The Vermont Italian Opera Intensive is a two week program where singers come to 
study, learn, and sing Italian opera. Modeled after the Ezio Pinza Council for American Singers of Opera (EPCASO) program in Oderzo, Italy (founded by his daughter, Claudia Pinza), this program offers coaching in Italian opera style, Italian vocal technique instruction, and Italian language classes. Vocal coach Mary Jane Austin and opera singer Erik Kroncke, both faculty of EPCASO, run this intensive. They have over twenty years of experience in Italian opera and have worked with some of the greatest conductors, singers, and directors of the Italian opera tradition. All of the participating singers are of advanced study or professional level. The program will culminate with two concerts on July 21st and 23rd. The concert on the 21st will be a house concert in East Montpelier of Italian arias and songs and limited to 20 people. Please call 802 310 9802 for more information and to reserve a place. The concert on the 23rd will be a semi-staged concert of arias and scenes at the Waterbury Congregational Church in Waterbury, Vermont at 4pm. Both concerts are free, with donations gratefully accepted.
Category: Newsletter
Laundry Love Update
Last night the Waterbury Laundromat was chock full. There was not a machine that 
wasn’t spinning or tumbling or churning. About half of those were guests invited there by our Laundry Love initiative. Deb Utton and I were pleased with how smooth it ran and are looking forward to inviting the rest of you to partake.
Right now, we are running this on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month. They bring their laundry to the laundromat and load the appropriate machine. We take their name and make sure that if they are using the free detergent that they are not allergic to it. Then we put the detergent and the quarters in the machine and sit back while the machines do their thing. Some of the guests like to chat, others will leave. Bring a book in case. Eventually, we envision that 2 volunteers would be at the laundromat at 5pm and that one would leave at 6pm and the other remain until 7:00pm, the latest point at which the last load can go in.
We’re off and running!
Tag Sale
It’s time to start thinking about the tag sale. We have some larger items starting to arrive. We are accepting donations now!
This year, the tag sale will be on Friday and Saturday, July 26th and 27th. We will have a SignUp Genius form here soon. But most important, right now, is to collect items for the event. You may bring in your gently used, no longer wanted stuff and start filling the basement, from back to front please!
We have some simple, basic rules. Remember, please to:
- Mark your items with a suggested price.
- Signup to help at the actual sale. A signup sheet will be available during worship and coffee time this Sunday.
- Did I mention we need your gently used stuff?! (Although we cannot sell used old computer equipment or televisions, personal hygiene items and VHS tapes. Also we do not accept clothing.)
The church will be open for drop-off everyday this week from 8 am – 7 pm.
We’d love to have your help on Friday and Saturday too — just hit the signup button and find a slot that works for you.
Combined Worship Service
Once again this summer, the Rev. Sam Newton of the Wesley United Methodist Church and I are planning a combined worship service at our church on Sunday, July 9. The purpose of this joint worship is quite simply to remind ourselves that we share a common heritage, that our differences, while real, and in some cases profound, do not keep us from singing and praying together to the God without whom, we together equally confess, we would be as nothing.
I hope you’ll be able to join us!
Church Council Meeting 6/18
The regularly schedule meeting of the Waterbury Congregational Church Council will happen this Sunday, June 18, following worship in the third floor general purpose room. If you are a regular council member, please plan to attend, though, as always, the meeting is open to anyone interested!