Back for its 11th season, Savannah Voice Festival cements 'lasting legacy'

Artists pour a great deal of time and effort into their craft, but the most impactful elements come directly from the artist’s life. Those fragments of personal experiences, unique understandings and intense emotions help audiences connect with the artist, and one another, long after the artist is gone. This legacy allows the arts to provide a kaleidoscopic view of the human experience, and the 2023 Savannah Voice Festival lineup arranges past, present and future into two spectacular weeks of live music.

“I think turning on one’s creative brain, if you will, enhances all other aspects of life, and coming to our concerts, or any concert, opera or production, forces one to engage with the world in a creative way,” SVF Executive Director Chad Sonka said.

The 11th season of SVF, which runs August 6 - 20, looks at the countless ways a creative mind can impact communities around the world. “A Lasting Legacy” is a celebration of SVF co-founders Sherrill Milnes and Maria Zouves’ legendary careers and non-profit work, but the organization was founded on the belief that the past is only the beginning of a lasting legacy.

“We want to keep ensuring that the legacy of great singing, performing, administration—everything related to opera, musical theater and song—is secure for the future, particularly in the fabulous hostess city of Savannah,” Sonka said.

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Vocalists from Tokyo to perform 'Madama Butterfly'

This year’s Festival has many performances, but three key productions are at the center of it all: Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas,” Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” and Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” Each production was selected for its role as a key player in the operatic tradition, but two have extra special places in this year’s lineup.

“Don Giovanni” was one of the first operas SVF produced in the city, forming a solid foundation for the festival’s growing legacy. It will take place Aug. 12, at Asbury Memorial Church, 1008 E. Henry St.

This year’s festival will also feature the first performance of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” in Savannah, cementing the next piece of SVF’s legacy for the future. Artists from the Tokyo International Vocal Arts Academy, founded by SVF’s Artistic Director Jorge Parodi, will perform this iconic opera Aug. 19 at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center, 201 W. Montgomery St.

SVF guarantees everyone can find something to enjoy, from the biggest opera buff to the casual listener looking to try something new. This year’s festival will also extend its geographic reach through new collaborations, including the As Time Goes By concert in Pooler. In this collaborative performance, the Elite Party Band and SVF Singers invite audiences to join their celebration of post-World War II-era music, highlighting smooth swing, expansive ballads and catchy show tunes.

'Music has a universal scope'

Everyone has different experiences and interests, and SVF is prepared to meet audiences where they are. Most performances will have translations, and operas performed in foreign languages will have supertitles to help audiences understand these captivating stories.

“Everything will be made available for you to enjoy this music at whatever level works best for you,” Sonka said. “That way you are able to truly just sit back and enjoy the music.”

Enjoyment is a vital part of keeping the arts alive for years to come. Sometimes we get so caught up in “the point” of art that we miss the lasting experience, and opera is no exception. Although it highlights immense talent and dedication, live music’s impact on the human body, mind and heart is its most impressive feat.

“One has no choice but to have a visceral reaction to the unamplified human voice. It's so impactful when it's trained beautifully,” Sonka said. “We recognize ourselves in the stories that are moved by these voices.”

Although we may not understand the language, the fluid melodies and glowing harmonies are just as much a part of the kaleidoscopic vision as the libretto. Pure sound might even be the biggest, most colorful piece at the center of this particular kaleidoscope. We don’t have to know the words to connect to a song because music is truly a universal language.

“People are drawn to music because the human voice is innately musical. When we speak, we technically speak with pitch, rhythm, duration and flexion. So music, especially vocal music, is taken to its extreme point and honed emotionally,” Sonka said. “Music is subjective. We can have different experiences with different kinds of music, but nonetheless, one still has a reaction. I think that's why music has a universal scope.”

No two people experience the world exactly the same way, and that’s what makes a creative view—a kaleidoscopic view—of the world so fascinating. Many may regard art as a frivolous or even silly pastime, but it asks questions, increases empathy and offers multiple vantage points that remind us of the beauty of living in a world full of color.

“Many of us who created the festival look at the world through a creative lens, pulling interactions and experiences we could funnel into the program. And perhaps what The Festival ventures to do is to help those who don't innately have that to start to look at the world through that beautiful prism,” Sonka said.

What started as an attempt to shed a little light on a single prism has evolved into a legacy that SVF is proud to share with Savannah. “A Lasting Legacy” promises to be a vibrant kaleidoscope of music for all audiences, so make sure you don’t miss a single note.

If You Go >>

The 2023 Savannah Voice Festival, “A Lasting Legacy,” runs August 6-20. For a full festival lineup, tickets and information about becoming a VIP,  visit SavannahVoiceFestival.org.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah Voice Festival returns for 11th season, Aug. 6-20