FARMINGTON – Aug. 17, 1911, was the day famed opera diva and Farmington native Lillian Nordica performed for the last time in her hometown. Aug. 17 has since been known locally as Nordica Day, thanks to the Nordica Memorial Association, dedicated to celebrating and maintaining remembrances of her impressive career.

Highlighting this year’s celebration will be an open house and a recital.

The open house, with free admission and refreshments, will be held at the Nordica Homestead Museum on the Holley Road.

The 7:30 p.m. recital will be given by Stephanie Gilbert of Vassalboro, this year’s recipient of the Nordica Scholarship, awarded annually to a promising young singer in Maine who aspires to a career in opera.

Gilbert is a voice performance major at the University of Southern Maine. She placed first in her division for the past two years in state auditions of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

She will perform in the chorus of this summer’s PORT-opera production of Gounod’s “Romeo et Juliette.” Her Nordica Day recital will include pieces by Mozart, R. Strauss and Amy Beach, accompanied by her teacher, Bruce Fithian.

The recital will be held in Nordica Auditorium, the same hall in which Lillian Nordica gave her final concert in Farmington. The auditorium is on the second floor of Merrill Hall on the University of Maine at Farmington campus.

There will be no charge for admission since the concert is a gift to the community from the NMA. For more information about the concert or the open house, call the Nordica Homestead Museum at 778-2042.

Copy the Story Link