Gina Thomas, a lifelong resident of West Mt. Airy, is a graduate of Princeton University and Temple U. Law School. Also a talented vocalist, she will sing in the Delaware Valley Opera Company’s chorus in Gounod’s “Faust” on Aug. 4, 8 and 12 at a venue in Manayunk.[/caption]

by Michael Caruso

The Delaware Valley Opera Company (DVOC) will present Charles Gounod’s “Faust” Aug. 4 & 8 at 8 p.m. and Aug. 12 at 3 p.m. in the Venice Island Performing Arts Center at 7 Loch St. in Manayunk.

Singing as a member of the chorus will be Gina Thomas, a lifelong resident of West Mt. Airy. As a child, she attended elementary school at Holy Cross Catholic Parochial School on East Mt. Airy Avenue. Thomas is a lifelong member of the parish. Following graduation from Holy Cross, she attended the Philadelphia High School for Girls.

“However,” she explained, “since 2013 I have been singing as a cantor and choir member of Our Mother of Consolation Roman Catholic Church on Chestnut Hill Ave. Whenever I am free of other commitments, I also sing for the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Gospel Choir, which performed for Pope Francis. I also sang for the Choir of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul between 2006 and 2013.”

Thomas recalled starting singing “when I was eight years old in the children’s choir for Holy Cross Church during the middle 1970s. I continued singing for Holy Cross as a cantor/soloist after I graduated from law school in the 1990s.”

During her high school years, Thomas sang for the “Treble Clef,” the glee club at Girls High School. “I also sang for the Gospel Choir and Glee Club of Princeton University,” she added.

It was from Princeton University that Thomas earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1987 and her Juris Doctorate from Temple University in 1990. “I majored in political science but took piano, music theory and voice lessons while in college,” said Thomas, who currently works as an assistant counsel for the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of General Counsel.

“More specifically,” she explained, “I work for the Department of Environmental Protection in Norristown. My practice is focused on enforcement counseling and litigation in the area of hazardous sites cleanup, safe drinking water and radiation protection.”

Since 2016, Thomas has studied voice with Sandra Day, the founder and president of the Delaware Valley Opera Company. Day is a teacher at the Maplewood Music Studio on Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill and at the Maplewood Mall.

“When I was in high school and college,” Thomas said, “I loved listening to Kathleen Battle, Leontyne Price, Marian Anderson and Jessye Norman. I admired their dignity and was inspired by their music. During high school, my twin sister and I attended Friday matinee concerts of the Philadelphia Orchestra. We were given student passes and developed a love of classical music generally, including opera.

“Most recently, between 2013 and 2015, I sang for the Philadelphia Singers. I loved every minute of the concerts with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Unfortunately, this group ceased operations in 2015.

“Opera is related to oratorio, which has always been a part of my musical life from church. In the 1970s and 80s, we would hear excerpts from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ at church during the holidays. I love the beautiful solos. Soprano arias attracted me to opera. Opera involves emotion and drama. I love that aspect of the music, even though I am not really a dramatic personality.”

Thomas remembered first learning about DVOC from her voice teacher, Sandra Day, the group’s founder and president. As a result of the closing down of the Philadelphia Singers, she was looking for a new opportunity, and Day invited her to join DVOC’s volunteer chorus. Her first performance was in the 2017 production of Puccini’s “La Boheme,” instantly falling in love with the score.

“I needed a creative outlet,” Thomas said, “especially after the Philadelphia Singers went out of business. My experiences in DVOC have been positive. The company consists of a diverse group of very talented individuals and has an ‘esprit de corps,’ which I really appreciate. Even though DVOC’s bank of talent is significant, the members ‘park their egos at the door’ and dedicate themselves to the music.

“The staff members of DVOC are also consummate professionals who are wonderful to work with. I am impressed that DVOC, although it has a limited budget, manages to produce outstanding productions of classic operas. And I like the fact that our rehearsals are in either Lafayette Hill or Manayunk, and our performances are at the Venice Island Performing Arts Center, also in Manayunk. Both locations are convenient to my home in West Mt. Airy.

“The best part of being part of DVOC is the music. I enjoy the rehearsals, sometimes just to hear my colleagues sing. I am primarily a member of the volunteer chorus and have only performed small roles in our most recent productions of ‘Il Tabarro’ and ‘Suor Angelica.’ However, I am extremely proud of the work of my colleagues in the company. Many of our singers are younger artists who are starting their careers. I very much admire their work and am impressed by their talent and dedication.

“Opera is for everyone, not just the rich or the super-cultured. The story of ‘Faust,’ our upcoming production, is one that everyone can relate to…an older man going through a mid-life crisis makes a deal with the devil to win the heart of a pretty girl.”

Thomas pointed out that she subscribes to the Metropolitan Opera on-demand, where its catalogue of performances is readily available without having to drive to New York City.

“It’s my hope that DVOC will continue to be able to produce wonderful and affordable operas in Philadelphia,” she said. “Arts organizations are fragile. Because of the fierce competition with movies, sports and other forms of entertainment, members of the arts community often face economic challenges that threaten their existence. I hope that DVOC will develop a sustainer/subscriber base so that they will be able to continue to nurture young artists for many years to come.

“I also hope that because DVOC consists of diverse performers, including other African American women like me, it will also attract diverse audience members. My message to members of the African America audience is this: You can like both Cardi B and Marian Anderson. My play list contains both. My favorite Marian Anderson aria is ‘Erbarme dich mein Gott’ by J.S. Bach. When I hear it, I am sure the civil rights struggles which she faced had to have influenced her 1957 performance.”

Tickets for DVOC’s production of Gounod’s “Faust” are $20 for members, seniors and students, $25 for nonmembers and $10 for those under 12 years of age. For more information visit www.dvopera.org

RUSSIAN OPERA

Philadelphia’s Russian Opera Workshop, under the direction of Ghenady Meirson, will present vocal selections from Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” July 31 and Aug. 1 & 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Helen Corning Warden Theater of the Academy of Vocal Arts, located at 1920 Spruce St. in Center City.

For more information visit www.russianoperaworkshop.com, or call AVA at 215-735-1685.

You can contact NOTEWORTHY at Michael-caruso@comcast.net. To read more of NOTEWORTHY visit chestnuthilllocal.com/Arts/Noteworthy