Puccini Society of Dallas Welcomes Sabatina Mauro, soprano & Tres Hunter, bass with Timothy Sanchez, pianist
Presenting
An Afternoon of Love Songs (and Whatever Basses Sing About)
Saturday, December 20, 2025 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Members $35 Guests $45
Complimentary Valet
For catering purposes, kindly RSVP by December 15th to: PucciniSociety@gmail.com
Payments by check may be paid at the door or mailed to: Puccini Society of Dallas P.O. Box 1782 Colleyville, TX 76034 Payments by credit card, please contact Jana at 817.999.5509
Rainelle Krause, soprano and Cheryl Cellon Lindquist, pianist with their presentation of
“Her Voice”
Saturday, November 1, 2025 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
at the Park Towers Condos in the Park Room 3310 Fairmont Street Dallas, TX 75201
Members $35 Guests $45 Complimentary Valet
For catering purposes, kindly RSVP by Oct 28th to:
PucciniSociety@gmail.com Payments by check may be paid at the door or mailed to: Puccini Society of Dallas P.O. Box 1782 Colleyville, TX 76034
Payments by credit card, please contact Jana at 817.999.5509
Puccini friends – we are excited about our program on November 1st, with the very talented Rainelle Krause. She has titled this program “Her Voice,” which is sure to be fabulous. Her impressive bio is below.
If you have not RSVP’d yet, please do so as soon as possible. We base our catering and valet needs on the RSVP’s we receive. Thank you very much!
Known for her pristine, fiery coloratura, soprano Rainelle Krause brings an unflinching ferocity coupled with a deeply truthful humanity to the stage. She recently impressed audiences and critics alike at her début with Nashville Opera in the title role of Donizetti’s Lucia, where she was hailed as “a dream” by Music City Review. Her signature role, Die Königin der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte, was well-received at Atlanta Opera, with Opera Magazine noting her “elegant” coloratura. Previous seasons for Ms. Krause brought several significant appearances as Die Königin der Nacht at Royal Danish Opera, Dutch National Opera, Staatsoper Berlin Unter den Linden, Nashville Opera, and at Les Arts, València. She has also brought her in-demand Königin to Deutsche Oper Berlin, Theater Basel, Oper Köln, Opera Orchestre Montpellier Occitanie, North Carolina Opera, and The Metropolitan Opera (cover). This season, she reprises her celebrated Königin in company débuts with The Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe Opera, St. Louis Symphony, Opera Atelier, and presents a number of Mozart arias in concert with English National Opera.
Other recent highlights include her guest artist appearance with English National Opera’s BBC Proms concert “Horrible Histories: ‘Orrible Opera”, soprano soloist for the Brevard Music Festival’sCarmina Burana under Maestra JoAnn Falletta, Oscar in Un ballo in maschera at Royal Danish Opera, the Princess in The Snow Queen at Concertgebouw Amsterdam under the baton of Kent Nagano, Tania in Al gran sole carico d’amore with Theater Basel, Pat Nixon in Nixon in China at The Princeton Festival, Zerlina in Don Giovanni with The Dallas Opera (cover), and featured artist for Opus Opera’s event, Mystique, a circus and opera collaboration.
Ms. Krause has been awarded First Place in the Fielder Grant Competition, Third Place and Audience Favorite in the Orpheus Competition, and has been chosen as one of four winners in the Texas Camerata’s Baroque Aria Competition. She was a finalist in the Lois Alba Competition in Houston as well as the International Mildred Miller Competition in Pittsburgh, a Regional Finalist with the Metropolitan National Council Auditions in New Orleans and St. Louis, and a semi-finalist with the Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation and Gari Foundation competitions in New York City.
Puccini Society of Dallas P.O. Box 1782 Colleyville, TX 76034
INTRODUCING Megan Koch, soprano, with her presentation of “Moonlight Melodies”
Saturday, September 27, 2025 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
at the home of Mason McCamey & David Stanley
Members $35 – Guests $45
Complimentary Valet
For catering purposes, kindly RSVP by Sept 22nd to: PucciniSociety@gmail.com
Payments by check may be paid at the door or mailed to:
Puccini Society of Dallas P.O. Box 1782 Colleyville, TX 76034
Payments by credit card, please contact Jana at 817.999.5509
Artist Bio
Emerging American soprano Megan Koch is a dynamic performer and teacher based in Dallas, TX. She kicks off her season as an Emerging Artist with Jennifer Rowley’s Aria Bootcamp where she works with renowned coaches and conductors, including Anthony Manoli and Geoff Loff.
