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 Biography
J’Von Brown is a classical bass-baritone singer, often recognized for his work in opera, spirituals, and sacred music. He is a trained vocalist, having won the 2020 Grady-Rayam Vocal Competition (Upper Division Male) and performed with specialized ensembles. Known for performing traditional spirituals and sacred songs He performed as a soloist in a “Hallelujah Christmas” program with the Sounds of Life Chamber Orchestra.
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
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.
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.
Pay at Door or mail check to Puccini Society PO Box 25105, Dallas, TX 75225
For credit card charges, please contact Jana at 817-999-5509
Josefina Maldonado, Mezzo-soprano
Emerging Dallas-born artist, Josefina Maldonado has been critically acclaimed by The Texas Classical Review and Theater Jones as ‘vocally superb’ with a ‘remarkably rich timbre’. Ms. Maldonado was a young artist with The Dallas Opera Outreach Program in the role(s) of Veronica/Dr. Miracle and Dorabella/ Così Fan Tutte, for Bremen Town Musicians.
For her European debut, Ms. Maldonado was a principle artist in two modern world premieres of serenatas by Johannes Schmelzer; Le veglie ossequiose and Die sieben Alter stimmen zusammen, for the Olomouc’s Baroque Festival held in the Czech Republic.
Ms. Maldonado holds a B.M. from the University of North Texas where she was a frequently featured soloist alongside the UNT Symphony Orchestra. Her major roles with UNT Opera included Dorabella/Così Fan Tutte, Ruggiero/Alcina, Cherubino/Le nozze di Figaro, Siébel/Faust and Mother Marie/Dialogues of the Carmelites.
What a big group we had yesterday to enjoy Barbara Hill-Moore’s wonderful students. Some of these singers are young artists to watch! Prosper is really getting some wonderful opportunities with both Dallas and Ft. Worth Operas. Others may well be singers to watch in the future.
Our fall Puccini event featuring the students of Barbara Hill Moore, Senior Associate Dean, SMU. Barbara sponsors these international students through the Foote Foundation. It was an amazing event. So good to be meeting in person again. Photo by Mac Irwin
To enjoy their beautiful singing in the stunning surroundings of Bill Cornog’s home was a double pleasure; and what a gracious and accommodating host he is. All in all the afternoon was a lovely tribute to our past members Cecile Bonte, Eleanor Krebs, Marigny Lanier, Ed Lynch and Jody Reed. They were each valued and loved members of the Puccini Society.
A proud teacher: Barbara Hill Moore. Photos by Josephine Dewaal
To enjoy their beautiful singing in the stunning surroundings of Bill Cornog’s home was a double pleasure; and what a gracious and accommodating host he is. All in all the afternoon was a lovely tribute to our past members Cecile Bonte, Eleanor Krebs, Marigny Lanier, Ed Lynch and Jody Reed. They were each valued and loved members of the Puccini Society.
We continue to welcome new members to our group: Mary Lou Alford has just joined us along with a number of others who were introduced at our Sept. meeting. Mary Lou is delighted to find that she has a number of friends and acquaintances in our group. New members this fall include: Mary Lou Alford, John Shriner, Anna Morini, Yvonne Sage, Carl Schieffer, Dona and Michael Watson, and Mary Ellen Winborn. Also Brian Hackfeld, Joey Meirtschin, and Mark Landson. Welcome to all! Guest are always welcome and we were happy to have several yesterday as well.
I hope everyone will remember that these beautiful receptions are spearheaded by Mac Irwin and Patsy Brooks. Special thanks to Rosemary O’Neill and Josephine DeWaal for their special home baked Irish Tea Bread and Stollen. We appreciate them all so much! Bob Brooks makes sure we all have a wine of choice and graciously serves as bartender. Our whole Board is a great team as each member reliably does their job. Thanks to Jana Irwin for keeping our reservations and checking everyone in. The Tobys sent membership renewals and many have responded. You can still renew and now Jana can take your payment via credit card (817-999-5509) or a check to P.O. Box 25105, Dallas, 75225. Laurie Pan took very nice pictures which will be posted on our web site. Many thanks to all.
Yesterday’s guest Robin Green will host our Dec. 4 program in her lovely home. Josefina Maldonado, soprano will present our program. We had Josefina scheduled to sing for us just as we were asked to curtail our in-person meetings, and I’m really delighted to reschedule her now. She is a very accomplished young singer whom we will be thrilled to finally hear. Invitations will be sent out soon with meeting details. Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving,
