Sunset Serenade

Join us for Sunset Serenade on the steps of the landmark US Custom House! A free concert to launch the 2024 Piccolo Spoleto Festival featuring the Charleston Symphony under the direction of Artistic Director, Yuriy Bekker and featuring vocalist Kyaunnee Richardson. Grab your beach chair or blanket and head downtown for a lively night of music under the stars. Arrive early and enjoy the festival atmosphere as Charleston gathers to celebrate the arts!

A special thank you to Piccolo Spoleto Festival and the City of Charleston for making this concert happen. For more information on additional event, visit their website!

ARTISTS

Kyaunnee Richardson, Soprano
Yuriy Bekker, Conductor
Ryo Hasegawa, Conductor

PROGRAM

John Stafford Smith, arr. Arthur Frackenpohl
Star Spangled Banner

Giuseppe Verdi
“Overture” from La Forza del Destino

Franz von Suppé
Light Calvary Overture

Giacomo Puccini
“O mio babbino caro” from Gianni Schicchi

Andrew Lloyd Webber
“Think of Me” from Phantom of the Opera

Leonard Bernstein
“Glitter and Be Gay” from Candide

Stephen Schwartz, arr. Ted Ricketts
Highlights from Wicked

Henry Mancini, arr. Calvin Custer
“Theme” from Peter Gunn                                        

John Willliams
E.T., The Extra Terrestrial: Adventures on Earth

John Philip Sousa
Stars and Stripes

ABOUT THE SOLOIST

Kyaunnee Richardson, soprano, made her professional debut as Papagena in Mozart’s The Magic Flute with the Festival of the Arts Boca in 2016. In 2021, Kyaunnee starred as Calpurnia in the world premiere of The Secret River with Opera Orlando and made her 2020 Opera Orlando debut as Adele in Die Fledermaus.

Other highlights from the last few seasons include the roles of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with the Savannah VOICE Festival; Adele in Die Fledermaus, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Despina in Così fan tutte with Opera in Williamsburg; Monica in The Medium with First Coast Opera; Sister 2 in the world premiere of Why I Live at the PO with UrbanArias, Juliette in Roméo et Juliette and Maria in West Side Story with Gulfshore Opera; Gretel in Hansel and Gretel and Frasquita in Carmen with Opera Orlando; Clara in Porgy and Bess with the South Florida Symphony; Alice/Dr. Marigold in Adolphe’s The Adventures of Alvin Allegretto and Pamina in The Magic Flute with Orchestra Miami and several roles with Opera Fusion’s Emerging Artist Project series.

Recently, Kyaunnee placed 1st in 2023 Opera Ebony’s Benjamin Matthew’s Vocal Competition. She also was a semi-finalist in the 2023 American Traditions Vocal Competition where she was awarded the Sherrill Milnes American Opera Award. She has competed in several competitions and won awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition, New York Lyric Opera Theatre, Opera Ebony and Harlem Opera Theatre.

She has also been a featured soloist with the Alabama Symphony, Brevard Symphony, Orlando Philharmonic, Symphony of the Americas, South Florida Symphony Orchestra and many other orchestras across South Florida.