She is featured in concerts with Opera Arlington, the St. Andrew Concert Series, and the Puccini Society of Dallas.
In 2025, Megan played Kjersti in a triumphant revival of the lost Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, Giants in the Earth, by Douglas Moore with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. The project was recorded to be broadcast on local PBS and sold as a box set.
Shortly after, she tackled the role of Donna Anna in Opera Arlington’s 80’s-themed Don Giovanni. Other recent and local performances include Amy in Fort Worth Opera’s Little Women by Mark Adamo, and as a guest artist in the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops Concert.
Megan also performed at Shreveport Opera as Violetta in La Traviata and Berta in The Barber of Seville. She was a guest soloist with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, 1st-place winner of the Classical Singer Competition, and a finalist in the Lewisville Lake Symphony Competition.
The University of North Texas first brought Megan to DFW for her Master’s and Graduate Artist Certificate. She soon became involved with Fort Worth Opera as a Hattie Mae Leslie Resident Artist, where she performed in recitals, scenes programs, and as Annina in La Traviata. Before that, she studied Music Education at the University of Illinois Wesleyan.
Puccini Society of Dallas P.O Box 1782 Colleyville, TX 76034
For catering purposes, please RSVP by April 14th.
Dear Puccini members and friends:
Our April program is coming soon, presented by several of Virginia Dupuy’s students. They always provide for us a lovely program. See the invitation for details, with our thanks to Lillian Ragland for the design of our monthly invitations.
The Puccini Society of Dallas Presents The “Other” La Boheme as composed by Ruggiero Leoncavallo
Introducing Talented Young Singers from UNT Opera on Tap
Saturday, March 22, 2025 3:00 to 5:00
Members $40 – Guests $50
(due to a large cast of performers for this event, our monthly fee has increased slightly)
Complimentary Valet
Payment by check may be paid at the door or mailed to:
Puccini Society of Dallas P.O. Box 1782 Colleyville, TX 76034
Payments by Credit Card: Please contact Jana at 817 999 5509
Puccini members and friends of the Puccini Society:
Since we have all enjoyed the Dallas Opera’s production of Puccini’s La Boheme, we’ll take this opportunity to explore the “other” La Boheme composed by Puccini’s contemporary, Ruggero Leoncavallo (best known for Pagliacci). This version of La Boheme was well received and popular in its day. However, Puccini’s work won out in time.
See our March invitation and please note – since we are hosting a larger than usual number of performers, we have raised our event fees slightly to help defray the costs involved with this program. Thank you for understanding.
Again, our thanks to Lillian Ragland for assisting us with the design of our monthly event invitations.
Puccini Society of Dallas P.O. Box 1782 Colleyville, TX 76034-1782
Puccini Friends – We are excited to gather on Saturday, October 28 to hear from a talented young UNT student, Matthew Dexter. Please see Matthew’s bio information below. Also, refer to the invitation for the October program attached. Thank you to all who have already responded. Please RSVP no later than Oct 25if you ploan to attend.
Marilyn Halla
Photo Gallery
Photos by Ed Flaspoehler
Artist Bio
MATTHEW DEXTER, bass-baritone from McKinney, Texas, is a senior majoring in vocal performance at the University of North Texas. He is a member of UNT’s A Cappella Choir and the Vox Aquilae Baroque choir. During his time with UNT Opera, he has performed the roles of Mícha in The Bartered Bride, Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro, and Zúñiga in Carmen. He will premiere the role of the Conductor in That Hellbound Train in spring 2024. He also performed the role of The Herald in the concert version of Verdi’s Otello with the UNT Symphony Orchestra. For the past two years, as a vocal fellow at Spoleto Festival USA, Matthew appeared in the world premiere of Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels’ Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Omar in 2022 and covered the role of the Old Doctor in Samuel Barber’s Vanessa. He was a winner of Youngarts 2020 and performed at the winners’ concert in Miami.
