “West Side Story” and “Most Happy Fella.”

Alfano is a soprano. Alfano recently relocated to Fort Myers from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where she worked as a private voice instructor, music director, and accompanist. She earned her master’s degree in Voice Pedagogy and Performance from The Pennsylvania State University, performing roles such as Phyllis in Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Iolanthe,” Morgana in Handel’s” Alcina,” and Poppea in Monteverdi’s “L’incoronazione di Poppea.” She holds a bachelor’s in Vocal Performance from The Crane School of Music. Alfano now serves as Director of Music for Lamb of God Church in Fort Myers and continues teaching voice virtually.

Venezuelan soprano Ramirez obtained her degree with honors in Music Performance at Universidad de Los Andes (Mérida- Venezuela) as a student of the famous Venezuelan baritone William Alvarado. She also studied in Spain with Montserrat Caballé and with René Morlöck at the Stuttgart Bach Academy, with opera roles as Giannetta in “L’elisir d’amore,” Gilda in “Rigoletto,” and Despina in “Così fan tutte,” and concert experiences with the principal orchestras of Venezuela and as a recitalist in Spain, Italy, Panamá, Perú and United States. Erika is part of the Gulfshore Opera staff as a member of the costume team, and she and her husband live in Naples.

Alto Howery is a seasoned performer and founding member of GO Divas. Her operatic repertoire includes roles such as Maddalena in “Rigoletto,” Prince Orlofsky in “Die Fledermaus,” Dame Quickly in “Falstaff,” and Daphne in “The Day Boy and the Night Girl.” She has also performed with Choral Artistry, Erie Philharmonic Chorus, and the Pennsylvania Chamber Symphony. With a master’s from The Boston Conservatory and a bachelor’s from Erskine College, Lydia teaches voice at FGCU. She resides in Fort Myers, where she also homeschools her three children.

The members of “Latin Infusion” are Ernesto Cabrera, Jose Fernandez, Daniel Escudero and Alfredo Chacon.

Ernesto Cabrera is a versatile artist who is 32 years old, based in Miami, and has over 15 years of stage experience, specializing in opera and salsa genres. His classical vocal training combined with the vibrant energy of Caribbean rhythms allows him to move seamlessly between the power of bel canto and the passion of tropical music. On national and international stages, he has performed in operatic productions, symphonic concerts, and salsa shows. His style blends technique, emotion, and charisma to connect with audiences deeply.

José Fernández is a highly accomplished guitarist and music educator with extensive experience in classical, Christian, Latin, and contemporary styles. He earned his magna cum laude degree in Classical Guitar and Musicology from the Superior Institute of Arts in Havana. In addition to his solo career, he has directed ensembles and served as a music director in Cuba and the U.S. José has taught guitar, harmony, music theory, and music history at conservatories, including five years at the Miami Conservatory of Music. Fluent in Spanish and English, he frequently performs in solo and ensemble settings throughout South Florida and beyond.

Daniel Escudero is originally from Havana, Cuba, but has lived in Miami since 2003. He started studying music and piano at 7 in his native country. He now holds a bachelor’s of Music in Piano Performance and a master’s degree in International Business, both from Florida International University. Escudero has spent the past 12 years performing and touring, playing different music styles in various settings both locally and internationally. Escudero has had the opportunity to perform in countries such as the U.S., Spain, Italy, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Chile, El Salvador, and Ecuador with various artists, including Grammy Award winners.

Alfredo Chacón is a Cuban-American composer, vibraphonist, and percussionist widely recognized in the Latin and Cuban jazz scenes. He holds a degree from the Superior Institute of Arts in Havana and has performed at the Havana International Jazz Festival and toured extensively across Europe, including in Germany, France, the UK, and Scandinavia. His albums “Caliente Corner” and “Magic Place” were both praised for their innovation and the latter was nominated for Best Jazz Album at the Cubadisco Awards. Chacón ’s music spans jazz, soul, funk, folklore, fusion, and beyond, blending technical expertise with deep musical expression.

As an added bonus, Harmony Choir will perform at the Cambier Park concert.

“They’re going to sing ‘America the Beautiful,’ and we’ve got a couple of folk songs like ‘Coming Around the Mountain,’” Peace noted.

The Harmony Choir is part of a social enrichment program that Gulfshore Opera instituted for kids who are at risk, marginalized, or come from families in which English is a second language.

“They are in after-school programs with Boys and Girls Clubs, the Salvation Army, YMCA, Grace Place and Youth Haven,” said Pearce. “We have seven chapters in three counties and between 150 and 200 kids engaged in this program. Five teachers.”

The children in the Harmony Choir program derive a number of benefits.

“Through the discipline of learning the music, they learn to work together,” Pearce pointed out. Through their performances, they gain self-confidence. We not only have them perform, but we also have them interact socially with their audiences.”

This year, Gulfshore opera also initiated a pilot program called “Engaging Seniors and Youth Through Music.”

“So we have smaller groups from this whole 150-200 kids of 18 to 20 kids,” said Pearce. “They get on a bus, go to a senior center and do a little performance for the seniors. Then after they perform, they serve juice and cookies or some sort of snacks and then sit down and engage in conversation individually with the seniors. This gives them exposure to a generation, someone from a different culture, teaches them social skills, confidence, and it also very beneficial for the seniors, who have very little opportunity to come into direct contact with kids. And that program is made possible through grants from the Collier County Community Foundation and the Charlotte County Community Foundation. So we’re doing that in Punta Gorda, and we’re starting a chapter in Naples.”

Harmony Choir and Engaging Seniors and Youth Through Music give voice to Gulfshore Opera’s belief that, as a nonprofit organization, it has a duty to give back to the community on multiple levels.

“When I started Gulfshore Opera, I was determined to make it a company that engages as many sectors of our diverse community as possible, not just to entertain the elite who can afford expensive tickets,” said Pearce. “We have all different price ranges. We’re in easily accessible venues for some of our smaller concerts. And the engagement, like in the Harmony Choir, it keeps the sound of a classical voice — our teachers are all classically trained — alive and vital to our culture. It is a part of our culture, as much as basketball is.”

Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.