Article: HolidayFare"Joy to the world: Opera New Jersey concert aims to spread some holiday cheer"Home News Tribune (Laurie Granieri) In 1996, when pianist-conductor Jose Melendez moved from his native Puerto Rico to the United States, Christmas music helped acclimate him to his new home. "It helped me get in tune more with American culture and their traditions," says Melendez, 36. "I didn't speak a word of English. I said, "Wow, look at these people — they know all the words' " to carols such as "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and others. Melendez, music director and principal coach of the Opera New Jersey Young Artist Program in Princeton, will lead a quartet of singers from the program in a holiday concert today at the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum. The "HolidayFare" concert will feature a mix of sacred and secular holiday songs, such as "O Holy Night," "Santa Baby," "Silent Night" and "It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas," among others. Lawrenceville tenor Patrick Layton says participating in concerts like today's at the Zimmerli defines the holiday season for him. "If I was not able to be involved in these concerts at Christmas time, it wouldn't be Christmas," he says. "It puts me in the spirit." Layton, 29, recently joined the Young Artist Program, which gives performers the opportunity to represent But Melendez and Layton point out that this afternoon's concert isn't about showcasing vocal prowess so much as it is about spreading some holiday cheer. That's why "HolidayFare" will be an interactive concert, featuring sing-alongs to such pieces as "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Frosty the Snowman," "Let It Snow!" and "Jingle Bells." "We're entertaining them," Melendez says, "but especially at Christmas, people want to sing. It's our way of incorporating the audience into these famous Christmas songs that they grew up with." "It's definitely a joy to do," Layton says. "We get to relax a little and enjoy what we do rather than worry about the finer parts of the music." The real challenge in this case is not to belt out "O Holy Night" in full operatic voice but to be true to the "spirit" of the piece, Layton says. "We want an intimate atmosphere," he explains. "We don't want this to be a professional concert atmosphere. We want a warm, by-the-fire atmosphere. Christmas is about family and togetherness, and we want to maintain that." Banner photo courtesy of the Academy of Vocal Arts, Philadelphia. Return to the Reviews and Articles Archive.
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