Sulphur Springs native, Monica Lancaster, delivers a "farewell performance," on Sunday afternoon at
the Main Street Theater, prior to pursing her opera career in New York City. Monica was accompanied
by Mary Cooper, as pianist, at Sunday's performance.

 

Local Opera Singer Lends Talent in
Farewell Performance Before Going to New York City

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

 

It was a packed crowd of family and friends, on Sunday afternoon, as they came to the Main Street Theater, to enjoy the Farewell Performance by local opera soprano, Monica Lancaster, prior to her going to New York City. Monica, a 2004 graduate of Sulphur Springs High School, has studied at Stephen F. Austin University, receiving a Bachelors and Masters Degree and music, and is headed for the "Big Apple" to lend her talent on a much larger scale.

The daughter of Sulphur Springs residents, Jerry and Cindy Lancaster, will leave on Tuesday to pursue her career in New York City, where she hopes to become a professional opera singer. Monica began her singing career, early in life, and quickly "rose to the top" as she began choir in sixth grade. Throughout high school, she continued to advance and won numerous awards in choir competitions.

 

 

When it came time to go to college, Monica had some tough decisions. "I first had plans to go to the University of North Texas. However, as the time drew near, I considered a smaller department at Stephen F. Austin, in Nacogdoches, and that seemed to fit my talents and experiences, "related Lancaster. "And, I certainly feel I made the right decision, now six years later, as I had the opportunity to appear in a number of productions at Stephen F., that I would have had to wait until my Master's program to do, at another university. The experience will be invaluable, now that I'm headed to New York."

 

Friends and family hosted a reception at Sunday's intermission of Monica's performance at
Main Street Theater.

 

 

Lancaster began her college career at Stephen F. Austin University with a part in the school's production, her freshman year, and had a lead part in all productions from her junior year, until she graduated with her Master's degree, this spring.

 

 

 

Sunday afternoon's performance included:

Exsultate jubilate by Mozart; Mandoline by Gabriel Faure'; Si mes vers avaient des ailes by Reynaldo Hahn; Chanson triste by Henri Dupare; Qui la voce by Vincenzo Bellini; Auch kleine Dinge by Hugo Wolf; Gretchen am Spinnrade by Franz Schubert; Hat dich die Liebe berurht by Joseph Marx; "Trees on the Mountain" from Susannah by Carlisle Floyd; and Winter Song and The Serpent Lee Hoiby.

 

 

Monica was accompanied by Mary Cooper, as pianist, for Sunday afternoon's performance.

This is wishing Monica all of the success in the world with her continuing career, as she pursues "the big time" in New York.

 

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