Stephen Dubberly, a faculty member in the UNT College of Music, has written of Matthew, “There is no question in my mind that he is by far the most outstanding undergraduate with whom I have worked in my 40 years of university teaching.”
Additionally, Matthew was named as the Presser Undergraduate Scholar recipient for 2022-2023. See below about this prestigious award:
The Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award is presented annually to a student entering their senior year who has shown extraordinary musical and academic accomplishments. The Presser award is considered the most prestigious undergraduate honor in music at the University of North Texas and is provided by the Presser Foundation that awards annual scholarships, grants and funds for the furthering of music education and music in America.
In perpetuity, the recipients are referred to as Presser Scholars. The winner is nominated by the College of Music faculty and selected by the College of Music Council of Division Chairs. The scholarship has been awarded annually for more than six decades.
“Suits, Sisters and Sidekicks, an Operatic Afternoon”
Sabatina Mauro – Mezzo Soprano Jiyoun Oh – Pianist
in loving memory of Robert Maris
September 30, 2023 at 3:00 PM
Members $30 / Guests $40 (Valet parking provided) Kindly RSVP by September 25th PucciniSociety@gmail.com
Mail checks to: Puccini Society of Dallas P. O. Box 1782 Colleyville, TX. 76034-1782
Credit card payments: Contact Jana @ (817) 999-5509
The Puccini Society’s first program of the fall season is planned for Sept. 30. Sabatina Mauro will present our program. She is a young artist with the Dallas Opera and is a very fine mezzo. I know you’ll enjoy her program.
Please mark you calendar for our first event on September 30. Please R.S.V.P by September 25.
Puccini Society of Dallas P.O. Box 1782 Colleyville, TX 76034-1782
Puccini Friends: After what seems like a long intermission, we were finally able to finish our season.
Our final Puccini program for this season was on May 27. Bethany Jelinek, winner of the People’s Choice Award at our recent Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition presented our program. It was stunning!
Thanks to so many who were able to be present for our final program of the year. We ended the season on a high note indeed! Bethany Jelinek presented a wonderful program of arias and songs by Handel, Wagner, Strauss, and Massenet, which were beautifully performed with the collaboration of Victor Hurtado, pianist. Bravi Tutti!
Robert Maris graciously hosted us in his lovely home. The program and reception were inside and many guests enjoyed his lovely outdoor patio following the program. Thank you Robert for your gracious hospitality.
Our usual fine team coordinated the event: Jana took care of invitations, reservations, and check-in. Mac coordinated and provided a delightful spring reception with the help of Patsy. Bob as always took care of providing and serving beverages. I feel sure everyone appreciates their ongoing efforts to make sure each of our events is an enjoyable experience for members. Ed has some nice pictures which will be available our web site soon. It is always nice to look back on the history of our programs.
I look forward to next season when we plan to present several winners from the Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition as well as other exciting young artists. Until then, I hope your summer is pleasant and filled with beautiful music and nice experiences.
After what seems like a long intermission, we’re ready to finish the season with two nice events.
Our final Puccini program for this season will be on May 27. Bethany Jelinek, winner of the People’s Choice Award at our recent Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition will present our program.
Our invitation and details will be coming soon.
The Lafayette Musicians
Matthieu Peyregne du Mortier, who presented an early French music program for us last season has created a new organization called Lafayette Musicians. Their first concert is on May 21 at 4:00 p.m. See the information which follows.
Under the direction of Matthieu Peyregne du Motier, a French conductor specializing in baroque music, the Lafayette Musicians, a new professional orchestra and choir plans to perform 4 great Sacred classical music concerts every year.
Their inaugural concert will be held on Sunday, May 21st at Christ the King Catholic Church in Dallas, Texas at 4pm.
The concert will feature:
Handel and Lully on David’s psalms : Dixit Dominus, Miserere, De Profondis,…
This incredible music will be performed on historical instruments. In addition, the audience will receive booklets with translations and theological explanations to enhance their understanding and enjoyment of the concert.
