NEMPAC returns to Ristorante Lucia for its annual Amore Concert – Love Songs Through the Ages in the North End.
The Amore Concert is a celebration of love for all people. Our theme, “Love Songs Through the Ages” will encompass music from the Baroque era to the music of today. The goal is for every audience member to resonate with a love song, no matter their age or background. From Handel to Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, we hope the audience feels inspired to celebrate love.
TICKETS ON SALE ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8TH!
WHEN: Tuesday, February 11th @ 7 PM | Doors open at 6:30 PM
WHERE: Ristorante Lucia
ADDRESS: 415 Hanover St., Boston, MA 02113
TICKETS: $95/person (includes 3-course prix-fixe meal with further details below).
Each ticket purchased includes a 3-course gourmet Italian prix-fixe meal, inclusive of soft drinks and non-espresso coffee beverages. There will be a cash bar for alcohol and espresso beverages. Gratuity is not included in the ticket price. Seating at this event will be community-style dining, but NEMPAC can also accommodate groups of 4-10 as available. Groups should purchase their tickets under one purchaser, so we can ensure the group is sat together.
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Featuring soprano, Justine Boonstra; baritone, Juan Suarez; soprano, Mariangela Gominho; and pianist, Sepehr Davallou.
Artistic Director: Justine Boonstra
Justine Boonstra (Artistic Director & Soprano)
Justine Boonstra is a Boston-based singer and voice teacher. She holds a Master’s of Music in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA.
Some of her favorite roles to date are The Sandman from Hansel and Gretel with NEC Opera and Despina from Così fan tutte with Chicago Summer Opera.
Justine, a classically trained Soprano, also prides herself on being a versatile singer, performing in many genres ranging from musical theater to pop to jazz. In recent years, Justine has enjoyed singing with various wedding bands across the East Coast and writing and performing music of her own. She also debuted the role of Rosie in At Love’s Hearth, a musical thesis project written by Stephanie Hollenberg, Harvard alum.
Justine’s teaching studio consists of 40+ students of all genres and ages. She holds teaching positions at Amy Dancz Music Studio and North End Music Performing Arts (NEMPAC).
While not singing, Justine enjoys yoga, dancing, baking, and trying new restaurants with her husband, Eli.
Juan Suarez (Baritone):
Baritone, Juan Suarez, is a well established performer in the Boston area, performing frequently with organizations such as Odyssey Opera, MassOpera, Opera Del West, Boston Opera & Zarzuela, and the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras.
Notable engagements include world music premieres with Catalyst new music in collaboration with Poet Todd Hearon and Composer Jonathan Mitchell; and with Sparks & Wiry Cries in New York City, premiering an original poem set to music by Composer Laura Nevitt. Juan can also be heard singing in the chorus of Boston Modern Opera Project’s Grammy nominated recording of The Lord of Cries, written by composer John Corigliano and librettist Mark Adamo.
Recent and Upcoming engagements include performances as bass soloist in G.F Handel’s Messiah , an upcoming role debut as Falke in Johann Strauss’ comic Operetta, Die Fledermaus, and his third consecutive production with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras in their performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Grand Opera, Don Carlos.
Juan holds Music Degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music and Stetson University.
Mariangela Gominho (Soprano):
Mariangela Gominho, Soprano, is a singer and voice teacher based in Boston, Massachusetts. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Duquesne University and Master’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
During her undergraduate studies, she performed as Suor Genevieve in Suor Angelica and covered the role of Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, as well as participated in programs at the Franco American Vocal Academy and New England Conservatory’s Summer Opera Studio.
As a language lover, Mariangela has experience performing in various languages, from Portuguese to Tagalog to Icelandic. In 2016, she was the first music performance major to receive the prestigious Honors Endowed Fellows Grant at Duquesne University. With the grant, she studied Icelandic folk and classical music in Iceland and presented the pieces in a public lecture-recital.
Mariangela is the music director of St. Benedict’s Parish in Somerville, and holds teaching positions at Winsor School, Cheverus Catholic School, and Amy Dancz Voice Studio. She also maintains her own private studio.
When not making music, Mariangela enjoys crafting, traveling, and dragging friends to spin class.
Sepehr Davallou (Pianist)
Sepehr is a pianist and vocal coach based in Boston. He has served as an assistant music director for the production of Gluck’s Orfeo at NEMPAC, and worked as pianist on such productions as Britten’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Miami Music Festival, “Die Fledermaus” and “Die Zauberflöte” at NEC and also Maryland Opera Studio.
Passionate about text, poetry and artsong, he has appeared on five Liederabend series at NEC spanning repertoire from Mozart to folk and contemporary music.
He has attended the Aspen Music Festival, “Dandelion Opera Institute”, and “Collaborative Pianist Institute” where he got to work with renowned artists such as Martin Katz, and Warren Jones.
Sepehr has a BM in Piano Performance from University of Tehran, an MM in Collaborative Piano from University of Maryland and a Graduate Diploma in Opera Coaching from New England Conservatory. His mentors are Cameron Stowe, JJ Penna, Tanya Blaich and Rita Sloan.
