Marcie Ley, Yeghishe Manucharyan, and Jason Stearns
On Sunday, June 1, 2003, Concert Opera Boston and Chorus pro Musica presented a concert performance of Verdi's La Traviata starring Marcie Ley as Violetta, Yeghishe Manucharyan as Alfredo, and Jason Stearns as Germont. Critics and the audience hailed the performance.

"Sunday's 'La Traviata' was the eighth concert opera production presented by conductor Jeffrey Rink and the Chorus pro Musica and one of the best . . . Yeghishe Manucharyan . . . has developed into an excellent singer, with style, line, and a beauty of tone that becomes exceptional when he filed it down to a sweet and elegant half-voice. The most beautiful singing of the afternoon came in his verse of the last-act duet. It's easy to understand why he's building a significant career . . . Marcie Ley was vocally impressive as Violetta . . . Ley is attractive, strong-voiced, and well trained, with sound vocal and dramatic instincts . . . Her soft singing was pure and glowing . . . The supporting cast was youthful, engaging, and uncommonly persuasive. . . Chorus pro Musica sang everything with tremendous zest. The orchestra played eloquently for Rink, the real hero of the enterprise. He knows what singers need and what Verdi needs; under him, the music of 'La Traviata' poured its heart out. "
Richard Dyer, Boston Globe

"Jeffrey Rink is about he best thing that's happened to Verdi since James Levine. He assembles casts of capable and sometimes extraordinary singers, a first-rate orchestra, and, of course, a terrific chorus for operas in which the chorus plays an important role. So even without scenery and costumes, everyone involved puts on a great show. "
Lloyd Schwartz, Boston Phoenix

"Jeffrey Rink, the music director of Chorus pro Musica, which presented this performance with Concert Opera Boston, has established an annual opera-in-concert as part of the choral group's regular season. And though previous ventures have had considerable merit, this was the most thoroughly polished of them yet . . . Rink drew an exemplary performance from the orchestra. And his supple, responsive guiding of the voices reminded that he's an opera conductor of uncommon wisdom and skill...  Marcie Ley possesses the youth and beauty of an ideal Violetta. She easily met the role's challenging vocal demands . . . she's a naturally sincere, engaging actress . . . Yeghishe Manucharyan [sang] his ardent music with consummate style and a thrilling golden-age gleam in his voice . . . Jason Stearns gave an impressively big-voiced performance as Alfredo's father, Germont... The large chorus sang with not only beauty and power but also with the animation that comes from taking not just every note but also every word seriously. "
T.J. Medrek, Boston Herald

to support and expand
   ' opera in concert'
as a thriving presence
in the Boston music scene